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58 NortH Carotina Troops, 1861-’65.

Brigadier-General Wise and attached to the command of
‘ajor-General Huger.
he iene Sioc of Roanoke Island and its adjacent
waters on the said 8 February, 1862, consisted of Fort Bar-
tow, the most southern of the defences on the west side of Ho
island, a sand fort well covered with turf, having six long 32-
pound guns in embrasure and three 32-pounders en barbette.

The next is fort Blanchard, on the same side of the island,
about two and a half miles from Fort Bartow, a semi-circular
sand fort, turfed, and mounting four 32-pounders en barbette.

Next on the same side and about 1,200 yards from Fort
Blanchard, is Fort Hyger. This is a turfed sand fort, run-
ning along the line of the beach and closed in the rear by a
low breastwork with a banquette for infantry. It contained
eight 21-pound guns in embrasure, two rifled 32-pounders en
barbette and two 32-pounders en barbette on the right.

About three miles below Fort Bartow on the east side of
the island was a battery of 32-pound guns en barbette, at a
point known.as Midgett’s Hammock. In the center of the
island ahout two miles from Fort Bartow and a mile from
Midgett’s Hammock, was a redoubt or breastwork thrown
across the road, about 70 or 80 feet long, with embrasures
for three guns, on the right of which was a swamp, on the
left a marsh, the redoubt reaching nearly between them and
facing to the south. On the Tyrrell side on the main land
nearly opposite to Fort Huger, was fort Forrest, mounting
seven 32-pounders. ;

In addition to these defences on the shore and on the
island, there was a barrier of piles extending from the east
side of Fulker Shoals towards the island. Its object was to
compel vessels passing on the west of the island to approach
within reach of the shore batteries, but up to 8 February there
was a span of 1,700 yards open opposite Fort Bartow. ‘Some
vessels had been sunk and piles driven on the west side of
Fulker Shoals to obstruct the canal between that shoal and
the main land, which comprised all the defences, either upon
the land or in the waters adjacent. :

The entire military force stationed upon the island prior
to and at the time of the late engagement consisted of the

Loss or Roanoke IsLAnp, 59

Eighth Regiment North Carolina State Troops under the
command of Colonel H. M. Shaw; the Thirty-first Regiment
of North Carolina Volunteers, under the command of Colonel
J. V. Jordan; and three companies of the Seventeenth Regi-
ment North Carolina Troops under the command of Major
G. H. Gill. After manning the several forts, on 7 February,
there were but 1,024 men left and 200 of them were upon the
sick list. On the morning of 7 February, Brigadier-General
Wise sent from Nag’s Head, under command of Lieutenant
Colonel Henderson, a reinforcement numbering some 450
men—this does not include the commands of Lieutenant-Col-
onel Green and Major Fry, both of whom reached the scene
of action after the battle was closed. The committee do not
think there was any intentional delay in the landing of the
commands of Colonel Green and Major Fry. The former,
Colonel Green, exhibited great anxiety to get into the fight,
when he did land, and acted with great gallantry in the skir-
mish he did have with the enemy in the vicinity of the camps.
The whole was under the command of Brigadier-General Wise
who, upon 7 and 8 February was at Nag’s Head, four miles
distant from the island, confined to a sick bed and entirely
disabled from participating in the action in person. The im-
mediate command, therefore, devolved upon Oolonel H. M.
Shaw, ‘the senior officer present.

On 6 February it was discovered that the enemy’s fleet was
in Pamlico Sound, south of Roanoke Island, and apparently
intending to attack the forces upon the island. Colonel Shaw
immediately communicated the fact to Brigadier-General
Wise, and issued orders for the disposition of his troops pre-
paratory to an engagement. The points at which it was
supposed the enemy would attempt to land troops were Ash-
by’s and Pugh’s Landings. Ashby’s is situated on the west
side of the island about two miles south of Fort Bartow, and
Pugh’s on the same side about two miles south of Ashby’s.
On the night of the 6th, or early on the morning of the 7 th,
a detachment of one piece of artillery was‘ sent to Pugh’s
Landing and one with two pieces of artillery, was sent to
Ashby’s, and the remainder of the forces was stationed in
the immediate vicinity of Ashby’s. On the morning of the