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regiment of recently enlisted negroes.
With three armed steamers he ascended the
South Edisto under the cover of a dense fog, until arrested at
Willtown bluff by the obstructions in the river.
Landing at that point a force of 100 or more Confederates, a section of artillery, without infantry supports, was surprised in camp and driven off, 2 men being taken prisoners.
Removing the obstructions,
Colonel Higginson steamed up the river with the purpose of burning the railroad bridge at
Jacksonboro.
At
Dr. Glover's plantation, about 3 miles from the bridge, he encountered a section of
Capt. George Walter's battery, under
Lieut. S. G. Horsey, and after an action of an hour's duration the boats were beaten and turned down stream.
Col. H. K. Aiken, commanding the Second military district, sent a section of the Marion artillery,
Lieut. Robert Murdoch, to the plantation of
Mr. Gibbes, below; and being joined at this point by
Lieutenant White, with the section which had been surprised at
Willtown bluff, the two sections caught the boats on their retreat, and badly crippled them.
One of the vessels was set on fire and burned to the water's edge, and two of them made their escape out of the
Edisto.
Colonel Higginson reported that the vessel destroyed grounded on the obstructions, was abandoned and fired by her commander, while Colonel Aiken reported her set on fire by shells from the section at Gibbes'. Two brass rifled guns were taken from the wreck and added to Aiken's artillery on the river.
Higginson carried off over 100 negroes, several bales of cotton, burned the barns of Colonel Morris, and pillaged the residences in the neighborhood of Willtown bluff. Colonel Aiken had 2 men wounded and 2 captured. Colonel Higginson reported 3 killed and several wounded, himself among the latter.
This expedition and the demonstration of General Terry on James island, were made at the same time as the attack on the south end of Morris island, and were intended to mask that important movement.
