By May of 1864 both armies in the Charleston area had new commanders. Beauregard had been transferred to Petersburg, Virginia, to assist Robert E. Lee in the defense of Richmond, and had been replaced by Major General Samuel Jones the former commander of the Army of Western Virginia. Union Major General John Foster had replaced Gillmore as head of the Department of the South (May 26). Foster was an engineer on Robert Anderson’s staff in April of 1861 when Fort Sumter was surrendered and was anxious to exact revenge upon the city as were many in the Union high command.

In late June of 1864 Foster planned an offensive against Charleston along with Rear Admiral John Dahlgren, head of the Southeast Blockading Squadron. Together they devised a five-part plan which included: an amphibious landing at Fort Johnson on James Island from Morris Island; an assault on the southeastern end of James Island on the Stono River led by Brigadier General Alexander Schimmelfennig with 2500 troops; a landing at White Point on the North Edisto River led by General William Birney with his 1,200-man brigade with orders to “push forward to the railroad, place torpedoes under the track, to endeavor to destroy the bridge over the South Edisto River, and, if fortune favored, to destroy the trestle-work between it and the Ashepoo, and the bridge over the Ashepoo River”; Brigadier General John Hatch was to land on Seabrook Island with a force of 4,000 men with orders to “push forward to the upper part of Johns Island, seize the ferry, cross over, and, if possible, destroy the bridge over Rantowles Creek with his artillery”; and finally Naval gunboats were to provide covering support for the army, and to disable Confederate batteries and forts along the Stono River such as Forts Pringle and Fort Sumter in Charleston harbor. The goals of the mission according to Foster’s report were to “make a demonstration against Charleston and the railroad leading to Savannah.” These seem understated given the scope of the operation. Part of the reason for this may lie in a dispatch sent from Foster to his superior Henry Halleck on June 15th when discussing a plan to take Sullivan’s Island he states “I understand you to direct me to act upon the defensive strictly.”

The plan on paper was excellent and if properly executed could have led to the fall of the city. Two main bodies of troops were used along with the Navy. The first, a large force under Foster (5,000 men) would leave Hilton Head by sea carrying Hatch’s and Birney’s men. Birney would be responsible for cutting the Charleston and Savannah Railroad, which would prevent potential Confederate reinforcements in Savannah from reaching Charleston by rail. Hatch would land on Seabrook Island and move up Johns Island and occupy the ferry near Rantowle’s bridge. He was to cross over here and destroy the railroad bridge. Once this was accomplished Hatch would cross Johns Island to the Stono River across from Fort Pemberton. With the aid of Naval gunboats he could cross the Stono and be in the rear of the major Confederate forts, batteries and lines defending James Island. The Rebels outflanked would be forced to withdraw, especially if the second body of Federals accomplished their mission. General Schimmelfenning would lead his part of the operation with about 2,500 troops on Morris and Folly Islands. A group of troops would make their way from Cole and Long Islands to the vicinity of the southeastern part of James Island on the Stono River, an area that was actively involved in the 1862 Battle of Secessionville. Here they hoped to draw troops away from other parts of the island, which they did. While doing so a group of about 1,000 men would leave Morris Island in small boats under the cover of darkness and attack Fort Johnson, on the opposite side of James Island on Charleston harbor, which would be defended by a reduced force of only 150-300 men. If Fort Johnson fell and Hatch was either on or across the Stono River on the opposite side of James Island, the small Confederate force on the island would be under assault on three fronts, with pathways for reinforcement cut off, and the Union Navy with more than 20 warships in the river supporting the offensive, the Confederates would be forced to evacuate James Island. The Confederate commander Major General Samuel Jones clearly understood the gravity of the situation, as did his subordinates on both Johns and James Islands as evidenced by their desperate pleas for reinforcements in the Official Records. The “demonstration” will be covered in two posts. The first will follow Hatch’s and Birney’s troops troops as they attempt to accomplish their missions and the second will describe Schimmelfennig’s part in the assault. Writing the posts was made more difficult by the fact that Birney, Schimmelfennig and Saxton never filed a report on their parts of the “demonstration.”

Foster left Hilton Head Island on the evening of July 1st with a force of 5,000 infantry, 100 cavalry and two sections of artillery on transports for the North Edisto River. He landed Brigadier General Hatch’s men on Seabrook Island on the 2nd (two brigades- Colonel William WH Davis’ brigade- 104th PA, 144th and 157th NY; Brigadier General Rufus Saxton’s brigade- 9th, and 26th USCTs (US Colored Troops), 56th NY, Battery F 3rd NY Artillery and 100 cavalry). Foster then sailed up the North Edisto River to White Point where Brigadier General William Birney disembarked with his brigade of 1,200 men (7th, 34th and 35th USCTs) and two pieces of artillery that same day. His men only advanced two miles before darkness fell. On the 3rd, Birney advanced 5 miles when he came upon King’s Creek guarded by a battery. Foster ordered Birney to cross and then proceeded up Dawho Creek with two small gunboats to shell the battery’s flank. Birney could not carry the battery and the Federals withdrew during the night. He and his men boarded their transports and left the morning of the 4th, landing on James Island to reinforce Schimmelfennig. Per the regimental history of the 54th MA on the evening of the 6th Birney’s brigade was sent to John’s Island to support Hatch under Colonel Montgomery and Birney returned to Florida (this is not mentioned in Foster’s or Hatch’s reports). I couldn’t find a report from Birney in the Official Records to evaluate the details of his attempt. There is a passage in the Official Records from Captain Henry Clum, the Chief Signal Officer that states “he found a deep creek about 10 rods wide, the bridge torn up, and the only crossing commanded by a six-gun battery.” Captain Clum also notes the fighting went on for about 2 hours.

On July 2nd Colonel William Davis’s brigade (104th PA, 144th and 157th NY, and two companies of the 4th MA Cavalry commanded by Major D.B. Keith) began to land on Seabrook Island at Seabrook Point on the southeastern part of the island across from Edisto Island. The first of Hatch’s men to disembark were the 144th NY, under Colonel W.J. Slidell. They then marched 5 miles to Haulover Cut, shown in the images below (32.6088179, -80.1504417). After fording the cut to the Johns Island side they occupied the Confederate earthworks. At this point the only Confederate force on the island was a picket force of 80 mounted men under Captain E.L. Parker. They witnessed, but did not contest the landing, and withdrew to Custis’ and placed a piece of artillery to cover the crossing from Wadmalaw Island.

The Federals continued to land during the day and rebuilt the bridge over the cut. Davis’ Pioneer Corp under Quartermaster Lehnen rebuilt the bridge in less than four hours. It was 66 feet long with two abutments and two piers and sturdy enough for the artillery and cavalry to pass over. Saxton’s brigade would not finished landing until the following morning. On the morning of the 3rd, Colonel Davis’ brigade led the column up Bohicket Road, modern-day Betsey Kerrison Parkway, to the area of the Jenkins house, 4 miles from Haulover Cut, where they camped. Hatch joined the column here. Confederate reports refer to the area as the Cocked Hat, which is at or near the intersection of Betsey Kerrison Parkway and the River Road. The pictures below were taken from that intersection at 32.6476914, -80.1364053. Davis sent his scouts up Bohicket Road past the intersection toward the Presbyterian Church where they encountered Confederate pickets.

On the morning of the 4th, the plan to continue up the Bohicket Road, seize the ferry, and move on the Charleston and Savannah Railroad was abandoned. In his report Foster states he ordered a change because Hatch was “unable to reach the ferry in time to prevent the enemy from concentrating and meeting him in some force. I, therefore, ordered him down on the Stono River in positions from which the first of rebel defenses can be enfiladed and their bridge across the river near Fort Pringle be destroyed.” This seems odd because there was no large Confederate force on the island as of yet. Foster at this point would still have been with Birney on the North Edisto River so this information must have come from Hatch. Either Hatch overestimated the force in front of him or just felt more comfortable moving along the River Road, which would be much closer to both his line of supply and a potential line of retreat on the Stono River. Hatch never gave a reason for the change in his report. Either way he turned up the River Road, shown in the image below.

The men headed out at 5:00 AM but it was an extremely hot day and the column only managed to march five miles to the intersection with the modern-day Bryans Dairy Road, where the Brickhouse Plantation was located (32.6643852, -80.0614550), shown below. They camped here for the night. The area was near Aberpoolie (Abbapoola) Creek with a road heading to the east toward Legareville on the Stono River, which was only three miles away. A detachment of 25 men from the 4th MA Cavalry and Wildt’s battery of the 3rd NY Artillery joined the column here.

On July 5th the Federals were once again on the road early in the morning, leaving 4 companies of the 26th USCTs at the camp site to guard the road to Legareville. The Federals marched through Huntscum’s Corner leaving 2 companies of the 26th USCTs here as well, since from Huntscum’s Corner a road also led east to Legareville. Hatch’s men by 9:00 AM had marched 5 miles to the Huts (a plantation- probably near Hut Road), east of Burden’s Creek and across the Stono River from Battery Pringle. That same day Major John Jenkins, the Confederate commander on the island, returned from leave. He sent scouts down the River Road to determine the size and location of the Federal force. He would be facing two full brigades, one commanded by Colonel William Davis of the 104th PA and the other by Brigadier General Rufus Saxton. Jenkins ordered his cavalry to try and retard the Federal advance on the River Road while he led an attack on the rear of Hatch’s column. The 1st GA regiment, a total of 230 men, under Major Wayne, had just joined him that morning. Jenkins led them along with a Napolean gun from the Marion Artillery and a howitzer of Charles’ battery down the Bohicket Road. They turned left on Evondale Road and followed it to its intersection with the River Road at Huntscum’s Corner (32.6750416, -80.0503648), shown below.

At the rear of the Union column they routed the two companies of the 26th NY Colored Infantry, killing 2 men in the process. The 26th retreated back toward the Brickhouse Plantation followed by the Rebels. At this point Jenkins received word that his cavalry were being rapidly driven back up the River Road to Gervais’. Jenkins and his men quickly retraced their steps back to Grimball’s Waterloo Place to get in front of the Federals. By this time the head of the Federal column had advanced to Burden’s Creek (32.7155128, -80.0197256).

Saxton’s Brigade was sent back to deal with Jenkins, but he was already withdrawing. The rearguard action, however, had bought Jenkins’s some time to bring up troops from the 2nd SC and 32nd GA, as well as four pieces of artillery and station them just west of the intersection of the Plow Ground Road and River Road blocking Hatch’s path west of Burden’s Creek. Hatch entrenched east of the creek and camped for the night. The Confederates entrenched a half mile to their west in the field shown below just north of the intersection of the Plow Ground Road with the River Road (32.7184667, -80.0215833). General Foster listed his casualties in the campaign to date as: James Island- 3 officers and 52 men wounded, with 5 missing; Morris Island- 1 killed, and 6 officers and 132 men missing (captured); John’s Island- 2 killed, and 1 wounded. On James Island 3 men died of sunstroke and 18 drowned in the Stono River when a boat capsized.

The battle is interpreted here by the sign below.

On the 6th Hatch ordered a few companies of troops forward to reconnoiter the Confederate position but they were driven back. Colonel Davis in overall command in the field had gone forward to observe the strength of the Confederate lines but in the process was seriously wounded when hit by a fragment of an artillery shell in the right hand. This left Brigadier General Saxton in charge since Hatch was on a ship on the Stono River stating he was covering for General Foster in his absence, but there was no mention in Foster’s reports that he was not present. The Confederates reinforced their position during the day but were heavily outnumbered by the 5,000 Federals.

On the 7th Saxton brought up his artillery and began shelling the Confederate position. Late in the day around 5:00 PM he ordered an attack. Sharpshooters were sent forward on the right while the 26th USCTs advanced on the left commanded by Colonel William Silliman. The 26th NY managed to turn the Rebel position but were left unsupported. The Confederate right was manned by the 2nd SC dismounted Cavalry under Captain Clark who put up a determined fight. They lost 13 (7 killed and 6 wounded) of their 21 men. The Federals were held in check by a gun from the Marion Artillery until the 1st and 32nd GA under Major Wayne counterattacked and drove the 26th USCTs back wounding Colonel Silliman in the process. By the time the 157th NY moved forward it was too late, the 26th USCTs were already retreating.

Confederate General Beverly Robertson arrived on the 8th to take command of Confederate forces. He ordered the 4th GA dismounted Cavalry under Lieutenant-Colonel Harris to join him. Around 2:00 PM Colonel G.P. Harrison reported with the 32nd and 47th GA and Bonaud’s Battalion of Georgians from James Island. Robertson planned a flanking movement with the newly arrived Georgians but their ammunition wagons, medical stores and ambulances were delayed and the attack had to be put off. On the Union side General Hatch returned to the battlefield and the 144th NY were moved across the causeway to the right side of the road where they spent the night along with Union pickets and sharpshooters. On the 9th Robertson decided to go on the offensive. He organized his force into two lines. The 32nd GA, commanded by Colonel George Harrison, was in the lead followed by the second line led by Major Jenkins consisting of the 1st GA, the 4th GA dismounted Cavalry and 3 companies of the 32nd GA. Harrison moved forward at 3:30 AM straight down the road, which was corduroyed, with seven companies of his own regiment on the right and Bonaud’s Battalion and the 47th GA on the left. The line of battle was about 400 yards wide, with skirmishers in advance. The 144th NY was flanked on their left and fell back across the bridge with the pickets. The Pioneer Corps destroyed the bridge before many of the sharpshooters crossed and they were forced to make their way through the marsh back to the Union right. After the initial charge the Rebels had driven all Union forces from their line west of the causeway across Burden’s Creek. However, two additional charges against the second Federal line east of the creek could not dislodge the Yankees and the assault petered out with only scattered firing erupting during the rest of the day. The Confederates suffered 37 men killed and 92 wounded. The wounded were evacuated to the hospital ship the Peconic on the Stono River during the day and that evening the Federals withdrew down the River Road to Legareville, boarded their transports, and left the island the following morning.

Sources

Official Records of the War of the Rebellion Volume XXXV Union reports- pages 7-12, 14-17, 36, 39-41, 47-48, 50, 78-79, 84-108, Confederate reports- 121-127, 139-143, 158-171, 266-271

Back in War Times History of the 144th Regiment, New York Volunteers by James Harvey McKee, pages 164-176 (link)

Siege Train The Journal of a Confederate Artilleryman in the Defense of Charleston edited by Warren Ripley, pages 191-205

History of the 54th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers 1863-1865 by Luis Emilio, Chapter 10 (link)

The Defense of Charleston Harbor Including Fort Sumter and the Adjacent Islands 1863-1865 by John Johnson, pages 214-223 (link)