ground. There they remained during the day, with hard-tack and
coffee for their fare, and this only what was left in their
haversacks; not a regular ration. From eleven o'clock of Friday
evening until four o'clock of Saturday they were being put on the
transport, the General Hunter, in a boat which took about fifty
at a time. There they breakfasted on the same fare, and had no
other food before entering into the assault on Fort Wagner in the
evening.

"The General Hunter left Cole's Island for Folly Island at six
A.M., and the troops landed at the Pawnee Landing about half-past
nine A.M., and thence marched to the point opposite Morris
Island, reaching there about two o'clock in the afternoon. They
were transported in a steamer across the inlet, and at five P.M.
began their march for Fort Wagner. They reached Brigadier-General
Strong's quarters, about midway on the island, about six or
half-past six, where they halted for five minutes. I saw them
here, and they looked worn and weary.

"General Strong expressed a great desire to give them food and
stimulants, but it was too late, as they were to lead the charge.
They had been without tents during the pelting rains of Thursday
and Friday nights. General Strong had been impressed with the
high character of the regiment and its officers, and he wished to
assign them the post where the most severe work was to be done,
and the highest honor was to be won. I had been his guest for
some days, and knew how he regarded them. The march across Folly
and Morris Islands was over a very sandy road, and was very
wearisome. The regiment went through the centre of the island,
and not along the beach where the marching was easier. When they
had come within about one thousand six hundred yards of Fort
Wagner, they halted and formed in line of battle--the Colonel
leading the right and the Lieutenant-Colonel the left wing. They
then marched four hundred yards further on and halted again.
There was little firing from the enemy at this point, one solid
shot falling between the wings, and another falling to the right,
but no musketry.

"At this point the regiment, together with the next supporting
regiments, the Sixth Connecticut, Ninth Maine, and others,
remained half an hour. The regiment was addressed by G