328 Nort Carotina Troops, 1861~’65.

and true as steel—among these three were from Norfolk and
Portsmouth. In plain sight of us was a tall crow’s nest, oc-
cupied by a lookout of the Federal army on their picket line,
and I assure you it gave us a creepy, uneasy feeling to think
that our whole movement and intention might be discovered.
And here let me remark that this very situation determines
and exemplifies what I judge to be a man of war—a leader
who does not allow his plans to be upset by what he thinks
the enemy is going todo. He must be always combative and
not calculating chances. Wood paid no attention to doubts
and surmises, but had his eye fixed upon boardiag and cap-
turing that ship, and doing his part in the fall of New Bern.

We were in full hearing of Pickett’s dashing attack upon
the Federal outerworks that day, and knew that he was driy-
ing them from the advanced line of fortifications. Before
sunset Wood called for the swiftest boat, and, with the writer
in company, pulled cautiously down the river, keeping close
under the banks. We had not gone two miles, when simul-
taneously we both cried: ‘There she is.”

We discovered a black steamer anchored close up to the
right flank of the outer fortifications of New Bern, where she
had come that day, and, having located her exactly, we re-
turned to our hiding place, with the understanding that we
would attack her between 12 and 4 o’clock in the morning.
Orders were given accordingly, and all hands were made to
know the order of battle, and what they had to do. In rush-
ing pell-mell upon the side of a ship with boats, they naturally
rebound and leave a gap that is not easy to get across, so each
bow oarsman was ordered to be ready to jump aboard with a
grapnel as soon as she struck, and make her fast, and our
coolest men were picked for that duty, which you will easily
see is risky. Some time after midnight we got under way
and pulled slowly down the river in two columns of four boats
each, Wood to board her forward with his boats and I to board
her abaft with mine.

The night was very dark and gloomy, and we could not see
a light anywhere, except an occasional glimmer about the
town, but we knew pretty nearly where the vessel was, and
with our glasses in the evening had made out her build and

CAPTURE OF THE “UNDERWRITER.” 329

structure. The stroke of the muffled oars was almost noise-
less, and suddenly the dark hull of the ship loomed up, and,
it seemed almost at the same moment there came from her the

shout: “Boat, ahoy!” Then we heard the loud and cheer-
ing ery from Wood: ‘Give way, boys,” which was caught up
and echoed along both lines of boats. Then rang out loud and
sharp from the ship the rattle, calling the men to quarters 13
action, and now the fight was on. No need for orders now to
these disciplined men. I suppose the distance was about
one hundred yards, and, while our men were straining at their
oars, we heard the sharp click of rifles, and the only reply
we could make was by the marines ( three or four being in
each boat) who delivered their fire with great coolness. :

It seems to me now that of all the uncomfortable sie a
fighting man might have to do, that of pulling an Onr . ith "4
back to his foe must be the, most trying and disheartening,
but not a man weakened. In less time than is required to
tell of this we were into her. Our boat struck the vessel just
abaft the wheelhouse, where the guards make a pongo oe
admirable place for getting on board. T he ship 3 cote >
where all the small arms were kept, was 1n a room just a
under the hurricane deck, and they did not stop to rene
loaded guns were handed to the men, as fast as sa 2h ;
fire. It seemed like a sheet of flame, and the very a fe
death. Our boat struck bow on, and our bow oal rege
James Wilson, of Norfolk, (after the war with % ~
Wrecking Company) caught her with his grapnel, and sh

7 i vith the tide.

a fy oe wee aboard Engineer Gill, of sbmeats
among the first, was shot through the head, n : bogey
dead ‘our men gave a yell, and rushed upon the ake
the crews of the two other boats close behind. N = ” a
ing was furious, and at close quarters. . secicig Ww . nana
and as one would fall another came on. + ot - i a
or fell back. The eracking of fire arms and = seed : : pos
lasses made a deafening din. The enemy aah a ay s adel
and soon began to get away by taking to the ward room

engine room hatches below.

They fell back under the hurricane deck before the steady