STANLY COUNTY, NC - HOFFMAN - Report from Brigader General William Kirkland, CS Army 1864 ========================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Jodie Gee jgee2@sc.rr.com ========================================================================== Fropm the notebook of Lilly Carter Hoffman: Report of Brigadier-General William W. Kirkland, CS Army Commanding General sent to Lt. Col. Archer Anderson Headquarters, Sugar Loaf Dec 30, 1864 Colonel: I have the honor to make the following report of the operations of my command between the 23rd and 25th of December inclusive. I reached Wilmington about mid night of the 23rd with the Seventeenth and Forty-second and 100 men of the sixty-fourth, NC regiments, in my brigade, in all 1300 effective. By order of Major-General Whiting. I bivouwacked the remainder of the night at Dam #2. Shortly after sunrise on the 24th, took up the line march for Sugar Loaf. I rode in advance and reached this place at 1pm. My brigade, much jaded arrived at 4:40pm. I found Colonel Connally with 1200 men of the junior and senior reserves; Lt. Col. Read of the artillery, with Southerland's battery, a Whitworth Paris battery and a 32 pounder gun in position at Battery Gatlin. I assumed command of the whole. I rode to the beach and found a large fleet of heavy steam frigates, corvettes, gun-boats, ironclads and transports in line of battle stretching from opposite Gatlin to Fisher. Shortly after the enemy opened heavily upon Fisher and commenced shelling the beach and woods along their front. Col. Connally had posted a company in the works bear Gatlin to support the section of artillery near Burris house and a corporal with gun detachment to work the 32 pounder in Gatlin. When the troops from my brigade came up I made the following disposition : Major Davis, with 100 men of the Sixty-sixth NC Reg I sent to the works near Gatlin and Burris house to prevent a landing there. I put Forty- Second NC Reg. in position on a prolongation of the sea in front of Sugar Loaf works and directed Col. Brown to entrench himself and if possible to stretch his line to Burris with Major Davis. Captain Koonts with Company A, Forty- Second NC ( About 80 men) I sent to battery Anderson with orders to repel the enemy if they attempted to land there. Lieutenant Col. Sharp with the Seventeenth NC Reg. was directed to go down the road toward Ft. Fisher and Anderson and support Koonts. Shortly after Sharp was posted, I received orders from Major-General Whiting to send the junior reserves and 500 men of my brigade into Ft. Fisher. I sent the former and the Seventeenth Regiment. During the night all of Connally's men were ordered off. The night passed quickly early on the morning of the 25th. I rode to the beach near Gatlin and discovered the fleet again forming a line. The appearance of the transports off that point and the fact that several ships came to anchor convinced me that a landing would be attempted at Gatlin. I directed Lt.Col Read to put his guns in position and annoy them as much as he could. A furious bombardment against Fisher and along the beach from the fort to Gatlin was now commenced, remaining there several hours and finding they did not lower any boats opposite to that point I thought property gallop down to Anderson and see how matters were going there. When I had passed half the distance I heard a deafening cheer from the fleet and in a moment after a courier dashed up and informed me the enemy had suddenly dropped their launches opposite Anderson, pulled to the shore, firing shrapnel from their boats howitzers as they came, landed and captured Captain Koonts and his company. This occurred as well as I remember about 1pm. I immediately moved down the military road with the Seventeenth Regiment(Lt Col Sharp) which had returned from Ft Fisher about 10 AM Arriving near the battery, I caused Capt TJ Norman's Company to be deployed as skirmishes and directed Col. Sharp to follow with the main body and attack the enemy, but a closer reconnassance showed me the enemy in line on the beach far overlapping both my flanks so I had no alternative but to deploy the whole Regiment as skirmishes. Even with this extended order of battle there was an interval of at least a mile between the Seventeenth and Forty-Second Regiments. As well as I could judge, I consider the force now on the beach at least three brigades and others landing all the while. As soon as Sharp's line was deployed I ordered the advance Norman's company being in front and a number of them were seen to fall. Sharp pressed close upon and drove their skirmish line back upon their main body which was covered by the guns of a thirty men of war lying broadside to the beach. It would have been madness to have advanced further besides I was fearful the enemy would land a force at Gatlin and push up Wilmington road, which was covered by but one regiment. Night appeared and the enemy, not advancing I deemed it prudent to reconnect my line so a strong picket was left in their front and Lt. Col Sharp was instructed to fall back to the works at Sugar Loaf. I neglected to state I had a piece of Southerland's battery on the military road leading to Anderson to delay the enemy should he beat back my infantry. During the night Col. Lipscomb with the Second South Carolina Cavalry and Capt. Paris' battery of five guns, reported to me. I sent one squadron of the cavalry to a ford reported to be eight miles up the sound-Montgomery's Landing. I also sent strong scouting parties down the telegraph road, river beach, and other roads by which the enemy could advance. At daylight of the 26th, I had my line of battle extending from the river to the neighborhood of Gatlin, with artllery covering the approaches, and I felt confident I could repulse the enemy should he come in my front. Other troops began to arrive and with them commanding general. What followed came under his eye and needed not, therefore, be mentioned in the report. In conclusion, I take pleasure in stating that my command behaved well. Lt.Col J.P.W. Read of the artillery who has been conspicious for gallantry in so many fields was dreadfully wounded on this occasion while in the full discharge of his duty. Capt Southerland succeeded him as chief of artillery and was prompt in the execution of my orders. The reports these two officers, I enclose. I am indebted to Lieutenant Thomson second South Carolina Cavalry for conveying information of the movements of the enemy. To Col. John E. Brown, Forty-Second NC Regiment I am greatly indebted for assistance in every particular. Lt. Col. Sharp and the Seventeenth NC Regiment moved upon the enemy in a manner that gave me great confidence and satisfaction. Capt Norman and Company G deserve special notice. Major Davis with his 100 men of the Sixty sixth NC regiment submitted to a tremendous shelling but no man flinched. To my staff my thanks are due. They bore my orders with intelligence and were frequently exposed to the fire of the enemy. I beg to mention their names to the commanding general: Captain Charles G. Elliot, assistant adjutant, General Major; Major Lucius J. Johnson, acting assistant adjutant and inspectator General, Lt Albert Stoddard, aide-de-camp. Very respectfully your Obedient servant W.W. Kirkland Brigadier-general Commanding PS I enclose herewith a tabular statement of killed, wounded and missing WWK Brigadier-General Casualties near Sugar Loaf Dec 25, 1864 42nd NC Regiment killed wounded missing total Officer 0 0 2 2 NC Officers 0 0 6 6 privates 1 2 74 77 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 2 82 85