ight
was kept up from nine in the morning until one o'clock in the
afternoon, when the enemy withdrew. The troops threw up breastworks,
inside of which they encamped for the night. Captain William G.
Sanders, commanding the friendly Indians, was severely wounded.
Captain Armstrong, of the United States transport schooner Motto, was
wounded, and a soldier of Captain Croghan Ker's company of Louisiana
volunteers was killed. General Gaines sent an express to General
Clinch asking his co-operation by crossing the river eight or ten
miles above and coming down on the enemy's rear. He notified General
Clinch that he would not move from his position until he heard from
him, and requested to be furnished with needed subsistence. The
dispatch arrived on the following morning, and General Clinch sent it
forward to General Scott at Picolata.

On the 29th, orders were issued for one third of the command to remain
on duty inside of the encampment, while another third was engaged in
strengthening the defenses. A detachment of two hundred Louisiana
volunteers under command of Captain Thistle, an expert marksman, was
detailed for the erection of a blockhouse near the river, while others
were engaged in preparing canoes and rafts. Everything was quiet until
ten o'clock, when a fire was opened by the Indians on the working
parties and on three sides of the camp. The Indians were concealed in
the palmettoes, about two hundred yards distant. They set fire to the
grass and palmettoes, but a sudden shift of the wind carried the fire
in their direction. The firing lasted about two hours, when the
Indians retired. Captain Thistle and party returned to camp without
having sustained any loss. The firing was renewed by the Indians about
four o'clock in the afternoon, but soon subsided. The loss in General
Gaines's camp was one noncommissioned officer of artillery killed, and
thirty-two officers, noncommissioned officers, and privates wounded.
General Gaines received a painful wound in the mouth. Lieutenant James
Duncan, Second Artillery, Mr. W. Potter, secretary to General Gaines,
and Lieutenant Ephraim Smith, of the Louisiana volunteers, were
wounded.

General Gaines now sent another dispatch by some friendly Indians to
General Clinch asking him to march his forces direct to Camp Izard
instead of crossing above. He also asked for some mounted men and one
or two field pieces with a sufficient supply of ammunition. General
Gaines regarded this