Publication: The Charleston Mercury
Date: January 9, 1862
H.L. PinckneyTitle: THE WAR ON THE SEACOAST - OUR CASUALTIES ON NEW YEAR'S DAY
THE WAR ON THE SEACOAST - OUR CASUALTIES ON NEW
YEAR'S DAY.
Owing to the unusual restrictions which Gen. LEE has placed
upon the troops, in respect to the communication of
intelligence to the newspapers, it is with no little difficulty
that we have been able to keep our readers posted, from day to
day, in regard to the events transpiring along the coast.
Yesterday we succeeded in obtaining the following full list of
the casualties among our troops in the fight which took place
on New Yearday. - The names of the gallant men who fell upon
that occasion, have not before been published:
CASUALTIES IN THE FOURTEENTH REGIMENT, SOUTH
CAROLINA VOLUNTEERS, JANUARY 1ST, 1862, IN THE FIGHT
NEAR FORT ROYAL FERRY.
Company B. Capt. West. - Killed - Privates A. Bartly, F.M.
Riser. Wounded - Lieut. Jas. Boatwright, Sergeant E. A. Roach,
Corporal Robt. Brooks, Privates E.D. Merchant, M. Plymate, Joel
Minnick, Caleb Hare.
Company C, Capt. Wood. - Wounded - Sergeant George
Weatherall.
Company E, Capt. Brown. - Killed - Lieut. J.H. Powers,
Private S.L. Boyd. Wounded - Privates Jno. B. Jones, W.H.
Owens, J.H. Garrett, R.B. Halk.
Company G, Capt. Taggart. - Wounded - Saml. Cothron.
Company H, Capt. Croft. - Killed - Corporal Jason Eubanks,
Privates Darley Eubanks, James Netherford. Wounded - Corporal
James Culler, Privates Peter Day, Calvin, Cushman, John
Jonikin.
Company K. Capt. Tompkins. - wounded - Lt. William L.
Stevens, Corporal Noah J. Werts, Private Ransom Timmerman.
Total killed and wounded 27.
On yesterday, so far as known in the city, all was quite at
the various posts below.
On Monday night the pickets on MackayPoint, on what is
known as GrahamNeck, which has been previously alluded to by
us, discovered a boat in the Coosawhatchie River. After
hailing it without getting an answer, our Tennessee friends
commenced an active fusilade, which caused the crew and
passengers of the unknown boat to beat a hasty retreat. It has
since been ascertained that the party fired into was Colonel
RADCLIFFE, with some of the officers of his North Carolina
Regiment. They were in imminent danger; the balls struck the
boat repeatedly; one man had his hat shot from his head, and
another had a bullet through his coat sleeve. As soon as the
boat touched the marsh, they jumped out and waded and swam to
the main land. It is said that the gallant Colonel, who is, we
believe, a graduate of the Citadel, reached his headquarters in
very scanty attire. Our pickets, like the main body of our
army, are their wrath to keep it warm,"and after
"it is rather dangerous work to put onenose beyond
the lines.
With regard to the removal of the negros from within the
military lines, it is said that many of the planters, having
every confidence in their slaves, and being unable, on so short
a notice, to provide comfortable homes for them elsewhere, have
left them on their plantations, where they have shelter and
ample support. Some of these homesteads are important
strategic points, and as Cuffee and Sambo are not particular
who they talk to and what they talk about, so they can talk,
the enemy cultivate their acquaintance by purchasing their hogs
and poultry, and, in this way, learn many things which they
ought not to know. Cuffee and Sambo pull their wool to all
white persons, and it is thought the THE CHARLESTON MERCURY is
frequently sold by the newsmen on the roads to some
over-obliging darkey, who is on an errand, not from his master,
but from some epauletted Yankee, who has advanced a quarter for
the service.
The Charleston and Savannah Railroad is the military
backbone of our tide water districts. Without it, General LEE
could never have progressed in his arrangements for defence
with that celerity which has enabled him already to pronounce
with confidence upon the safety of Savannah and Charleston. By
looking at the excellent map published by EVANS & COGSWELL, it
can be seen at a glance, that this Road is the main artery,
along which the never- ending supplies of Quartermaster,
Commissary and Ordnance stores, are delivered within easy
access of the hundred camps which dot the seaboard strip of the
main land in St. JohnCollection, St. Andrew, St. Paul,
St. [ ] Dorchester, St. Bartholomew, Prince [ ], St.
Helena, St. like, and St. PeterParishes. Along this
Railway are established the several depots, from which the army
is fed, clothed, transported, and furnished with ammunition;
and, when General LEE is whizzing along on a ,"at a
speed of twenty-five miles an hour, doubtless, he involuntarily
thanks his stars, that he is no longer among the rugged and
pathless wilds of Western Virginia - than which it would be
hard to imagine a place better adapted to wither the laurels of
any military leader, in these times of steam and telegraph.
The attaches on this Railroad are all accommodating and
agreeable. Even the persons"who put on the brakes,
are polite and attentive.
