Thursday, May 29, 2014

Just Damage The Bridge

The First Battle of Pocotaligo was fought in Yemassee, South Carolina on May 29th 1862, with the Union objective of disrupting the Charleston and Savannah Railroad.

A Union detachment commanded by Colonel Benjamin C Christ and made up of the 1st Massachusetts Cavalry, 8th Michigan Infantry, 79th New York Infantry, and 50th Pennsylvania moved out from Beaufort, South Carolina on May 29th 1862, toward the Charleston and Savannah Railroad.  As they moved toward Pocotaligo, the Union troops began pushing in Confederate pickets.  Reaching Pocotaligo the Union troops, where they found the bridge destroyed, there was some heavy fighting.  About 300 of the Union troops got across the river, and drove the Confederates into the woods.


As the Union mission, which was to destroy the bridge; had been obtained, the Union force withdrew.  Union casualties were 2 killed and 9 wounded, while the Confederates reported losses of 2 killed, 6 wounded and 1 man missing. 

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