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178 Nort Carotina Troops, 1861-65.

Having received this, they at once commenced to make the
necessary preparation. Being their week “off duty” they
at once proceeded to the place, and having detailed their plans
to the “lock-keeper” and secured his co-operation, they con-
cealed themselves near by and awaited the arrival of the Gov-
ernment mail boat, plying between Norfolk and New Bern.
The machinery for operating the “lock” very opportunely
refused to work and the boat was unable to move in either
direction, being fast upon the bottom. The squad made a
sudden dash, and after firing a few shots the Captain surren-
dered his boat. They secured the United States mail pouches
and such other valuables as they could carry, and then re-
leased the boat with all on board except General Wessells,
who had shortly before surrendered Plymouth to General
Hoke, and who had been paroled and was on his way to be ex-
changed. He protested against his arrest and detention, but
without avail, as the boys marched him back to Plymouth, the
scene of his recent misfortune and humiliation. On another
occasion a small party secured a boat, and crossing the sound,
reached Roanoke Island at night and proceeded to the light
house, and after destroying the light, took the keeper and his
wife prisoners. Hundreds of such deeds of daring and ad-
venture might be recorded, but this sketch must necessarily
be brief.

23 October the regiment was relieved and ordered to Tar-
boro, and on the night of 27 October Lieutenant Cushing, of
the United States Navy, made his way up the river in a small
steam launch, passed the pickets stationed on the wreck of
the “Southfield,” which was sunk by the Albemarle in the en-
gagement of 19 and 20 April, and making a sudden dash at
the Albemarle, exploded a torpedo under her bottom, which
caused her to sink at once, thus making it possible for the en-
emy to recapture Plymouth, which they did on 31 October.
This feat of Lieutenant Cushing was one of the most daring
and desperate on record, but one which might easily have
been prevented if our pickets had been as watchful as they
should have been. Several attempts had been made by this
same officer to pass our pickets on the river while the Fifti-
eth Regiment was in charge, but always failed, and several

FirrietH REGIMENT. 179

of his men were killed and captured in these attempts. The
Fiftieth Regiment would have remained at Plymouth but for
the urgent appeal made by General Lee to Governor Vance
and General Holmes to garrison Plymouth and Washington
with North Carolina Reserves, and send the Fiftieth back to
Virginia. But for this change it is almost certain that Ply-
mouth would not have fallen into the hands of the enemy at
the time and under the circumstances it did, thus cutting off
the chief source of supplies for our army in Virginia.
After the baggage had been loaded, and just as the regiment
was ready to go in the cars, the news of the fall of Plymouth
was received, order countermanded, and ‘the regiment was,
for the third time, prevented from returning to Virginia.
We remained at Tarboro and Williamston for one month.

24 November the Regiment was ordered to Augusta, Ga.,
reaching that place on the 27th, and on the 29th was ordered
to Savannah. On reaching Charleston the next day a spe-
cial train was in waiting, General Hardee having telegraphed
General Beauregard from Savannah to rush the regiment
with all possible haste to Grahamville to meet General Fos-
ter, who was moving on the Charleston & Savannah Railroad
near that point for the purpose of destroying the long trestle
and thus cut off all communication with Savannah.

On the night of 29 November, General G. W. Smith
reached Savannah with a brigade of less than one thousand
Georgia militia. At this time there were no other troops in
Savannah. General Hardee had received information that
General Foster was moving in force on the Charleston & Sa-
yannah Railroad for the purpose of destroying the long tres-
tle near Grahamville and thus cut off the only means of
transporting troops and supplies to Savannah. General
Smith’s militia were the only troops that could possibly reach
the scene in time to check this advance and save the road,
and he had received positive instructions from the Governor
of Georgia not to carry the militia beyond the State line. He
and General Hardee hurriedly discussed the situation in all
its bearings, and the conclusion was reached that the eondi-
dition and circumstances justified disobeying the orders of