176 NortH CArotina Troops, 1861-65.

merit. In order to give a better understanding of the natural
strength of Plymouth and its surroundings, I will state that
there are two creeks emptying into the Roanoke above the
town of Plymouth, the land between them being called War-
ren’s Neck, on which was erected a fort of three guns—one
100-pounder, and two 32-pound Parrotts. Immediately
west of the town and outside of the fortifications was a marsh
extending around to the southwest corner, and crossed only
at one point by a causeway on the Boyle’s Mill road. The for-
tifications were somewhat in the shape of a parallelogram, the
longest side parallel to the river, Fort Williams with six
guns about the center of the line, and projecting forward to
the south.

On the lower side of Plymouth Conaby creek flows into the
Roanoke, but a mile or more to the east of the town.

Where the Columbia road enters on this side, the breast-
works were not continuous, but the road was commanded on
the left as you enter, near the town boundary by redoubts
with two guns each at James Bateman’s and Charles La-
tham’s, and to the right was Fort Comfort with three guns, and
between that and the river was a swamp, the passage through
which was very difficult, and these together were considered a
sufficient defence for that side. Two roads entered the town
from the south, the Lee’s Mill road a little to the east of Fort
Williams, and the Washington and Jamesville road near the
southwest corner. To more effectually command this last
road, and a road which branched off to the left, the Eighty-
fifth redoubt, with three guns, called Fort Wessels (or Fort
Sanderson) had been erected to the left of the Washington
road, about half a mile from the line of breastworks, and be-
yond the ravine which goes into the swamp heretofore de-
scribed. Inside of the fortifications a marsh commences near
the corner of Monroe and Water streets, and extends out be-

vond the fortifications. Between this marsh inside the town

and the Roanoke river, on a mound or hill now ealled Fort
he line of breast-

Worth, was an intrenched camp, where tl
works came to the river, and sweeping over 1t had been placed

a 200-pound gun, intended expressly for the ram Albemarle.
Between Second and Third streets, where they reached the

THE CAPTURE oF PLYMOUTH. 177

line of breastworks at the west, and across another ravine ex-
tending out into the swamp, had been erected an intrenched
camp with redoubt, and also another redoubt was at the south-
west corner of the intrenchments near the Toodles house.

As the Federal forces had occupied Plymouth for more
than twelve months, every effort had been made to ren-
der the place secure from attack, the different forts and
other redoubts along the line of breastworks being protected
by moats, palisades, chevaux de frise, and made as strong to
resist bombardment or assault as engineering skill could de-
vise. The Confederate forces had been collected rapidly at
Tarboro, from which the expedition started on 15 April,
1864, and arrived within five miles of Plymouth by 4 p. m.,
on Sunday, the 17th, capturing the pickets and routing a
company of cavalry.

The First Virginia Regiment, under Major Norton, was
thrown forward as skirmishers, and Kemper’s Brigade, with
Dearing’s cavalry and two batteries of artillery under Major
Reid turned off on a road to the left leading to Warren’s
Neck, to threaten the town from that direction ; and Generals
Hoke and Ransom, with their brigades, not following the
direct road from Jamesville, as the bridge across the creek
had been destroyed, turned to the right and crossing the
troops on a mill dam, made a circuit around into the Wash-
ington road, a mile below its junction with the Jamesville
road. Sending on a company of cavalry, two Yankees were
killed of the picket’ at this post (Red Top), two only escap-
ing.

Soon we hear the “long-roll” of the enemy, and our line
is formed to receive a shelling.

General Hoke’s Brigade is some distance in advance and
on both sides of this road, and Ransom’s further to the right
and along a road which goes perpendicular to the line of
breastworks on the south of the town.

Skirmishers are sent forward by both sides, the enemy also
opening briskly with his artillery. Night soon comes on,
and all is quiet on this part of the line except an occasional
interchange of shots between the skirmishers.

It is understood that the women and children in the town

12 g