64 Nortu Carorina Troops, 1861-65.

the point and come in view until the number reached siaty-
four. They were drawn across the sound in a long line.
One of our little gun-boats went down to take observations,
but did not, of course, venture within shot. There they lay,
forming a picture rare and beautiful, though probably not so
fully appreciated by us as it might have been under different
cireumstances. At 8 o’clock on Friday morning, they began
to move, and coming cautiously along, by 10:30 o’clock were
nearly abreast of us, when the “ball opened.” The men un-
der my command were ordered to keep concealed, so as not to
draw the enemy’s fire, but it seemed impossible for them to
do so. Look we must, and in looking, the wild grandeur

and sublime novelty of the scene drew us unconsciously from
our hiding places. The Yankee vessels lay from one to two
and a half miles from us, and a few shells would have played
havoe with us. But we received no attention, and we had
nothing to do for several hours, but eagerly Watch the con-
flict. Fort Bartow replied most nobly to the thunders
directed against her, and our little fleet did good service.
Fyvom my position I could see the effect of nearly every shot.
I saw many strike the vessels, and often found myself hur-
rahing for the gallant Hill and the men at the fort.

About 3 o’clock, p. m., when three or four vessels had been
disabled and hauled off, a small boat, containing some twelve
or fifteen men, left one of the steamers and made for the
shore at a point nearly half a mile above us, evidently with
a view of trying the soundings and the landing, which had
been represented to us as utterly insufficient for any but very
small boats. Colonel Jordan, who had arrived at our post
some time before, ordered Lieutenant Lindsay and myself to
take twenty men each, and proceed through an intervening
swamp, and capture or kill the boat’s crew. This marsh was
almost impassable, but we got through at last, and were
advancing cautiously, in sight of the Yankees, who had’ just
landed, when two men, one attached to the Thirty-first Reg-
iment, and the other unknown to me, rushed forward, hal-
looing loudly, firing their guns at the enemy, and, of course,
giving them the alarm. Lieutenant L’s detachment and my
own (all from Company B), were now together and within 100

 

 

THe Fay or Roanoke Isianp. 65

yards or less of the enemy, and but for this piece of impru-
dence, we would have easily captured them. As they turned
to flee, we rushed through mud and water, firing as we went,
but all were got into the boat, and the living pushed off, and
were soon out of range. We killed four and wounded two.
We immediately fell back under cover, expecting a shelling,
which, however, still did not come. On the arrival of the
small boat at the flag-ship, two very large steamers having
some thirty small boats in tow, all packed with men, started
for the landing above us. Knowing they must cut us off
from the rest of our forces, it being impossible to get the ar-
tillery through the marsh, and considering it folly for his
small force to attack the thousands of the enemy with mus-
ketry, Colonel Jordan ordered a retreat. Our heaviest gun
was hauled off by two ponies and two old mules, the other we
carried off by hand under a storm of shot and shell from ves-
sels in the sound, none of which, however, did any damage.

We retreated about one mile and a half to the small bat-
tery, or redoubt, across the road, and placed one cannon, to-
gether with a brass 6-pounder, in battery. It was near
night, raining slowly, the men were weary and hungry. We
bivouacked then for the night, having some refreshments sent
us from camp.

Early on the morning of the 8th, the advance guard of the
enemy made its appearance, the Richmond Blues and McCul-
lough Rangers were thrown out on either flank as skirmishers,
and firing commenced. Several regiments of the enemy
were now drawn up at three or four hundred yards distance
upon which our artillery opened, and as they came nearer, our
small arms. There were in the battery my company, num-
bering forty-three; Captain Knight’s, about fifty (including
detachments from each for the artillery) ; a detachment from
the Eighth of say ten in charge of the 6-pounder, and about
forty Rangers from Wise’s Legion, Colonel Shaw in com-
mand, and Colonels Anderson, Jordan and Price being also
present. Gallantly, nobly and gloriously did every man
fight (except ————, who ran like a whipped dog). As
far as the eye could reach the enemy stood in compact mass,
and we mowed them down by hundreds. Often did they at-

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