CAPTURE OF THE UNDERWRITER”

NEW BERN, 2 FEBRUARY, 1864.

By B. P. LOYALL, ComMANDER Cope

After the fall of Roanoke Tsland in the winter of 1862, the
Federals had control of the sounds of North Carolina, and of
some of the rivers emptying into them. They had occupied
all the towns situated on the water, and among them New
Bern, which lies at the confluence of the Neuse and Trent
rivers, occupying an angle between the two—a place easily
defended by the power having control of the water. They
had built strong earthworks on the land side, stretching from
river to river, and had several gunboats cruising about to pro-
tect the place on the water side.

Among these gunboats one was the Underwriter, which had
been a heavy ocean tugboat at New York, and, purchased by
the- United States Government, had been converted into quite
a formidable vessel of war. She was the ship that fired the
first gun in the attack upon Roanoke Island, where the writer
had the misfortune to be captured, and it may be said there
was something like the rule of compensation when he had a
hand in capturing her. She was armed with two 8-inch guns,
one 3-inch rifle and one 12-pounder howitzer, and had a crew
of about 85 all told. Picture to yourself a steamer about the
size of the Northampton, with very low guards and stripped
of her sides or bulwarks, except a wooden rail with rope net-
ting from that to her deck. The quiet possession of New
Bern by the Federals had distressed and worried the patriotic
people of North Carolina, and General Hoke, than whom
there was not a more competent or prilliant officer of his rank
in the Confederate army, strongly advocated a quick move-
ment upon the place by the army, assisted by the navy on the
water, predicting certain success, and large reward in
stores, munitions and prisoners. The matter took definite