CAPTURE OF PLYMOUTH, N. C.
April 19, 1864.
A serious misfortune befell the Federal arms on the above date in the capture of Plymouth, an important town on the Roanoke river, eight miles from its mouth. This town had been in possession of the Union forces for about two years, by whom it had been almost destroyed at the time of its capture. It had since been strongly fortified, and placed in charge of a brave and competent officer, who added new lustre to his well earned reputation, by a skillful and soldierly defence. The town was on the south bank of the river. A breastwork, with several strong forts along its line, had been constructed, while about a mile up the river, another defence, called Fort Gray, had been built, which was protected on the water front by a triple row of piles, with a number of torpedoes attached.
The rebels had constructed a powerful iron-clad ram, called the Albemarle, in the river above, which had been equipped for some time, and was now only waiting the cooperation of land forces to join in assailing the Federal defences.
Two Union gunboats, the Southfield and Miami, were anchored in the river opposite the town. General Wessels’ garrison consisted of two thousand five hundred men, and was composed of the One Hundred and First, and the One Hundred and Third Pennsylvania infantry, the Eighty-fifth New York, the Sixteenth Connecticut, two companies of Massachusetts heavy artillery, two companies of North Carolina volunteers, and the Twelfth New York cavalry.
About three P. M. on the 17th, the enemy made known his presence by a fierce artillery fire upon Fort Gray, which continued till midnight, and was commenced with increased force at daylight the next morning. Before noon two charges were made on the works, which were repulsed. The gunboats took position on either side of the town, and did effective service in driving back the enemy. But now a formidable opponent was approaching to attack them on their own element. A picket boat stationed up the river gave warning that the ram was coming down, and preparations were made to meet the dreaded enemy. The two boats were lashed together, and thus awaited the onset. When within one hundred yards the gunboats opened fire, but made no impression on the iron-clad. The ram now bore down on the Miami, upon whom she inflicted a slight blow, and gliding off, struck the Southfield on her left side, crushing in her timbers for a space of six or eight feet square. A shell thrown from the Miami now struck the ram on her invulnerable sides, and rebounding to the deck of the gunboat, killed her captain, Flusser, and wounded eight persons. The boats were torn asunder by their concussion with the ram, and as the Southfield was rapidly sinking, her crew escaped in the boats; while the Miami, swinging round with the current, was glad to make her escape from the unequal contest.
The Albemarle now came down to the mouth of the river, and in that position held complete command of the town and its approaches, and effectually shut off all hope of reinforcements or supplies to the beleaguered garrison, who surrendered to Brigadier-General Hoke, commander of the Confederate forces, on the ensuing day. General Peck, the commander of the department, thus eloquently conveyed the intelligence to his companions in-arms.
“With feelings of the deepest sorrow the commanding general announces the fall of Plymouth, N. C., and the capture of its gallant commander, Brigadier-General H. W. Wessels, and his command. This result, however, did not obtain until after the most gallant and determined resistance had been made. Five times the enemy stormed the lines of the general, and as many times were they repulsed with great slaughter; and but for the powerful assistance of the rebel iron-clad ram, and the floating sharpshooter battery, the Cotton Plant, Plymouth would still have been in our hands. For their noble defence the gallant General Wessels and his brave band have, and deserve the warmest thanks of the whole country, while all will sympathize with them in their misfortune.
“To the officers and men of the navy the commanding general tenders his thanks for their hearty cooperation with the army, and the bravery, determination, and courage that marked their part of the unequal contest. With sorrow he records the death of the noble sailor and gallant patriot, Lieutenant-Commander C. W. Flusser, U. S. Navy, who in the heat of battle fell dead on the deck of his ship, with the lanyard of his gun in his hand.
“The commanding general believes that these misfortunes will tend, not to discourage, but to nerve the army of North Carolina to equal deeds of bravery and gallantry hereafter.”
Sixteen hundred men, and twenty-five pieces of artillery were captured. The rebel loss in the attack nearly equalled the number of prisoners taken.
The town of Washington, on the Tar river, was burned in the month of April, at the time it was evacuated by the Federal forces, by unknown persons. This act of vandalism, uncalled for and inhuman, was condemned in unmeasured terms by General Palmer, the Federal commander. The majority of the inhabitants were loyal in their sentiments, and many had enlisted in the Federal army.
Captain Melancthon Smith, who was shortly afterwards appointed to command the navy in the waters of the Sound, adopted vigorous measures of preparation to meet and subdue the Albemarle, which for the space of one month had held undisputed possession of the inner waters. On the 5th of May, with the Sassacus, the Wyalusing, and four other vessels, he appeared at the mouth of the Roanoke river, when the Albemarle, followed by a small tender, named the Bombshell, came out to attack the Union gunboats. It was the design of Captain Smith that the larger gunboats should get alongside their antagonist, and fire upon her ports or roof, which were her most vulnerable parts; but the eagerness of the smaller vessels to engage rendered a near approach dangerous for some time, despite the signals of the commander; and for half an hour the contest was without result. The gunboats eluded the efforts of the Albemarle to ram them, while their fire in turn was harmless to the enemy. But the Sassacus, watching a favorable opportunity, struck the ram squarely across her starboard beam, which caused her to careen until the water washed over her deck and casemates, while from the close proximity of the vessels, the crew of the Sassacus were enabled to throw hand-grenades down the deck-hatch of the ram, while they also made fruitless efforts to get powder into her smoke-stack. But the Albemarle soon swung clear of her opponent, and in parting sent a hundred-pounder rifle shot through her starboard boiler, enveloping the Federal vessel in clouds of steam, and compelling her to withdraw from the contest. The Bombshell was captured by the Federal vessels, and the engagement closed without further result, and with no serious injury.