To the culpable negligence of the pickets is to be attributed the near approach of the enemy before he was discovered. The men, however, were at their guns, which were at once well and rapidly served. Lieutenant-Colonels Gaillard's and Smith's battalions (Charleston and Pee Dee) were moved promptly into position, under the orders of Colonel T. G. Lamar, the heroic commander of the post. The enemy was driven back in confusion and with great loss. A second attempt after he had received re-enforcement met with a similar result, and a third was equally unsuccessful. A flank movement was then attempted against the right of the battery, but was repulsed by the Charleston Battalion, aided by the Louisiana Battalion, under Lieutenant-Colonel McEnery, which had been promptly dispatched by Colonel Johnson Hagood, the immediate commander, to the support of Secessionville on the first intimation of the enemy's advance upon that position, and which arrived in time to participate fully in the dangers and glory of this admirable repulse.

On the evening of the 15th I directed Brigadier-General Evans to send sufficient re-enforcement to Secessionville to relieve the Louisiana [Battalion] of the arduous duties in which it had been engaged for a number of days previous. A detachment of 4 officers (Captain J. Jamison commanding) and 100 men of Colonel Goodlett's Twenty-second South Carolina Volunteers came up just in time to meet the first onset of the enemy, performing most excellent service and sustaining a loss of 10 killed and 7 wounded. For further details of the action immediately in front of Secessionville I respectfully refer to the reports herewith, of Brigadier-General Evans, Colonel T. G. Lamar, and his subordinate commanders; and for those details resulting from the enemy's flank movement upon Secessionville to Brigadier-General Evans' report, to that of Colonel Johnson Hagood, First South Carolina Volunteers, who had been assigned to the command of an advanced corps, composed of his own regiment, the Twenty-fourth South Carolina, Colonel C. H. Stevens, the Eutaw Battalion, Lieutenant-Colonel Simonton, and the Louisiana Battalion, Lieutenant-Colonel McEntery - the latter, as before stated, was early dispatched to the support of secessionville, the remaining corps greatly aiding in the first and complete defeat of the enemy. The report of each of the above-named subordinate commanders is respectfully forwarded herewith.

Not having been an eye-witness of this well-fought combat, it is impossible for me perhaps to commend where commendation is most due. Many of the best nd bravest have fallen, among them Captain S. J. Reed, Louisiana Regiment; Captain Henry King, Charleston Battalion; First Lieutenant John Edwards, of the same command, and Second Lieutenant R. W. Greer, Eutaw Battalion, and First Sergt. James M. Baggott, who fell while serving his piece as Numbers 1, and was immediately succeeded by his company commander, the gallant and lamented Reed.

My estimation of the conduct of Colonel T. G. Lamar is fully expressed in my General Orders, Numbers 39, of June 17. His undaunted courage was an example well followed by those who surrounded him. Lieutenant-Colonels P. C. Gaillard, A. D. Smith, and J. McEnery, Major E. Amsay, Captain J. Jamison, were each in command of their respective corps during the whole or a part of the action, and are highly commended in the report of Colonel Lamar. I refer to his and to the reports of the officers above named for records of further instances of individual gallantry. In like manner I refer to the reports of Brigadier-General Evants, to Colonel Hagood, and to his subordinate commanders, Colonel C. H. Stevens and Lieutenant-Colonel Simonton and to Colonel Goodlett,