party. At 4.30 p.m. I was obliged to cease fire, fuses of the proper length being exhausted.

Enemy unusually quiet until afternoon, when he opened fire from Parrott guns and mortars below Craigs' Hill. Our battery uninjured; only one casualty in Twelfth Georgia Battalion, leg carried off by shell. Enemy ceased firing about dark.

At 11 p.m. picket at mouth of Vincent's Creek opened fire on small boat apparently drifting out to sea.

At 12 o'clock picket again opened fire on small boat as before. They report that the boat returned fire with small arms, continuing its outward course around Cumming's Point. It was impossible to open from the battery, owing to the darkness of the night. I think the boats were from the enemy, for the purpose of watching transportation, and signaling the fleet when to open fire. Since 11.30 p.m. a rocket was thrown up, apparently from small boat, monitors immediately opening fire upon the point. Battery did not reply, owing to extreme darkness of the night. Fleet ceased firing after a few rounds.

To-day, 16th, enemy quiet, not firing until dark, when a few shell were thrown from Parrott gun battery at the foot of Craig's Hill.

At 1 p.m. 7 rounds fired from 9-inch gun on right of battery, for the purpose of testing fuses, when fire ceased, owing to failure of the fuses; not having good fuses of proper length, no further firing from battery to-day.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

T. GEO. DARGAN,

Lieutenant, Commanding Battery.

Captain W. F. NANCE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[Indorsement.]

Respectfully forwarded. I regret that Lieutenant Dargan did not have his shell properly fused. I have used every effort to secure proper fuses, and Captain Hill promises that the defect will be remedied at once.

LAWRENCE M. KEITT,

Colonel, Commanding.

No. 41. Reports of Lieutenant James R. Pringle, First South Carolina Artillery.

BATTERY GREGG, August 18, 1863.

GENERAL: I have the honor to forward extract from daily journal: 7.50 a.m. Three monitors and Ironsides take the old position of yesterday. One monitor steams up to 1,500 or 1,800 yards of this post. After the men had breakfasted, ordered one of 10-inch columbiads to open at intervals of ten minutes on her. First shot struck on parapet, but being only a shell filled with sand was shivered to atoms, without effecting any material injury . She was struck some three or four times. I ordered the 9-inch to open likewise at long intervals. At the end of two hours, finding she was shifting her position continually, and becoming short of ammunition, I ceased