330 Norto Caronina Troops, 1861-’65. attack of our men, and at that time I heard the cheers and rush of our comrades from forward, and I knew we had them. They came along from forward with the cutlasses and muskets they had found, clubbing and slashing. In a short time I heard the ery: ‘We surrender.” They could not stand the force and moral effect of an at- tack like that, and, remember, they were not Spaniards we were fighting. Wood gave the order to cease firing, and after a brief con- sultation, we ordered the two firemen we had with us to go down into the engine and fire room to see if they could get her under way and take her up the river, where we might put her in shape, and, as she was the largest vessel at New Bern we could have temporary command of the river. It was in the fight on the forward deck that the intrepid young Palmer Saunders gave up his life for his country. He at- tacked a stalwart sailor with his cutlass and killed him, but had his head split open and a shot in his side. I wish I could relate the deeds of individual prowess and gallantry, but in such a melee as that one has all he can do to keep on his feet and look out for himself. We found the fires banked and not steam enough to turn the wheels over. At this juncture Fort Stevens opened fire upon our vessel, regardless of their own people. One shell struck part of her lever beam, went through a hen coop near where the marines were drawn up, and passed through her side. Upon further consultation we decided to burn her, and gave the order to man the boats, taking special care of our own and the enemy’s wounded, and our dead, and all prison- ers we could get hold of. I thought it very strange that the captain of the vessel could not be found, but upon inquiry among his men we learned that he had been wounded in the leg and had jumped overboard. He was drowned. Poor Palmer Saunders was carefully placed in a blanket, and laid in the bow of my boat, where he could be better sup- ported than aft. He was breathing, but entirely unconscious. Of course, some of the men missed their boats, as nobody CAPTURE OF THE “UNDERWRITER.” 331 stood upon the order of his going in the face of the firing from those forts. After seeing all the boats under my charge get away, we shoved off and pulled away from the ship. The duty of set- ting fire to the Underwriter had been assigned to Lieutenant Hoge, of Wheeling, a talented young officer of fine attain- ments and undaunted courage. When we had gotten half mile from the ship Wood pulled up towards our boats and asked if I had ordered the ship set afire. I said: “Yes, but it looked as if it had not been done successfully. Just then Hoge came along in his boat, and said that he had set her. : pee ordered him to go on board and make sure of it, and he went promptly. Here was trying duty to perform. ct forts were firing every few minutes in our direction, wildly, of course, as big guns cannot be aimed well at night, but you never can tell where they are going to strike. In about ten minutes we saw a flame leap out = a win- dow forward of the wheelhouse, where the engineer's mi ee were kept, and Hoge pulling away. In a very few minu the whole expanse of water was lighted up, and be — % sure we struck out with a vim to rendezvous at Swift 9 : about six miles up the river, on the opposite side from i Bern, where General Dearing had a small seclgee yong = we were pulling up we could hear now and t era — : of the guns of the Underwriter as they were dise