USA > Pennsylvania > History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5; prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature, Vol. III > Part 115
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Sept. 5. '61, 3
Fowler. Joseph D ...
599
THREE YEARS' SERVICE.
NAME.
RANE.
DATE OF MUSTER IRTO SERVICE.
REMARKS.
Jacobs, William .
Private
Feb. Mar.
3, '65,
3
Jackson, Oliver C ...
... do
6, '65,
1
Jordan, Jacob ...
... do
Feb. 28, *65.
1
James, Thomas W
... do
Mar. 3, '65,
1
Jones, Jonathan H Johnston, John.
... do
Sept. 23, '61. 3
Jordan, Martin
... do
Sept.
5, '61,
3
Died-date unknown-buried in National Ceme- tery. Antietam, Md .. sec. 26, lot C, grave, 304. Substitute-absent, sick, at muster out.
Died April 18, of wounds received at Peters- burg. Virginia. March 25, 1865.
3 Not on muster-out roll.
.
Lewis, John.
do
Dec. 13, '64,
Linkart. Wilhelm
.do
Feb. 11, '65,
Lower, Joseph.
.do
Mar. 18, '65,
1
-Libolt, Frederick
.do
Mar. 30, '64,
3
Lape, Michael.
do
ào
Feb. 15, '65,
3
3 Not on muster-out roll.
Not on muster-ont roll.
Madge, William
.do
Feb. 20, '65,
1
Mar-hall, Joseph S
.do
Feb. 29, '64. 3
Mogle. George W.
do
Jan. 11, '65."
1
Moss, John R
do
Sept. 5. '61,
3
Matley, Robert.
.do
Jan. 11, '65, 1
Mulligan. Jobu.
do
Sept. 5. '61, 3
Myers, Isaac.
.do
Feb. 22, '65,
1
Martin, Patrick
do
Mar. 9, '65, 1
Malone, James
.. do
Mar. 6, '65.
3
Miller, Charles
.do
Mar. 21, '65,
3
Meredith, David ..
... do
Sept. 5, '61, 3 1
M'Murray, Thomas
.do
Mar. 7, '65,
M'Clure, Robert.
do
Feb. 28, 64.
3
M'Counell, John W
... do
Mar. 29, '64,
3
M'Connell, John W
do
Sept 5, '61,
Not on muster-out roll.
M'Clure, Samuel ..
.do
Sept.
5. 61,
3
Not on muster-out roll.
M'Canders, Mark.
.do
Oct.
4. '61.
M'Quaid. Robert F
.do
Oet.
4, '61, 3
Natman, John.
do
Feb.
15. 65. 1
1
Nicholson. John
do .do
Sent. Mar.
5, '61.
1
Substitute-abseut. sick, at muster out.
O' Brine. Lawrence
.do
Mar. 10, 65.
O'Caine, Frank
do
Mar. 9. '65. 3
Powell, Elias
.do
Parker, Joseph N.
do
Peterson, Cyrus
.do
do do
Sept.
5. 61. 3
1
1
Ritz. John
.do
Feb. 23. '65.
1
Ragen, Henry
.do
Mar. 1. 65. S
Richards, Chas. W
.do
Mar. 26. '64, 3
Rothrock, William Rudge, George
do
Sept. 5. 61, 3
do
Sept.
5, 61, 3
Rankin. Jolın
do
Sept.
5. '61.
3
Shedden. John.
do
Feb.
1, '65,
I
Stewart, James.
.do
Scot.
5. 61.
Sellars, George W. do
do
Feb.
Sept.
5, '61,
Stronpe, Solomon.
Sept. 14, '61.
Sickles, Robert H
Sept.
.'61, 3
Smith, George .. .. .do.
Feb.
1, '65,
1
Kreps, Joseph. Kenney, William ..
.do
Mar. Mar.
7, '65,
1
Kerr, George
do
Sept.
5, '61,
Kemble, Henry E.
Sept.
5, '61,
3
Langedorf, Anton Lennox, Henry.
.do
Sept. 14, '61,
Lucy, George.
.do
Sept. 14, '61,
Lytle, Samuel.
do
Sept. 23, '61.
3
Substitute-mustered out with Co., July 24, '65. Mustered out with company, July 24, 1865. Drafted-mustered ont with Co., July 24, 1865. Mustered out. Sept. 5, 1864-expiration of term. Drafted-discharged by G. O., May 7, 1865.
Mustered out, Oct. 6. 1864-expiration of term. Drafted-died April 21, of wounds received at Petersburg, Virginia, March 15, 1865-buried in National Cemetery, Arlington. Substitute-deserted May 15, 1865.
Substitute-deserted May 19, 1865.
Substitute-deserted June 14, 1865-burial re- cord, died-buried in National Cemetery, Rich- inond, Virginia, division 1, section B. grave, 75. Not on muster-out roll.
Substitute-musrered out with Co., July 24, '65. Discharged on Surgeon's certificate, June 24, '65. Died May 31. of wus. rec. at Spottsylvania C. H., Va., May 12, '64-bu. in Nat. Cem., Arlington. .
3 3 Not on miuster-out roll.
M'Caughan, Sam'l ..
do
Sept.
5, 61,
Not on muster-ont roll.
Not on muster-out roll.
Substitute-mustered out with Co., July 24, '65. Drafted-mustered out with Co., July 24, 1865. Not on muster-out roll.
Odamar, Daniel. .do
6, '65.
1 Substitute-deserted May 16, 1865.
Substitute-deserted May 23, 1865.
Sept. 5. 61, 3 Mustered out with company, July 24. 1865-Vet. Sent. 5. '61, 3 Mustered out with company, July 24, 1865-Vet. 1 Feb. 22. '65. Sept. 5, 61, 3 Drafted-mustered out with Co., July 24. 1865. Died at Hilton Head. S. C., November 28, 1862. Not on muster-ont roll.
Piles, James.
Penny, James W.
Renninger, Josialı ..
do
Nov. 28, 64.
Rouch, James W
Jan. 11, 65.
Drafted-mustered out with Co., July 24, 1865. Drafted-mustered out with Co., July 24, 1865. Substitute-mustered out with Co., July 24, '65. Substitute-disch. on Surg. cert., June 20, 1865. Died Feb. 19. '65-bu. in Poplar Grove Nat. Cem., Petersburg, Va., division A, sec. C. grave. 248. Died at Annapolis, Md., March 12, 1855-Vet. Died Sept. 24, 1863-buried in National Ceme- tery, Camp Nelson, Ky., section D, grave, 86. Not on muster-out roll.
Substitute-mnstered out with Co., July 24, '65. 3 Mustered out with company. July 24, 1865-Vet. I Drafted-mustered out with Co., July 24, 1865. Drafted-mustered out with Co .. July 24, 1865. 1
Swisher, Hiram
Saddler, Hiram .. do
Feb. 22. '65. 22, 65,
3 Mustered out, Sept. 5, 1864-expiration of term.
3 Mustered out, Sept. 5. 1864-expiration of term. Mustered out, Sept. 5. 1804-expiration of term. : 1 Substitute-deserted February 23, 1865.
TERM-YEARS!
Substitute-mustered out with Co., July 24, '65. Substitute-mustered out with Co., July 24, '65. Substitute-mustered out with Co., July 24. '65. Substitute-mustered out with Co .. July 24, '65. Transferred to Vet. Reserve Corps, Jan. 15, 1864. Not on muster-out roll.
... do
Sept. 5, '61. 3
6, '65,
.do
Sept. 5, '61, 3 1
3 Not on muster-out roll.
1. Drafted-inustered out with Co., July 24, 1865. Substitute-mustered ont with Co., July 24, '65. Substitute-mustered out with Co., July 24, '65. Discharged by General Order, June 7, 1865. Discharged on Surg. cert .. June 6, 1865-Vet. Drafted-discharged by G. O., July 3, 1865. Deserted January, 1864.
Newell, Charles
Feb. 22. '65,
600
ONE HUNDREDTH REGIMENT.
NAME.
BANK.
DATE OF MUSTER INTO SERVICE.
REXALES.
Smith, James
Private
Mar. 9, '65,
Substitute-deserted May 2, 1865.
Seigle, Jacob.
do
Sept.
5, '61,
Saddler, James
do
Sept.
5, '61,
3 Not on muster-out roll.
Saddler, Philip.
do
Sept.
5, '61, 3 Not on muster-out roll.
Thompson, George .. ...
.do
Jan. 30, '65,
Thompson, James .. do
Feb.
4. '65,
Thomas, Benjamin .do
Sept.
5, '61,
3
Thomas, John ..
do
Mar.
9, '65,
Thorp, Samuel.
do
Sept.
5. '61, 3
Thomas. Robert H.
do
Sept.
5, '61.
3
Ulam, Joseph.
.do
Sept.
5, '61,
Wilt, Jacob
do
Feb .
22, '65.
Wilson, James.
.do
Feb. 11, '65.
Weddle. Aaron
do
Mar. 21. 65,
1 Mustered out with company, July 24, 1865.
White, Barnes ..
do
Sept. 5. '61,
3
White. Charles H ..
do
Feb. 26. '64,
3
West, John
do
Sept. 5, '61.
3
Mustered out with company, July 24. 1865-Vet. Discharged on Surgeon's certificate, May 24. '63. Wd. at Bull Run, Va., Aug. 28.'62-prisoner from Sept. 30. 1864, to March 2. 1865-discharged by General Order. May 25, 1865-Vet.
Williams, Har'n P.
.do
Jan. 11, '65,
Drafted-died June 25, 1865-buried in National Cemetery, Arlington, Va.
White, John C.
do
Sept.
5. '61,
3 Deserted April 15, 1864-Vet.
Woods, William
do
Mar.
8, '65,
1
Substitute-deserted April 3, 1865.
Waddington, Wm ..
.do
Sept.
5. '61, 3 Not on muster-out roll.
Warne, Charles
do
Sept.
5. '61, 3 Not on muster-out roll.
Walters, Isaac
do
Sept.
5. '61,
3 Not on muster-out roll.
Williams, Thomas do
Sept.
5, '61.
3
Not on muster-out roll.
Young, John.
.do
Sept.
5, '61,
3 Not on muster-out roll.
Zimmerl. Adam
do
Sept.
5, '61.
3 Not on muster-out roll.
Zimmerman, Adam
.do
Sept.
5, '61,
3 Not on muster-out roll.
UNASSIGNED MEN.
J. H. M. M'Carty
Muc.
Feb. 11. '64,
3 Not accounted for.
Blake, John ...
Private
Jan. 18. 65.
1 Not accounted for.
Clifft. Henry
do
Mar. 26, '64,
3 Not accounted for.
Hogan, Patrick
.do
Dec. 29, '63,
3 Not accounted for.
Miller, Edward
do
Feb. 18, '64,
3 Not accounted for.
Webster, Charles
.do
Jan. 29, '64,
3 Not accounted for.
1
.
3 Not on muster-out roll.
1 1 Substitute-mustered out with Co., July 24, 1865. Substitute-mustered out with Co., July 24, 1865. 3 Mustered out, Sept. 5, 1864-expiration of term. Substitute-deserted June 9, 1865.
Not on muster-out roll.
Not on muster-out roll.
3 1 1 Mustered out, Sept. 5, 1864-expiration of terin. 1 Drafted-mustered out with Co., July 24, 1865. Drafted-mustered out with Co .. July 24. 1865. Mustered out with company, July 24, 1865.
Wray, Henry
do
Mar. 21. '65,
1
TERM-YEARB.
·
ONE HUNDRED AND FIRST REGIMENT.
(EVEN companies, independently recruited during the early part of the S fall of 1861, in the counties of Allegheny, Beaver, and Lawrenec,. were brought together at Camp Fremont, near Pittsburg, where, under the command of Joseph H. Wilson, of Beaver, who had served successively as Captain, Ma- jor, Colonel, and Major General of militia, and who had received authority to reeruit a regiment, they remained until the last of October, when they were ordered to Camp Curtin, near Harrisburg. They were here joined by three additional companies, recruited in the counties of Tioga, Bedford, and Adams, and a regimental organization was effected with the following field officers : Joseph H. Wilson, Colonel; David B. Morris, of Pittsburg, Lieutenant Col- onel; Joseph S. Hoard, of Tioga county, Major. The men were carefully drilled from the time of their arrival in eamp, but it was not until past the middle of February, 1862, that they received their arms. On the 26th, the colors were presented by Governor Curtin, and on the following day the regi- ment departed for Washington. Upon its arrival it went into camp at Me- ridian Hill, and was assigned to Keim's Brigade .* The old style Harper's Ferry muskets, with which it had been armed, were here exchanged for Austrian rifles.
On the 28th of March, Casey's Division, to which Keim's Brigade had been assigned, proceeded to Alexandria, whence it moved, by transports, to the Peninsula, and went into eamp near Newport News. The army, as soon as assembled in force, advanced upon Yorktown and commenecd the operations of a siege. On the 16th of April, Keim's Brigade was ordered to the front and joined the division at Camp Winfield Scott. Here the regiment was em- ployed for some time in building corduroy roads, which were made to stretch in every direction over all that marshy neighborhood. On the morning of the 4th of May, it was discovered that the enemy had fled, abandoning his works, and the army was immediately ordered forward in pursuit. The One Hundred and First passed the enemy's deserted fortifications, and moved on by the way of Burnt Ordinary, bivouacking for the night six miles east of Williamsburg. Early on the following morning General Hooker engaged the enemy in front of that place. The regiment came upon the field at balf past four P. M. It was at once formed in line and moved to the front, where it was held under fire as a reserve until the close of the engagement. Its position fell opposite Fort Magruder, and was consequently exposed to heavy fire of
* Organization of the Second Brigade, General Keim; Third Division, General Casey ; Fourth Corps, General Keyos. Eighty-fifth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, Colonel Joshua B. Howell; One Hundred and First Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, Colonel Jo- seph H. Wilson ; One Hundred and Third Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, Colonel Theo- dore F. Lehmann ; Ninety-sixth Regiment New York Volunteers, Colonel James Fairman.
€
602
1862
ONE HUNDRED AND FIRST REGIMENT.
shot and shell. Fortunately it was partially shielded by a strip of woods, and had only six or eight wounded. The fighting eeased at dark, when the regiment was thrown forward to the left, into the woods, and was kept in line, under a cold drenehing rain, until eleven P. M., when it was discovered that the enemy was again retreating.
On the morning of the 6th, the One Hundred and First, with a few other regiments, was ordered to the south bank of the York River, but on the fol- lowing morning was ordered to return, and moving along the line of the rebel works to Williamsburg, passed through the town and proceeded six miles west- ward, on the Richmond Road, following the line of the rebel retreat, and holding the advance of the army. Moving forward by easy marches, and passing on the way New Kent Court House, it reached the Chiekahominy on the 21st. On the 22d, companies D and I were sent aeross the river to dig rifle-pits and slash timber, and on the 23d the troops erossed, the One Hundred and First being with the advanee, and halted a few miles west of the river. On the 24th, a spirited artillery engagement took place near Savage Station, and the regi- ment, with some other infantry troops, was sent to the support of our batter- ies, but did not become engaged. In the meantime, large numbers of the regi- ment had siekened, and been left at various points on the march up the Pen- insula, many of whom died, while others were so weakened in constitution as to be no longer fit for service. Among these vietims was Colonel Wilson. He was strieken with fever soon after leaving Williamsburg, and was left at Ro- per's Church, where, on the 30th, he died. He was sueeeeded in command by Lieutenant Colonel Morris. General Keim was also disabled by disease, of whieli he also died, and the command of the brigade devolved temporarily upon Colonel Howell, of the Eighty-fifth Pennsylvania, but subsequently upon General Wessells.
On the 26th of May, the brigade was moved up to Seven Pines, and on the 29th to Fair Oaks. Upon its arrival all available forees were at once put to digging riffe-pits, the enemy being in its immediate front, with whom shots were occasionally exchanged, by which company B lost one man. On the 30th, the entire regiment was upon the pieket line, company B engaging the enemy. At eleven A. M. on the 31st, a few shots from his artillery passed over the regi- ment, and announced the opening of the battle. At the first discharge the division was reealled from work upon abattis and rifle-pits, and ordered under arms. Hart's Battery oeeupied the principal work, a redoubt, the Eighty-fifth New York holding the rifle-pits on its left, the Eighty-fifth Pennsylvania on its right, and the One Hundred and First a position on the right of these regiments. The dispositions had scareely been made, when the battle opened in earnest, the enemy attacking in heavy foree on the eentre and both wings of the division, a brisk musketry fire extending along the two opposing lines. Against overpowering forees, and until a large proportion of its numbers had been stricken down, this small division, thrust out in advance of the whole army, and reeciving the whole weight of the enemy's blow, held its ground. But outflanked and threatened with utter annihilation, it finally was foreed baek to the second line of works, occupied by Coueh, where it was again ral- lied and remained until the close of the fight. In that desperate struggle every third man in the regiment was either killed or wounded; but the slaughter which it inflicted was terrible. Colonel Morris had ordered his men at the opening of the fight to aim at the waist-belt of the foe, and as he had come
603
BATTLE OF FAIR OAKS.
1862
up within cighty yards, the fire was most effective, General Wessells declaring it unprecedented. In the heat of the battle, the enemy succeeded in partially flanking the regiment on the right, when, by a timely discovery of the move- ment, a charge was ordered, which completely frustrated his design. Colonel Morris was wounded early in the fight and carried from the field, when the command devolved on Captain Charles W. May. In the progress of the battle, and after having been twice rallied, General Kearny rode up to the regiment and called out to its commander, " for G-'s sake re-gain the woods in front and the day is ours." Inspirited by the word of the commander, the men pressed forward and took the coveted ground, but soon found themselves well nigh surrounded, the only alternative left to them being to fight their way back again, which they succeeded in doing.
After the battle of Fair Oaks, Wessells' Brigade was ordered to the south of the Williamsburg Road, to a point near White Oak Swamp, where it re- mained, engaged in guard and picket duty, until the opening of the Seven Days' battles. When the army was put on the march for the James, the regi- ment was engaged, at intervals, on detached service until the close of the fight- ing at Malvern Hill. In the withdrawal of the army to Harrison's Landing, Wessells' Brigade was upon the rear guard, and had frequent encounters with rebel cavalry by the way. Upon the evacuation of the Peninsula, Keyes was left at Fortress Monroe. Here the regiment went into camp, and was princi- pally employed in drill and discipline. On the 18th of September, Wessells' Brigade was ordered to Suffolk, the enemy having made a demonstration upon that place. Moving by transport to Norfolk, the regiment proceeded thence by rail, and reached Suffolk the same evening. In the meantime, Major Hoard had been promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, but owing to ill health was com- pelled to resign, and in the absence, on account of wounds, of Colonel Morris, who had received his promotion on the 1st of July, Captain May held command of the regiment. While at Suffolk, the regiment was kept busy with fatigue duty upon the fortifications, and in frequent reconnoissances to the Blackwater, General Peck, who was now in command of the division, being intent upon providing for the safety of his command, and keeping well advised of the whereabouts of the enemy. Colonel Morris re-joined the regiment while here, with Lieutenant Colonel Armour, who had been successively promoted from Captain and Major; but owing to the unhealed wounds of the former, and in- juries subsequently sustained by the latter, the command devolved on Major Alexander W. Taylor, promoted from Captain of company H.
On the 4th of December, General Wessells was ordered to proceed with his brigade to Newbern, to reinforce General Foster, who was organizing his forces for a movement upon Goldsboro, designed as a diversion in favor of Burnside, at Fredericksburg. Marching to a point on the Chowan River, near Gatesville, it embarked upon transports and arrived at Newbern on the 9th. On the 11th, Wessells took the advance, and skirmished lightly with the enc- my's cavalry as he proceeded, until the evening of the 13th, when he fell in with rebel troops, and drove them across West Creek, capturing two pieces of ar- tillery. On the following morning, Sunday, the 14th, the enemy was found posted in front of Kingston, along the south bank of the Neuse, and was at- tacked soon after sunrise by the pickcts of the One Hundred and First. The only approach open was by an almost impassable swamp. Struggling through, the troops attacked and drove the enemy from bis well chosen ground, pushed
-
604
ONE HUNDRED AND FIRST REGIMENT.
1863
him across the Neuse, and drove him in confusion through the town. The bridge had been prepared for firing, and as soon as he was over he applied the torch, leaving loaded muskets upon it, which exploded as the flames reached them. A missile from one of these mortally wounded Colonel Gray, of the Ninety-sixth New York. The fire was soon checked, however, and the Union forces passed over. With the exception of a slight encounter at White Hall, no serious resistance was met until the command reached Goldsboro. By mid- day of the 17th, the regiment arrived near the bridge of the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad, the enemy in considerable force on the north side of the river having been reinforced by troops brought from South Carolina and all available points. The artillery at once opened, under fire of which a party proceeded to the bridge and applied the torch, the flames instantly leaping up and enveloping the whole structure. . This accomplished, Foster's forces began to retire; whereupon, the enemy crossed the river and attempted to capture a battery, left upon the field. Wessells' Brigade was at once coun- ter-marched. The artillery practice was rapid, but the shells were thrown over the heads of the Union infantry, and little injury was inflicted. Having little stomach for grape and canister the enemy withdrew, and the return march was resumed. The forest had been fired, and as the troops moved on the night march, the flames streaming up the tall pine trees, presented a majestic scene.
Upon the arrival of the command at Newbern, the regiment was sent to the south of the Trent, near the town, where it was quartered in Sibley tents during the winter months, principally engaged in drill and fatigue duty. A force, consisting of the One Hundred and First, and One Hundred and Third Pennsylvania, and a company of the Third New York Cavalry, all under com- mand of Colonel Morris, was sent on the 7th of March, 1863, to Hyde county, to break up a band of guerrillas infesting that locality. Moving by transport to Swanquarter, it debarked, and marched through the suspected district, pass- ing quite around Lake Mattimuskeet, and returned without discovering the whereabouts of the troublesome gang. On the 4th of April, the regiment joined in the movement for the relief of General Foster, and a small force shut up at Little Washington. It moved by water, but at a point nine miles below the town, the rebel works, commanding the river, were reached, when it was obliged to turn back, and retire to Newbern. An overland expedition for the same destination was undertaken on the very day of the arrival back of the first. At Swift Creek, the enemy was found with infantry and artillery prepared to dispute the passage. On the side by which the command ap- proached, an almost impassable swamp stretched away above and below, which could only be crossed by a corduroy causeway, which was raked by his artil- lery. A force of infantry and artillery, of which the One Hundred and First formed part, was thrown to the front, and a sharp engagement ensued, which lasted for two hours. General Spinola, who was in command, regarding the opposition too formidable to be overcome by his force, withdrew, and returned again to Newbern. By this time General Wessells, who had been absent a short time, had returned, and Foster, having run the gauntlet of the river, himself headed a force, which fought its way through, and reached Little Washington, finally relieving the garrison.
Soon after his return Wessells was ordered with his brigade to Plymouth, near the mouth of the Roanoke River, and was put in command of the dis-
605
SIEGE OF LITTLE WASHINGTON.
1863
trict. The troops were at once distributed about the village, and put to work repairing earth-works and building new ones. The One Hundred and First was posted at the lower part of the town, and was principally employed in fa- tigue, guard, and picket duty during the ensuing summer. Occasional expe- ditions, in which the whole or detachments of the regiment joined, were made into the neighboring country. One of these, which started on the 28th of ' June, in which companies D and I, Lieutenants Longenecker and Brown, par- ticipated, proved abortive by a fatal blunder of a company of the Twelfth New York Cavalry. On the 5th of July, the regiment was sent up the river, with the gun-boats, to Williamstown. The town was reached and the infantry skir- mished through it, but found no enemy, and returned to camp. On the 26th a force of infantry and artillery, under command of Colonel Morris, was sent to Foster's Mills, for a diversion in favor of General Foster, who was moving for the destruction of the railroad bridge at Weldon. On the afternoon of the second day, the rebel pickets were encountered and driven, and at the mills a brisk skirmish ensued, in which the whole force was engaged. The fighting ceased with darkness, and as it was only designed for a diversion, the troops were withdrawn, and returned to Plymouth on the following day.
During the remaining part of the year 1863, and the early part of 1864, frequent encounters occurred with bands of the enemy, as they were met by detachments, which were frequently sent out to scour the country bordering on the Albemarle Sound and the Chowan River. In one of these, Lieutenant Helm, with company G, surprised the camp of a guerrilla band, and made the entire party prisoners, taking the leader from the chimney of the house, where he had his headquarters, whither he had hied for concealment and safety. The captives, who were brought safely into camp, outnumbered the captors.
In the month of March, the regiment was ordered to Newbern, where an attack was apprehended ; but no enemy appearing, it returned and was at once dispatched to Roanoke Island, which was also thought to be in danger. After a few weeks' stay, during which the troops on the island were under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Taylor, it returned to its old camp-ground, near Plymouth. It had been for some time known that the enemy was busy at Hamilton, a point on the river above, in building an iron clad ram, with which to open and control the river and the sound below, and that a powerful land force was preparing to co-operate. Accordingly, General Wessells caused obstructions to be placed in the bed of the river, anchored torpedoes in the channel, and strengthened the earth-works, mounting a two hundred-pounder gun at the point where the works met the river above. A considerable part of the command was suffering from ague, and was in hospitals. Sunday, the 17th of April, was a beautiful spring day, and the troops, after the usual re- ligious exercises, were reposing in quiet in the intrenchments, when, at four P. M., a few shots were heard, in rapid succession, from the pickets posted on the Washington Road. A detachment of cavalry sent out soon returned, bringing the intelligence that the enemy was advancing in force. It proved to be the rebel General Hoke, with a land force variously estimated from seven to fifteen thousand men. Fort Gray, upon the river bank, which commanded the passage, was the first object of attack, and upon this he opened with his artillery, the fort with the gun-boats replying, the ram, called the Albemarle, riding at anchor above, ready to pass down as soon as the fort was reduced. At night the firing ceased, but was resumed early on the morning of the 18th,
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