History of the capture of Plymouth, North Carolina.
A correspondent of the Raleigh (N C) Confederate sends that paper a history of the capture of Plymouth, which is very interesting. The land forces marched from Tarboro' on Friday, the 15th, having been quietly and rapidly collected at that place during the night of the 14th. He says:‘ On Sunday, the 17th, at 4 P M, we were within two miles of Plymouth, having marched through swamps and across swollen creeks a distance of seventy-five miles without the knowledge of the enemy. His picket on the Washington road was taken — our infantry thrown into line and the batteries into position. Kemper's brigade, with a battery of 12-pounder Napoleons and three 20-pounder Parrotts, was detached to attack Warren Neck, a strong position on the river a mile above the town, which the enemy thought, and we feared, would effectually stop the passage of the Albemarle, and so deprive us of her valuable aid, and by leaving the gunboats in the river near the town, seriously increased the difficulty of taking it
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The defences of Plymouth.
Plymouth, as is known to all your readers, is situated on the south bank of the Roanoke, which here flows in an easterly direction. The town is approached by four roads, the Washington on the west, the Columbia on the east, along the river, and between these two the Bath and Lee's Mill roads. The defences of the town consisted of the following works: On the west of the Washington road, about 800 yards from the town, a strong earth-work, Fort Wessell, surrounded by a deep moat and mounting three guns, one 32 pounder and two 6-pounders. On the east of the Columbia road, a work with a moat in front and stockades in the rear, mounting two 32-pounders and two 12 pounders On the west of the same road, a well constructed work with a moat in front, but open in the rear, mounting three guns. In the rear of this and within the town was another work, partly earth, nearly turfed, and partly stockade, facing to the southeast and open towards the river, mounting two guns, the stockades being pierced for musketry. The Lee's Mill, Bath, and Washington roads were covered by a line of heavy entrenchments, mounting nine guns, and terminating at the latter road in a strong fort, surrounded by a very wide and deep moat, and mounting six heavy guns. This was Fort Williams, as strong to resist bombardment or assault as the skill of engineering could make it. On the river face of the town was a camp, entrenched to resist any attack from the water, and a little lower down an earthwork for the same purpose. The force in the town and at Warren Neck consisted of the 16th Connecticut, 85th New York, 101st and 103d Pennsylvania, two companies of Massachusetts heavy artillery, one battery of light artillery, and two squadron of cavalry, the whole commanded by Brig Gen Wessel, of the old United States army.
Print on Warren Neck.
On the night of the 17th, an attack was made upon Warren Neck under the direction of Colonel Deering; and a gun boat of the enemy coming to the assistance of the garrison, was sunk, and a force of infantry sent from the town was repulsed; but the enemy successfully resisted all attempts to take this stronghold. On Monday our artillery opened vigorously upon the town; and during the day both parties pounded away at each other incessantly; but beyond a little skirmishing with the enemy, and manœuvering for position, our infantry did nothing. Toward evening, however, it became evident that something was on foot; and Ransom's brigade, with the 8th N C, was drawn up in the woods facing the works on the Washington, Lee's Mill and Bath roads. A heavy line of skirmishers was thrown out under the command of Capt John C Pegram, A A G; and advancing rapidly with the peculiar gait of the sharpshooters and the yell with which our boys go to the charge, drove the enemy back into his works, and approached within two hundred and fifty yards of the fort, earnestly demanding to be led into the place. Meanwhile Pegram's battery dashed forward at a run, supported by the infantry, and unlimbering delivered a furious fire upon the devoted place.--Three times we advanced, each time nearer, until within good charging distance; but the artillery had it all to themselves. The movement was merely a demonstration to call off the enemy's attention from Hoke's attack upon Fort Wessell, which, after a short but sharp resistance, fell before the superior powers of Hoke's brigade; and that night's work was done.
The Gunboat appears on the scene.
Leaving a line of pickets on the field, the main body of the troops withdrew to prepare, by a few hours' rest, for the attack, which we all felt would be made on the morrow, and as we lay down by our fires, every one wondered at the Albemarle's delay, and prayed for her speedy arrival. At three in the morning we were all awakened by the thunder of her Blakely guns as she defiantly saluted Warren Neck, en passant, and sailed safely by over the obstructions which the enemy had placed in the river. She went to work at once among the enemy's gunboats, sinking one and driving the rest to Hatteras, and then turning her attention to the fortifications she kept up a speedy fire during the morning, silencing the enemy's guns and driving him into his bomb-proofs. But still the "stars and stripes" floated over his works, and as he refused when summoned to strike his colors, it became necessary for us to do it ourselves, and the evening and night of the 19th were devoted to preparing for the assault on the morning of the 20th. Kemper's brigade had fought gallantly at Warren Neck.--Hoke's men had taken Fort Wessell with three guns and sixty prisoners. It was now Ransom's turn.The Columbia road, which enters the town at its eastern extremity, running parallel with the river and near it, crosses Conabay creek about a mile from town To this point Ransom's brigade, the 8th North Carolina and Pegram's battery marched late in the evening of the 19th behind a screen of woods, which hid the movement from the enemy, and reached the creek about sunset. The bridge was destroyed, and the creek too deep to be forded, a strong picket of the enemy on the opposite bank behind entrenchments, and about three quarters of a mile off two 32 pounders and five 12-pounders bearing on the spot. The pontoons must be laid for the infantry and artillery to cross, and that quickly, or the movement would be a failure. The moon was shining brightly turning night almost into day, and not a breath of air was stirring, so that every movement we made could be distinctly seen or heard by the enemy. Lieut Marshall Lee, with twenty men of company E, 24th, was advanced to the water's edge, supported by the rest of the company, and co A, of the 35th, the whole under the command of Capt Barna Lane The pontoon train, under Lieut Pool, 10th N C T, dashed down at a gallop, slid one boat into the creek and quickly and rapidly the two companies crossed and were immediately engaged with the enemy. The 24th followed at once, the men coming into line as fast as they got over, and the enemy fell back closely pursued by Capt Lane's command, deployed as skirmishers The pontoons were now laid, and by 8 o'clock the infantry was over and formed in line of battle, the left resting on the road and the right on the river, in the following order: First on the right the 55th, second the 25th, third the 6th, fourth the 36th, fifth the 24th, with two companies on the south of the road. In this position we lay during the night, sheltering ourselves as well as we could from the enemy's two works on the road, which kept up a constant fire until nearly day-break. Just before day a strong line of skirmishers was thrown out before the brigade under command of Capt Durham, Q M, 29th N C T, but acting temporarily on Gen Ransom's staff.
The assault.
At just 3½ in the morning of the 20th our line began to move forward, slowly at first, dressing on the centre, and halting occasionally for that purpose. From the start the fire from the enemy's batteries was rapid and severe, striking down many a brave fellow; but, closing up the gaps, the long line moved alienly on, the left still resting on the road, till Pegram's battery, dashing forward at a run, unlimbered in front and opened fire on the enemy's works. Then for the first time that morning our boys gave a loud yell of defiance, and quickening their pace to a double quick, pressed with a determination not to be resisted right upon the enemy's two works, which were taken with scarcely a moment's delay, the one on the south of the road by the left of the 24th, led by Col Clarke, and the one on the right by the right of the 24th, assisted by the 25th. The enemy fled in terror to the houses, Fort William, and any other place which offered them protection from the fierce fire of pursuing ranksWe were now in the town, and the head of every street running east and west was held by one or more of our regiments; but their position in line was somewhat changed. The 24th was still on the Columbia road, now street, with the 56th and 25th to the right, and the 35th and 8th to the left. Halting a moment to breathe the men and dress the lines, we pushed slowly and carefully forward, clearing the enemy from every street, yard, and house, from the windows of which and from behind the fences they poured an incessant fire. But nothing could check our progress, and in an hour the enemy were all driven into Fort William or the entrenched camp. The fort was on our left and the camp in front. Leaving the 85th, the 8th, and a portion of the 24th to contend with the fort, the rest pushed on for the camp, which the 24th, being on the direct road, soon reached, and opened fire, exposed still to a severe musketry fire from the fort on the flank and the camp in front. In a few minutes the 56th came up on the right by another street and by their arrival decided the contest, for immediately on the appearance of this additional force the enemy threw down his arms and raised the white flag. Capt. Lockheart, of the 56th, ran in to receive the surrender, and instantly both regiments poured into the camp, and throwing down their own foul guns and empty cartridge boxes, took the clean, well filled ones which were lying about, and pressed on through the tents to the western side of the camp, where they could see the United States flag floating over Fort William, evidence that the fighting was not yet done. Here we were shortly joined by the 43d North Carolina, of Hoke's brigade, who came in from the west, having been delayed by a morass, which they had great difficulty in crossing.
The town in our hands.
The town was ours Every house and street in it was swept of the enemy, who, shut up in his stronghold, still refused to surrender. This was a case for the artillerist, and the guns of the captured forts were soon turned upon their stronger brother, fighting, as the result shows, better for us than they had against us Capt Cooke, too, of the Albemarle, dropped some of his 90 pound shell among them. Still they resisted stoutly, showing a disposition to die rather than yield. At last, however, some of our boys, creeping forward through the entrenchments, got an enfilading fire upon them, which soon brought them to terms, and hundreds of them rushed out of the fort without arms and surrendered. Just at this time a shell burst directly on the magazine, and when the smoke cleared away the hated flag was fluttering rapidly down to the ground. Without waiting for orders the brigade swarmed into the fort, company B, of the 24th, reading, and the color of everything was quickly changed from blue to grey.
