Cole's Island (opposite Folly Island), July 17, 4 p. m.
James Island was evacuated last night by our forces. My regiment
started first, at half past nine, P. M. Not a thing was moved until after dark,
and the Rebels must have been astonished this morning. Terry went there
originally only to create a diversion from Morris Island, and it was useless to
stay and risk being driven off, after Morris was taken. It thundered and
lightened, and rained hard all night, and it took us from ten, P. M., to five, A.
M., to come four miles. Most of the way we had to march in single file along
the narrow paths through the swamps. For nearly half a mile we had to pass over
a bridge of one, and in some places two planks wide, without a railing, and
slippery with rain,—mud and water below several feet deep, — and then over a
narrow dike so slippery as to make it almost impossible to keep one's feet. It
took my regiment alone nearly two hours to pass the bridge and dike. By the
time we got over, it was nearly daylight, and the brigade behind us had a
pretty easy time. I never had such an extraordinary walk.
We are now lying on the beach opposite the southern point of
Folly Island, and have been here since five this morning. When they can get
boats, they will set us across, I suppose.
There is hardly any water to be got here, and the sun and
sand are dazzling and roasting us. I shouldn't like you to see me as I am now;
I haven't washed my face since day before yesterday. My conscience is perfectly
easy about it, though, for it was an impossibility, and every one is in the
same condition. Open air dirt, i. e. mud, &c, is not like the indoor
article.
We have had nothing but crackers and coffee these two days.
It seems like old times in the Army of the Potomac!
SOURCE: Thomas Wentworth Higginson, Editor, Harvard
Memorial Biographies, Volume 2, p. 206-7
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