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tors by a bearing at once soldierly and subdued. The officers invited the Unionists to their quarters, where several took supper, and some even slept with the rebels whom they had been fighting a few hours before. There was no apparent bitterness on either side; no desire to introduce personal animosities.

This long and severely contested siege resulted in the loss of only two lives, while the number of wounded was very small. This fact is remarkable, in view of the immense amount of shot and shell exchanged during the bombardment.

On Sunday, the 13th, the men were divided into two parties-the officers and about two-thirds of the men forming the first, who were placed on the Ben de Ford-the remainder on the Honduras, and taken to Bay Point. Here they were transferred to the McClellan and Star of the South, to be sent to Fort Columbus, in the harbor of New York.

BATTLE OF SOUTH MILLS, CAMDEN, N. 0.
APRIL 20, 1862.

A short but severely contested engagement took place on the 20th of April, between the command of General J. L. Reno, and a body of rebels posted in a strong position to intercept the supposed advance of the Federal troops on Norfolk. General Burnside directed General Reno to make a demonstration on that city, and the latter, taking with him from Newbern the Twenty-first Massachusetts and Fifty-first Pennsylvania, proceeded to Roanoke, where he was joined by detachments of the Eighty-ninth New York and Sixth New Hampshire. With these forces he started for Elizabeth City, and commenced disembarking at midnight, on the 19th, at a point about three miles below the city, on the east side.

By three A. M. Colonel Hawkins' brigade, consisting of the Ninth and Eighty-ninth New York, and Sixth New Hampshire, were landed and ready to move. Colonel Hawkins proceeded with his brigade toward South Mills. General Reno remained to bring up the other two regiments, which had been delayed by the grounding of their vessels at the mouth of the river. They came up at daylight, and were landed by seven A. M. General Reno marched directly toward South Mills, and about twelve miles out met Colonel Hawkins, with his brigade, who, either by the treachery or incompetency of his guide, had been led some miles out of his way. As his men were very much jaded by the long march, they were ordered to follow the Second brigade, about four miles further, to within a mile and a half of South Mills.

The rebels were posted here, and opened a fire of artillery, before the

advanced guard discovered them. General Reno reconnoitered their position, and found that they were posted strongly in a line perpendicular to the road, their infantry in ditches, their artillery commanding all the direct approaches, and their rear protected by a dense forest. He ordered the Fifty-first Pennsylvania immediately to file to the right, and pass over to the edge of the woods, to turn their left-the Twenty-first Massachusetts pursuing the same course; and when Colonel Hawkins came up with his brigade, he was sent with the Ninth and Eighty-ninth New York to their support.

The Sixth New Hampshire was formed in line to the left of the road, and its commander ordered to support the four pieces of artillery. Owing to the excessive fatigue of the men, they met with some delay in reaching their position. Meanwhile the enemy kept up a brisk artillery fire, which was gallantly responded to by the small pieces under charge of Colonel Howard, of the Coast Guard. As soon as the Fifty-first Pennsylvania and Twenty-first Massachusetts had succeeded in turning their left, they opened a brisk musketry fire, and, about the same time, the Ninth New York, also coming in range, eager to engage, unfortunately charged upon the enemy's artillery. It was a most gallant charge, but they were exposed to a deadly fire of grape and musketry, and forced to retire, but rallied immediately upon the Eighty-ninth New York. General Reno then ordered both regiments to form a junction with the Twenty-first Massachusetts. In the meantime, the Fifty-first Pennsylvania and Twenty-first Massachusetts kept up an incessant fire upon the rebels, who had withdrawn their artillery, and commenced to retreat in good order. The Sixth New Hampshire had steadily advanced in line to the left of the road, and when within about two hundred yards poured in a deadly volley, which completely demoralized the enemy and ended the battle.

The men rested under arms in line of battle, until about ten o'clock, P. M., when they were ordered to return to the boats, having accomplished the principal object of the expedition, that of conveying the idea that the entire Burnside Expedition was marching upon Norfolk. Owing to a want of transportation, sixteen of the most severely wounded were left behind. Assistant-Surgeon Warren was left with them. Only about ten or fifteen prisoners were taken. Most of them belonged to the Third Georgia regiment. The Ninth New York suffered most severely, owing to their premature charge. The total loss of the Federal troops in killed and wounded was about ninety, some sixty of the number belonging to that regiment.

Just as the decisive volley of the Sixth New Hampshire had compelled the rebels to abandon their position, a terrific thunder-storm broke upon the scene of conflict, and a heavy rain rendered the hope of

pursuit futile. After burying the dead, and taking a brief rest, General Reno and his command took up their march for headquarters, at Newbern. On the advance the sun beat fiercely upon his exhausted men, the weather was intensely hot, and they were almost prostrated with the fatigue of the battle and the labor of the march, before they reached a place of rest.

CAPTURE OF FORT MACON, N. 0.

APRIL 26, 1862.

The occupation of the town of Beaufort and Morehead City by the Federal troops, on the 24th of March, was followed by active preparations for the reduction of Fort Macon, which commanded the entrance to the harbor. It was anticipated that on the retreat of the rebel troops from Beaufort the overwhelming numbers and equipment of the national forces would demonstrate to the commander of the fort the hopelessness of any attempt to resist the armament that would be brought against him in the event of his refusal to surrender. This hope was not realized. Colonel M. J. White, the commander, resolved to meet the Union forces with every possible resistance, and if the fort was captured by the Federal arms, the doughty rebel determined that it should be purchased at no slight cost.

Fort Macon is situated on a bluff on Bogue's Bank, nearly two miles from the town of Beaufort. It commands the entrance to the harbor, and no vessel can enter the main channel without coming within range of its guns. Opposite the fort, at the entrance of the harbor, is Shackelford Banks, distant about one mile and a half. Fort Macon is of a hexagonal form, and has two tiers of guns-one in casemated bombproof, and the other en barhette. Its armament consisted of twenty 32pounders, thirty 24-pounders, two 18-pounders, three field-pieces for flank defence, twelve flank howitzers, eight 8-inch howitzers (heavy), eight 8-inch howitzers (light), one 13-inch mortar, three 10-inch mortars, and two Cohorn mortars-total, 89 guns. The war garrison of the fort was 300 men. There are large furnaces in the fort for heating shot, and before the investment there was a considerable quantity of powder in the magazine. The construction of Fort Macon was commenced in 1826, by Captain Eliason, of the United States Engineer Corps, and was finished in 1860, by Captain, afterwards BrigadierGeneral John G. Foster.

This fort, like most others in the Southern States, at the opening of the rebellion, was in an almost defenceless condition. Ordnance Sergeant Alexander was the sole guardian of this important position in April, 1861.

In March, the vote on the question of calling a State Convention was taken in North Carolina, and a majority was given against the Convention. Governor Ellis assured the officer in command that the fort would not be taken from under the control of the government, but on the 11th of April, a citizen of Beaufort, in the interest of the secessionists, collected a body of fifty men, with whom he crossed over to the fort and demanded its surrender. Sergeant Alexander delivered up the keys, and the rebel flag was hoisted on its walls. Subsequently stores and supplies for a garrison of 500 men were collected and placed within it, and an efficient body of troops took possession, under Colonel White. On March 25th, 1862, Morehead City, on the mainland, opposite Bogue Island, was occupied by a portion of General Parke's division of Burnside's army. A few days subsequently a landing had been effected on Bogue Island, and a camp established for the force selected to operate against Fort Macon. On the 11th of April the enemy's pickets were driven in by the Fifth Rhode Island regiment and one company of the Fourth Rhode Island, and eligible localities for the batteries were selected by Captain Williamson, Topographical Engineer on General Burnside's staff. On the next day a working party commenced the erection of the main battery, and from that time the labor proceeded night and day. The troops employed in this service were the Fourth and Fifth Rhode Island and the Eighth Connecticut regiments. The labor was most severe. The men were often on duty twenty-four hours at a time, and labored zealously to accomplish their task in the shortest possible period. What rest they got when on duty was obtained by sleeping on the sands, as no tents or barracks could be erected, since these would have informed the rebels of the location of the troops, and indicated the position of the batteries. The picket duty performed by the men was also very severe. All their work had to be done under a continuous and often severe fire from the fort. From this, however, they were protected by the peculiar formation of the ground, which consisted of a succession of sand-hills up to within about half a mile of the fort.

Previous to the bombardment the garrison were allowed to send letters to their friends at Beaufort.

Three batteries were erected for the reduction of the fort. The first was mounted with four ten-inch mortars, and was built under cover of a large sand-hill, near the edge of the marshes which line the northern shore of the island, at a distance of about 1,400 yards from the fort. This battery was allotted to Lieutenant Flagler, and manned by a portion of battery I, New York Third artillery. The second was in advance 100 yards, built and worked by Captains Lewis O. Morris, and Lieutenants Gowan and Pollock. Three long thirty-pound siege Parrott

guns, rifled, composed its armament. The last battery consisted of four eight-inch mortars. It stood 100 yards in advance of the second battery, and was placed in charge of Lieutenant Prouty, and manned by a detachment of battery I, Third New York artillery. Rifle-pits and trenches were also excavated.

On the 24th of April, the preparations having been completed, General Burnside arrived from Newbern, on the steamer Alice Price, having in tow two barges, the Schrapnel and Grenade, fitted up as floating batteries, each armed with two thirty-pound Parrott guns. The Schrap nel had in addition a twelve-pounder rifled Ward gun. They anchored about three miles below the fort.

During the afternoon a flag of truce was sent to the fort, in charge of Captain Biggs, of General Burnside's staff, with a demand for its surrender. Colonel White refused to yield to the demand, and announced his purpose to defend the fort to the last extremity. An understanding was obtained, however, that the commander should have a personal interview with General Burnside on the following morning. Accordingly, at an early hour on the 25th, the steamer Alice Price, under a flag of truce, proceeded down the bay to a point previously indicated, where General Burnside was soon joined by Colonel White. The meeting was courteous. Colonel White said that he had been placed in command of the fort for the purpose of holding it, and should defend it to the best of his ability.

On the following morning, the 26th, the Federal forces took their respective posts at an early hour. The morning mists had not yet disappeared, when orders were given for the opening of the siege, and before six o'clock the loud thunder of the guns and the deep boom of the heavy mortars broke on the ears of the sleeping citizens of Beaufort, and roused the slumbering garrison of the belligerent fort. Booming loudly over the waters, and rolling away in the distance, the explosions followed in rapid succession for half an hour before the garrison was ready to respond. When prepared, the rebels bravely assumed their allotted positions, manned their guns, and Fort Macon opened upon the national flag.

During the forenoon the eight-inch mortar battery of Lieutenant Prouty sent its shells with regularity and precision into the fort, and at each explosion the red dirt and sand of the glacis' slopes, ramparts, parapets and terrepleins were dashed in a cloud many feet into the air. The flagstaff, with its defiant colors floating at the top, was at times completely obscured in the smoke and dust which rose with the bursting of the missiles. The ten-inch mortar battery was not so successful in the morning. The shells from it burst beyond or high in air over the fort, scattering the fragments of iron far and wide into the water;

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