After the defeat at Honey Hill the Union withdrew to a defensive position near where they landed at Boyd’s Neck. The Confederates not knowing whether the Yankees would launch another assault remained behind their earthworks at Bee’s Creek, which guarded the railroad at Coosawhatchie, and at Honey Hill, which guarded the railroad at Grahamville. Brigadier General James Chesnut arrived late on November 30th with his brigade of South Carolina reservists. The following day saw the arrival of Brigadier General Lawrence Baker’s 1,960-man North Carolina brigade. Lieutenant General William Hardee reached the area from Savannah on December 1st and sent Major General Gustavus Smith and his Georgia militia back to Savannah. The Federals entrenched at Boyd’s Landing as Confederate artillery fired on them on December 2nd. The 54th MA worked hard over the next two days to extend their fortifications. On December 4th the 25th OH was transported up Whale Branch Creek, marched 6 miles, and captured two Rebel guns at Church Bridge. Also, early on the 4th just after midnight the assembly order sounded on Marion Square at the Citadel Academy in Charleston shown below (now an Embassy Suites hotel). Cadets from the Citadel Academy made up Company A, and those from the Columbia Academy, where students from the South Carolina Military Academy (SCMA) spent their first year, made up Company B. The name of the SCMA was changed in 1910 to the Citadel. The 343 Cadets marched to the railroad depot and boarded a train to Pocotaligo Station.

The mural below is at the Daniel Library on the campus of the Citadel located at 171 Moultrie Street in Charleston.

On December 5th the Federals launched two diversionary actions. One involved the 55th MA on the extreme left and another led by Brigadier General Edward Potter, which was a much larger demonstration on the breastworks at Bee’s Creek on the way to Coosawhatchie. Lieutenant General William Hardee placed General Samuel Jones in charge of the defense of the entire Charleston and Savannah Railroad and ordered him to move his headquarters from Charleston to Pocotaligo. He would command the 5th and 47th GA, a battalion of the 32nd GA, several artillery batteries, part of the 3rd SC Cavalry, Kirk’s squadron and reservists and militias from the Carolinas and Georgia. The soldiers at Grahamville were commanded by Brigadier General Chestnut and those at Coosawhatchie by Brigadier General Gartrell. After Potter’s brigade withdrew from Bee’s Creek they headed to Boyd’s Landing, where during the night they were loaded on a dozen transports along with supplies and artillery. The Federals would try again to disrupt the Charleston and Savannah Railroad.

December 6th- Day 1

They would leave early on the morning of the 6th in the fog and entered the Tulifinny River at low tide around 8:00 AM. The steamers carrying the Naval brigade ran aground. The transports carrying Potter’s brigade arrived first at the upper landing of Gregorie’s plantation (the home of Captain John Gregorie of the Confederate Corps of Engineers) on Deveaux’s Neck after a 10-mile trip. He had a total force of about 5000 men consisting of soldiers, sailors and marines. The 144th NY and part of the 25th OH secured the landing. The 56th, 127th and 157th NY, the rest of the 25th OH and a battalion of naval infantry were sent forward on a reconnaissance in force. At 10:00 AM General Gartrell telegraphed General Jones that the Yankees were landing 3 miles from Coosawhatchie and requested that the 47th GA and artillery be sent to him as soon as possible. As Federals marched on Coosawhatchie the only unit Gartrell had to oppose them was the 5th GA commanded by Colonel Charles Daniel. The 5th GA struck the right side of the Union line made up of naval infantry about one mile from Tulifinny Crossroads and drove them back about 150 yards. Naval howitzers and marines came up to stem the tide. The 56th and 127th NY turned the Rebel line and the outnumbered confederates fled in panic. The Cadet Battalion commanded by Major John Jenkins of the 3rd SC Cavalry were sent to support the 5th GA but by the time they arrived the Federals had broken off the attack just a half mile away from the railroad and the Cadets marched to the Tulifinny River railroad trestle. After 2.5 hours of fighting the Federals had 4 regiments positioned along each side of the road from Old Pocotaligo to Coosawhatchie. The 5th GA had returned to their works in Coosawhatchie. The forces involved are shown below.

 December 7th- Day 2 

During the night a 20-car train arrived with reinforcements from Augusta, Georgia. On the morning of December 7th, the Confederates mounted a counterattack. The skirmish line would be made up of the Citadel Cadets, who had never faced enemy fire, and three companies of the 5th GA. They would be followed by the 47th GA, the Arsenal Cadets, a Battalion of the 32nd GA and a unit of the SC militia commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Edwin Bacon. In the haze and mist they advanced over frost-covered ground and made it to within 50 yards of the Federal right before they came under fire. They first encountered the 32nd USCT (US Colored Troops) who were taken by surprise and were driven back. Next, they quickly advanced on a battalion of marines who were routed and fled to safety. At his point the Rebels were joined on the left by the 1st SC Cavalry under Lieutenant Colonel Niles Nesbitt. The Federals were driven back across the road. The Confederates also launched a simultaneous attack on the Union left with the main body of the 5th GA under Colonel Daniel from Coosawhatchie but they were quickly repulsed. With the threat on the left neutralized the Federals focused their attention on their right flank. A battery of navy howitzers sent a deadly volume of canister into the ranks of the Confederates and a battalion of Georgia reserves fled the field. At this point the Confederates returned to the safety of their earthworks on the railroad embankment. The Federals then launched an attack on the Rebel works, which was quickly repulsed with the aid of the Cadet Battalion leaving the Confederates in control of the road. The Federals retreated to their earthworks within a mile of the railroad. Cadet William B. Patterson was killed in action. Cadets Joseph Barnwell, Edward McCarty, Stephen Hollingsworth, Albert Heyward, William Pringle, Allen Green, James Boatwright, Jacob, Lyons and Waddy Thompson were wounded.

December 8th- Day 3

December 8th saw rains move in and little fighting. Both sides focused on strengthening their defensive works. Brigadier General Beverly Robertson arrived to take command of troops between Bee’s Creek and Pocotaligo. He sent the Cadets to the left where they built earthworks parallel to and east of the railroad tracks. General Hatch decided to abandon Boyd’s Neck leaving only one regiment there. These additional forces kept Federal numbers around 5000. Confederate troops now numbered 1600. The Federals were preparing for one more push to either destroy the railroad or command it with their artillery. Their continuing efforts were forcing the Confederates to expend resources that would otherwise be used to defend Savannah from Sherman. General Beauregard arrived at Pocotaligo station to confer with General Jones at his headquarters. Hatch also moved 2 regiments to Mackey’s Point on the other side of the Tulifinny River.

December 9th- Day 4

At 9:00 AM Federal batteries opened fire to clear their front. A line of skirmishers then advanced toward the left center of the Confederate line commanded by Colonel A.C. Edwards. On the Union right a battalion of Marines advanced on the far right, several companies of the 157th NY were in the center, with the 127th NY on the left. They were followed by the main battle line which consisted of the 56th and 144th NY, the 102nd USCTs and the naval infantry- a total of about 1,100 men. Behind them were 500 woodsmen of the 25th OH with axes. The Ohioans were to open a wider lane through the forest in order to better expose the railroad to Union artillery fire on the right. At 10:00 AM the Union skirmishers encountered Confederate pickets about 350 yards from the railroad. The pickets fell back and joined the 32nd and 47th GA, 7th NC and the South Carolina Cadet Battalion at the railroad embankment. Union commander Colonel Silliman was wounded early in the fighting and command passed to Lieutenant Colonel Stewart Woodford of the 127th NY. Moving across open ground the Federals made it to within 200 yards of the Rebel works when they came under severe enfilading artillery fire from their right by Captain William Bachman’s battery of the German Light Artillery. The marine battalion under Lieutenant George Stoddard tried to flank the battery and made it to within 50 yards of the railroad but were forced to fall back when the 157th NY to their left withdrew. The 25th OH continued to cut a path through the woods as the 54th MA were constructing batteries for the guns that would be used. By 3:00 PM the Ohioans had created a lane 500 yards long and 20-30 yards wide. At that time the Confederates launched a counterattack from their right. The 5th GA and the 1st and 3rd GA Reserves moved forward from Coosawhatchie. The 25th OH put down their axes and repulsed the Rebel assault. The Federal line reorganized and fell back to the safety of their works south of the road. The Confederates then fell back to a point about a quarter of a mile in advance of where they were in the morning. Hatch was unsuccessful in destroying the railroad but did now hold a position where he could shell the trains and tracks of the Charleston and Savannah Railroad from a distance. Hatch’s batteries score a few hits but were unable to cause significant damage, allowing trains to continue passing between Charleston and Savannah until the arrival of Major General William T. Sherman’s armies in January. With his ammunition running low and the battle at a standstill, General Hatch made the decision to withdraw. Casualties in the battle are shown below on this display at the Morris Center.

The battle was significant in two respects. It was one of the few times that an entire college including the superintendent, faculty, staff and cadets were engaged in a battle as a single unit. Second, it was one of the most successful deployments of Marines as an infantry battalion in that they were the unit to come closest to the railroad (50 yards) in the battle.

Another display at the Morris Center for Low Country Heritage regarding the battle is shown below- 10782 South Jacob Smart Boulevard open Tuesday-Saturday 10:00 AM-5:00 PM.

The Battle of Tulifinny Crossroads is interpreted on the side of this building at 8198 Frontage Road, Ridgeland.

Sources

Rebellion, Reconstruction, and Redemption, 1861-1893, The History of Beaufort County, South Carolina, Volume 2 by Stephen R. Wise and Lawrence S. Rowland

Vital Rails- The Charleston and Savannah Railroad and the Civil War in Coastal South Carolina.

U.S. Marines Face Citadel Cadets at Tulifinny Crossroads by Lieutenant Colonels Walter McTernan and Andrew D. Kullberg. Leathernecks March 2013

War of the Rebellion A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series 1, Vol. XLIV, Demonstration Against the Charleston and Savannah Railroad. Chapter LVI pages 438-448.

The Civil War in My South Carolina Lowcountry by James L. Harvey Jr.