April 15, 1863, The Charleston Mercury
All was quiet in the direction of the Bar yesterday.
The enemy is known to be in considerable force on Seabrook’s and Kiawah Islands. His force on Coles’ Island is estimated at about 3000 men. Eight vessels, half of the number being gunboats, are anchored near by in the Stono.
On Monday last a detachment of twenty men from Eutaw Regiment, under Lieut. LESESNE, reported to Major BEN BURGH SMITH for special duty, and under his command proceeded to scout Long Island. The men, deployed as skirmishers, swept the island, but found no Yankees. About nine o’clock the enemy movements on Coles’ Island indicated that our scouts had been observed. Several detachments were put in motion through the marsh towards Long Island. Captain S. LEROY HAMMOND, who had shouldered his rifle and was with our scouts as a volunteer, was sent forward to watch these men in the marsh, and to keep Major SMITH advised of their movements. While kneeling in the grass, watching the enemy in front, he heard a bush crack to the right, and turning beheld a whole platoon of Yankees emerging from the woods, about twenty-five yards from him. Captain HAMMOND fired, and one of the Yankees was seen to fall; and then retreating, the whole platoon fired, and though the balls whizzed over and dug the earth around him, he escaped unhurt, and communicating with Major SMITH, the detachment was led to a point to cut off the Yankees, but they […..]’ with such speed that it was impossible to catch them. They fought retreating, and the bullets whizzed sharply for awhile. Another of the Yankees was supposed to have been wounded. ‘Nobody hurt’ on our side.
Major SMITH counted thirty-one Yankees. After getting beyond the range of our guns they sent for reinforcements, and our scouts deemed it advisable to leave.