632 NortH Carouina Troops, 1861-’65.

vessels. The Thirty-sixth Regiment and their associates in
the garrison saved many steamers and millions of dollars
worth of valuable property, arms, clothing, provisions, ete.,
which composed the cargoes. of these steamers and of those
run ashore to prevent capture. Among the many vessels
saved by timely assistance are now recalled the Cornubia,
Don, Venus, Banshee, Ad-Vance, Sumter, Nighthawk,
Kate, Annie and Little Hattie. The garrison participated in
the capture and destruction of the United States steamer Co-
lumbia, which got ashore off Masonboro Inlet, 14 January,
1863.

In the engagements incident to the defense of blockade
running, a number of Federal officers and men were killed
and captured and some valuable boats were secured by the
garrison of Fort Fisher.

In the latter part of July, 1863, the British steamship Kate
was run ashore on Smith’s Island, some six miles south of
Fort Fisher, and taken possession of by the United States
steamer Penobscot, when a company of the Thirty-sixth, with
a Whitworth cannon detachment proceeded to the island,
drove the enemy off, and re-captured the vessel, just in time
to prevent her being blown up by powder placed in the cabin
with an ignited slow match. Eleven blockaders, the fleet of
both inlets, were driven off by this gun, which on the open
beach was so well served, that nearly every shot took efféct
and the blockaders could not afford to be seriously damaged
in the contention over a craft they expected at any moment
would be blown up. Her cargo was saved and all her ma-
chinery removed and sent to Richmond, where it was used in
the ram Texas. The empty hull was gotten off at night and
an attempt made to sail into New Inlet, but becoming
becalmed, three miles from the mound battery, she was cut
out by two Federal blockaders on 1 August, but not until the
enemy’s vessels were injured with loss of life and the wound-
ing of some of their men.

In defending the wreck of the Hebe from the attack of the
United States frigate Minnesota and gunboat James Adger,
Private Daniel Holland, of Company B, was killed and sev-
eral wounded 23 August, 1863, five miles north of Fort

TuHIRTY-SIXTH REGIMENT. 633

Fisher. The detachment had a 12-pound Whitworth and a
small field piece behind an improvised sand battery to con-
tend with over fifty heavy guns afloat. An attempt was
made to send boats in to get hawsers fastened to the Hebe to
pull her off, but the Confederates drove them off with mus-
ketry. Three hundred and eight rounds of shot, shell, grape
and canister were discharged by the enemy, who tore up the
beach and finally drove the heroic men from their guns, which
were captured, but not until they had damaged the James
Adger with shot and shell and forced the enemy to destroy
the Hebe. A more gallant fight against overwhelming odds
was not witnessed during the war.

The garrison of the fort were ceaseless in their vigilance
to protect and rescue friendly vessels and property. During
the dark nights and in the early mornings succeeding, suc-
cessful engagements were constantly occurring, accustoming
the men to fearlessly brave the shot and shell of the Federal
vessels. Admiral Porter, in his naval history of the Civil
war, pays a deserving tribute to the garrison when he says:

“The display of a twinkling light on board one of the gun-
boats, near the bar, was a signal for a general discharge of the
guns at Fort Fisher, and although these shots were more
noisy than damaging, yet a stray shell striking one of the
Federal boats would have knocked it to pieces.” _

The United States tug “Aster” chased the blockade runner
“Annie” ashore under the guns of Fort Fisher on the night of
7 October, 1864 and was blown up.

The perfect code of signals arranged by the fort with block-
ade runners gave to Fort Fisher the enviable reputation en-
joyed by no other sea coast fortification, that while an enemy
could not approach without an assault, no friendly vessel was
ever fired upon, and none ever displayed a signal without an
immediate reply and the setting of the range lights for their
entrance.

During 1864, the ten companies of the Thirty-sixth North
Carolina had been collected at Fort Fisher, and the works had
assumed formidable proportions.

_On Zeke’s Island the two gun battery at the entrance to the
river had been washed away by the action of the tides, but a