54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment Battles Army

Reports of Lieut. Col. H. Northy Hooper, Fifty-fourth Massachusetts
Infantry, of operations April 5-25.

CAMP FIFTY-FOURTH MASSACHUSETTS VOLUNTEERS,
April 12, 1865.
LIEUT.: I have the honor to forward the following report of the
movement of the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts Volunteers to Wateree Junction:

Yesterday, a short time after sunset, the regiment reached the junction.
I discovered an engine, with steam up, upon the main road. I
directed a volley to be fired into the cab of the engine, in order to
disable the engineer in case one should be there, and immediately charged
the regiment over the bridge. After the fire the few hands who were
with the trains at once fled, and I took possession of 13 cars and 5
locomotives. I immediately sent one party up the Camden railroad,
and another on the main road toward Kingsville. Our flanks rested on
the swamp. The trestle-work on the Camden road I at once fired; at
the same time prepared the bridge on the Wilmington road for burning,
and ordered the party on the main road forward to the end of the
trestle-work. I had a part of the track taken up bodily and pitched
into the swamp; also about fifty sticks of timber, a foot or more square,
were set on fire, and a turntable, then in process of construction,
burned. Two of the engines, with the train, had steam on, and as competent
engineers were of opinion that the engine could pull the train
on the Manchester, I concluded to return to Manchester on the cars.
The regiment was fairly worn out. By 10 o'clock three more trains
were discovered about three miles up the main road upon the trestle-work.
One of these I had burned upon the trestle-work, and the two
others joined the train at the junction. After many attempts it was
found impossible to reach Manchester by rail, so I had the remaining
cars and locomotives burned. There were destroyed by fire 48 cars,
one-third passenger and one-third box-cars, and 8 locomotives.

A quantity of prepared timber, a turntable, a portion of the trestle-work
of the main road, a portion of the trestle-work of the Camden
road, and the bridge on the Wilmington road. One car contained railroad
rails and another railroad spikes; one was filled with corn and
in another were found tools, pulleys, files, etc.

I reached camp at 7.30 this morning.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. NORTHY HOOPER,
Lieut.-Col., Comdg. Fifty-fourth Massachusetts Vols.

Lieut. BALDWIN,
Actg. Asst. Adjt. Gen., Provisional Division.

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HDQRS. FIFTY-FOURTH MASSACHUSETTS VOLUNTEERS,
Georgetown, S.C., April 28, 1865.
LIEUT.: I have the honor to submit the following report of the
part taken by the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts Volunteers during the late
campaign to Camden:

On the 7th instant two companies under charge of Capt. Tucker
made a reconnaissance to Epps' Bridge, on the Black River. Capt.
Tucker reported it destroyed by fire. Casualties, 1 officer and 2 men
wounded. On the 9th the Fifty-fourth composed a part of the flanking
column in the affair at Dingle's Mill. The enemy discovered the
movements in time to make good his escape. On the 11th the regiment
left the column and went to Wateree Junction. It there captured 8
locomotives and 48 cars; these were destroyed. Trestle-works on the
main and Camden roads and a bridge on the Wilmington road were
destroyed by fire. On the 16th 1 man was killed and 1 seriously
wounded while foraging. On the 18th the Fifty-fourth was ordered to
flank the enemy's position on Swift Creek. It proceeded over plowed
fields, which were bordered by the woods of the creek, about two miles
to Boykins' Mills. The banks of the stream at this point were so thickly
covered with trees that the enemy's position and strength could not be
discovered without pushing a skirmish line across the stream. The
skirmishers advanced, the column closely following. It was quickly
discovered that the enemy was prepared to dispute our passage. There
were found to be two streams. They could be crossed above by a dike
and 150 yards below by a road that crossed one stream by a bridge,
the boards of which were removed; the second stream fordable; fifteen
yards beyond the ford, up a steep ascent, was a breast-work of cotton
bales. The dike was covered by the fire of the enemy. The dike and
the road met and formed a junction on the enemy's side of the creek.

Satisfied that a crossing could be attained by a severe loss, as affairs
then stood, I sent Maj. Pope to a crossing said to be one-fourth of a
mile below the mills. Meanwhile I kept up a fire upon the enemy and
opened the gates of the mill on our bank of the stream. Maj. Pope
was unsuccessful in effecting a crossing below; he found the enemy
there in force. I then asked for a piece of artillery. It was furnished,
and after half a dozen discharges of shell at the position of the enemy
I had the satisfaction to see quite a number of rebels rapidly leave
our front. A column composed of the five companies under my immediate
command then charged across the two streams over the dike in
single file. although the enemy maintained his position for awhile,
he soon fled. The regiment gained the enemy's breast-works and the
affair at Boykins' Mills was over. Casualties: 1 officer and 1 corporal
killed; 13 men wounded, one of whom since died of wounds.

Property destroyed by the regiment: At Sumterville, 1 railroad
machine shop, 3 locomotives, 15 cars; at Wateree Junction, 8 locomotives
and 48 cars, portions of 2 trestle-works, 1 bridge, a quantity of
railroad material, and a new turntable; at Boykins' Mills, 54 bales
cotton, 3 bales of corn fodder, 1 saw-mill, 1 grist-mill; at Statesburg,
15 locomotives and 5 cars.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. NORTHY HOOPER,
Lieut.-Col., Comdg. Fifty-fourth Massachusetts Vols.

Lieut. BALDWIN,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-Gen.