48 Norra Carotina Troops, 1861-’65. Fort Fisher a scene of desolation met their gaze. The bar- racks had been destroyed and the interior of the fort was honeyeombed by holes in the ground large enough to bury an ox team made by the huge shells from the fleet. French’s battalion and as many of the others as could be ac- commodated, were placed in the already over-crowded bomb- proofs. Those who could not obtain protection here were carried by Major Reece to the breastworks at Camp Wyatt, three miles above the fort. The gunboats soon discovered their presence there and enfiladed the trenches with a terrific fire. The boys sought shelter under the banks of the river, where they spent the day listening to the music of the great guns of the fleet and watching the great shells as they passed over them into the river—a grand, but not a very engaging spectacle. It was after dark when Major Reece determined to take his command back to the fort. Late in the afternoon he heard the report of small arms in the direction of the fort. He knew that a land force was attacking the fort, and he felt that it was his duty to take his boys to the rescue. He marched them down the river towards the fort But unfor- tunately he failed to put out a skirmish line and fell upon a regiment of General Weitzel’s troops by whom he and a ma- jority of his command were captured and earried to Point Lookout. The following is a list of the officers who were risoners: rege et J. M. Reece; Captain J. R. Gaither, First Lieu- tenant J. M. Lawrence, of Company B, Eighth Battalion ; First Lieutenant M. G. Tuttle, Company ©, Eighth Battal- ion; Second Lieutenant George W. Yancey, Company CG, Fourth Battalion; Second Lieutenant C. P. Pfohl, Com- pany B, Fourth Battalion. Those officers who escaped were Captain A. L. Lancaster, Company B, Fourth Bat- talion: First Lieutenant G. R. White, Company A, Eighth Battalion; Second Lieutenant Amos Guy, Company A, Eighth Battalion; Third Lieutenant S. P. Steele. Company ighth Battalion. prise Lieutenant F. M. Hamlin, Company D, Fourth Bat- talion, a brave young subaltern, led a part of his company up SEVENTY-SEcoND IEGIMENT. 49 the river and escaped capture. They found their way to Kirkland’s Brigade at Sugar Loaf and rejoined their com- mand at the fort next day. The fleet bombarded the fort until 12 o’clock Christmas day, when Butler landed 2,500 troops near the Half Moon Battery, about two miles north of Fisher. He immedi- ately pushed up Curtis’ Brigade within a few hundred yards of the parapet of the fort. A skirmish line was then ad- vanced to within seventy-five yards of the fort. Upon the approach of the enemy, the Junior Reserves sprang to the parapet of the land face which was swept by the guns of the fleet, and by a well-directed fire, delivered with a coolness which could not be excelled, they repelled the attack. One little fellow from Columbus County, whose name is not re- membered, being too small to shoot over the parapet, mounted a cannon and fired from there as coolly as if he were shoot- ing squirrels, until he fell wounded. About dusk the Re- serves were ordered to the palisades in front of the parapet and immediately under the guns of the fort, where they re- mained till morning. The guns of the fort were discharged over their heads. The rain was descending in torrents. That night the Federals re-embarked most of their men. General Whiting in his report says: “Colonel Tansill was ordered to the command of the land front. The gallant Major Reilly, with his battalion and Junior Reserves, poured cheering, over the parapet and through the sallyport to the pal- isades. The enemy had oceupied the redoubt (an unfinished fort) and advanced into the port garden. A fire of grape and musketry checked any further advance. The garrison continued to man the out-works and channel batteries through- out the night, exposed to a pelting storm and occasionally ex- changing musket shots with the enemy. The fire had been maintained for seven hours and a half with unremitting rapidity.” Colonel William Lamb who, under General Whiting, com- manded the troops, in his report says: “At 4:30 p- m., 25 December, a most terrific fire against the land face and pali- sades in front commenced, unparalleled in severity. Ad- miral Porter estimated it at 130 shot and shell per minute. 4