Today in History:

814 Series I Volume XIV- Serial 20 - Secessionville

Page 814 COAST OF S. C.,GA.,AND MID. AND EAST FLA. Chapter XXVI.

It is enjoined upon the artillery to fire with great deliberation, mainly upon the enemy's infantry, till they advance upon the battery, when they will be plied with canister as rapidly as possible. The infantry will not fire till the enemy have advanced within 250 yards of their position. Officers will be careful to impress this order upon the men, as the enemy frequently take position and fire at long range to draw our fire or scare us by a noisy demonstration. Should the enemy march by either two or three different routes, they must be met at works commanding all the routes by once in proportion to the strength of the demonstration. In the event of works on Union road being taken, the line of retreat would be to junction of Union and Salkehatchie roads. Should the main fight have taken place at that point, a second stand would be made by the whole command concentrated at the junction or at Salkehatchie Swamp and bridge, as circumstances would require. In the event of works on Combahee River road being attacked by the main body of the enemy and forced, the whole command would be concentrated at swamp west of Salkehatchie Bridge. If only a detachment should have point, however, have been taken for want of re-enforcement, the works at Pocotaligo wills till be held and a re-enforcement sent to the above point. Should the enemy land at Mackay's Point, and while making a demonstration at Pocotaligo march through the woods on the railroad west of Pocotaligo, a force will be sent to meet them through Captain William Heyward's negro quarters. They might also be taken in rear of Captain Thomas Elliott's Causeway. In the event of the enemy breaking the line of defense on both the right and left and taking possession of the Salkehatchie road before the right at Pocotaligo could retire, the left of the line would retire by the Salkehatchie Bridge and endeavor to hold it be breaking down the bridge and planting artillery on the east bank. The right would retire through Blountville by Izard's Bridge and concentrate either at Salkehatchie Bridge or Walterborough, according to our capacity for holding the line of the Combahee River. If forced to retire from the Combahee River, a portion of the command, consisting mainly of cavalry, with a lith battery, will retire to Walterborough, the remainder to the bridge over the Ashepoo, with view of holding the line of the Ashepoo River. If forced from that line, we wound endeavor to hold the railroad from Branchville to Ridgeville, for which we would expect re-enforcements from General Beauregard. In the event of retiring from any position the troops that have been least exposed to fire will compose the rear guard.

W. S. WALKER,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.


SPECIAL ORDERS, HDQRS. DEPT. OF S. C., GA., AND FLA., Numbers 58.
Charleston, March 6, 1863.

I. Brigadier-General Taliaferro, Provisional Army of the Confederate States, having reported for duty in this department, is assigned to the District of Georgia, and will report, with his staff, to Brigadier-General Mercer, commanding.

* * * *

By command of General Beauregard:

JNO. M. OTEY,
Assistant Adjutant-General.


Page 814 COAST OF S. C.,GA.,AND MID. AND EAST FLA. Chapter XXVI.