JULY 16, 1863.-Engagement near Grimball's Landing, James Island, S. C.

REPORTS.*

Numbers 1.-Lieutenant Paul Brodie, Seventy-ninth New York Infantry, Acting Signal Officers, including operations July 7-20.

Numbers 2.-Colonel William W. H. Davis, One hundred and fourth Pennsylvania Infantry, commanding brigade.

Numbers 3.-Brigadier General Johnson Hagood, C. S. Army, commanding on James Island.

Numbers 4.-Brigadier General A. H. Colquitt, C. S. Army, commanding brigade.

Numbers 5.-Colonel Charlton H. Way, Fifty-fourth Georgia Infantry.

Numbers 6.-Colonel James D. Radcliffe, Sixty-first North Carolina Infantry.

Numbers 7.-Lieutenant Colonel R. J. Jeffords, Fifty South Carolina Cavalry.

Numbers 1. Reports of Lieutenant Paul Brodie, Seventy-ninth New York Infantry, Acting Signal Officer, including operations July 7-20.

HILTON HEAD, S. C.,

September 10, 1863.

SIR: In obedience to Special Orders, Numbers 10 (a copy of which I inclose, marked A+), I reported for duty to Brigadier General A. H. Terry, commanding First Division.

On the 7th of July, 1863, embarked on the steamer Mary A. Boardman, arrived at Stono Inlet on the afternoon of the 8th, and in the evening of the same day debarked on the south end of Folly Island.

At 11.30 a. m. of the 9th, General Terry gave me verbal orders to report at once for duty to Commander George B. Balch, on board the U. S. steam sloop Pawnee, then lying at the mouth of Stono River. At 2 o'clock of same morning I reported on board. The following are the names of signal men who accompanied me:

Private David Russel, Company C, Seventy-ninth Regiment New York Volunteers; Privates William R. Elston, [John] Tilley, and [Thomas C.] Parsons.

At 9 o'clock General Terry sent a boat for me to go to the Mary A. Boardman and arrest a deserter I had recognized the day previous on that steamer. Before leaving the Pawnee, Private David Russell was reported sick. I ordered him into the boat with me, and after having arrested the deserter and reported on shore to General Terry for further orders, I placed Russell in care of a surgeon, who pronounced him un it for duty. Later in the day, General Terry ordered that Russell be sent to general hospital at Hilton Head.

Received orders from General Terry to remain on shore for the present. At 2 p. m. embarked on the steamer General Hunter. At 5.20, the whole division having been placed on board transports, proceeded up Stono River, the gunboats leading the way. At about 6.15 p. m. the woods in the immediate vicinity of Stevens' Landing, on James Island, were shelled by the Pawnee and other vessels. During this firing I was ordered by General Terry to report on the Pawnee and open communication with the land force. At 7 p. m.

---------------

*See also reports of Gilmore and Beauregard pp. 3, 55, and for report of Commander George B. Balch, U. S. Navy, see Annual Report of the Secretary of the Navy, December 7, 1863.

+Not found.

---------------