COLONEL WILLIAM LAMB. GENERAL W. H. C. WHITING

WHITWORTH GUN.

Captured nine miles north of Fort Fisher b dmi
< : y Admiral Lee, 1
a trophy in Washington, D. C., Navy Yard, ae

FIGHT WITH BLOCKADERS.

By COLONEL WILLIAM LAMB, Turirty--1xtH Reetment N. C. T.

Shortly after taking command of Fort Fisher I recovered
from the wreck of a blockade runner, the British Steamship
Modern Greece, four 12 pounder Whitworth rifle guns,
with a range of five miles. With these guns, we made the
U. S. Blockading fleet remove their anchorage from two
and a half miles to five miles from the fort. So many ves-
sels were saved with these guns that they soon had a reputa-
tion throughout the South, and three of them were transfer-
red to other commands, two going to Virginia.

In August, 1863, the British Steamship Hebe with a
most valuable cargo, while trying to enter New Inlet, was
driven ashore by the enemy and partially destroyed. A de-
tachment of Captain Munn’s Company sent to her relief,
rescued the Captain and Crew and captured on her, Ensign
W. W. Crowninshield, Master’s Mate John Paige, Third As-
sistant Engineer Wm. Mason, five petty officers, five seamen
and one ordinary seaman, from the U. 8. 8. Niphon. Munn’s
detachment remained with a Whitworth rifle gun and a
Faucett and Preston rifle piece, behind an improvised sand
battery, to guard the wreck while its cargo was being re-
moved.

Sunday morning 23 August, the steam frigate Minnesota,
the flagship of the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron, caine
up abreast of the wreck, within 600 yards, while the United
States Steamship James Adger was sent into within 300
yards, to see if the Hebe could be hauled off and the United
States Steamship Niphon was ordered along the beach to
cut off any retreat. The heroic detachment instead of re-
treating as they should have done, with their guns, as soon
as they saw this powerful steamship approaching, carrying
more guns and ammunition than were in Fort Fisher, de-
fiantly stood their ground and fired on the boat sent by the

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