advancing rapidly, it was fired into by men in a rifle-trench extending across the island, at the boat-house, just on this side of the grave yard. This is three-quarters of a mile from this battery. We returned the fire from both wings (the left 50 yards in rear of right en echelon), and advanced upon the trench, when the enemy retreated out of it. When the right was within 10 or 15 yards, of the trench, a very heavy fire from about 1,000 men was opened upon us from a line some 100 yards in rear of the trench.

After examining the trench (a very strong rifle-pit extending from the beach to the marsh, 250 yards), and finding that the lines would not advance in face of the fire, which illuminated all the ground in front and was very heavy, I withdraw the line, bringing off the wounded we found and one of the enemy's advanced pickets, whom we had captured. Afterward we took another prisoner, whom I had sent through my lines when advancing against the rifle-trench .

Light pieces (about 12-pounders) were fired from Vinegar Hill, some 300 yards in rear of the rifle-trench, and a very heavy guns was fired from Gregg's Hill, about 2 miles from this battery.

Upon finding that some men were missing, I returned with my command toward the enemy's position, and brought to the rear some more wounded without being fired upon from the rifle-trench. Upon learning that one of the Seventh South Carolina Battalion was subsequently discovered to be missing, I again returned, with 20 men from that battalion, and found the wounded man near the trench, and brought him off without receiving a shot from the rifle-trench, which evidently had been abandoned.

Our loss was 11 wounded (1 since dead) and 3 missing. Of the wounded, 1 was mortal, 2 severe, and 8 slight.

The enemy's loss in killed, and wounded, judging from the bodies I saw in the trench, must have been as many as 40. We also took, as ordered by the brigadier-general commanding, 2 prisoners.

This report is very hurried, and consequently disconnected. You will please, however, submit it for the consideration of the brigadier-general commanding.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JAMES H. RION,

Major 7th South Carolina Batt., Commanding Attacking Party.

Captain [W. E.] S. ONEY,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Table of our loss.

Wounded. Missing.

51st North Carolina Regiment.................... 3 ..

12th Georgia Battalion........................... 5 3

18th Georgia Battalion........................... 1 ..

20th South Carolina Regiment.................... *1 ..

7th South Carolina Battalion.................... 1 ..

Total............................................ 11 3

[Indorsement.]

HEADQUARTERS MORRIS ISLAND, July 15, 1863.

Respectfully forwarded for the information of the brigadier-general commanding district, with the remark that I ordered this party

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* Since dead.

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