8

On conference with Col Baylor & myself Col Lee approved the resolu- tion taken to storm the Insurgents position at daylight and take it by a charge of the bayonet, and an- nounced that he deemed it due to the volunteer military present that it should have the privilege of con- ducting the operations. He requested that each Company would assign two men who should compose the storming party. I ordered the ad- jutant to form the Batallion forth- with and to communicate to the Capts. of the Companies Col Lee’s an- nouncement. It was promptly done and at daylight the Batallion was formed and the adjutants reported to me that privates Sinn, [ 19 ] Sencil [ 20 ] & A. Boteler [ 21 ] of the Guards—Capt Sinn and B.T. Johnson, [ 22 ] Mulhorn [ 23 ] & Smith[ 24 ] of the Junior Defenders— Capt Ritchie and Rarster, [ 25 ] Simp- son [ 26 ] Buckey [ 27 ] and Frazier  [ 28 ] of the Inde- pendant Rifles—Capt Hobbs reques- ted permission to form part of the storming party. After the Batallion had been formed for some time and the men had been waiting to discharge the duty of making the assault, it was announced to me & by me to the companies that Col. Lee had determined to Storm the position with the Marines alone. [ 29 ]