Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-05-05
NAVAL DOINGs ATTHE CANAL AND
rnTsVN NJ

WASHINGTON, May 3..-0n the 18th ult.
the army forces under Gen. Reno debarked
at Cobbs Point, n. c., to destroy the locks of
the Dismal Swamp canal. They having re-
tired without accomplishing their object, Com.
Rowan determined to destroy the canal with
the naval forces under his command. The
following is tine report Of the successful ac-
cOmplishment OF tie work =
U. S. STEAMER Con-. PERRY,
Of Elizabeth City, n. G., April %.
Sir:-In obedience TO your orders left
this place on the 23d inst. IN the Lockwood
with the Whitehead and Putnam in company ,
each with an officer and detachment of men
on board, the Lockwood towing the wrecking
schooner Emma Slade with the apparatus
for blowing up the banks to block up the
Albemarle and Chesapeake canal. AT the
mouth of North river we were Joined by the
Shawshen, having in tow a schooner which
| had been sent the day before to Roanoke
Island to be filled with sand.
On the afternoon OF the 23l, fifty men were
landed on each bank, while a launch with
heavy 12-poundeI was sent up the canal, and
with this force we moved up two miles exam.
ming the banks to find the best place for ope-
radons. l concluded TO place the Instructions
near the mouth, in order that the men, while
at work, might be under cover of the guns of
TIE steamer, and the enemy be prevented from
moving it. The schooner WAS sunk Just in
side of the canal, and with brush, stumps,
rails, trunks Of trees, and earth The passage
was obstructed by the schooner about fifty
yards above We were occupied from noon
till sunset of the 23d, and from 7.30 A. NJ. of
the 24th till half an hour after sunset OF the
4th. Earth was thrown in by hand as far as
could be, but we had no wheelbarrows to car
ry it to the middle.
Prof. Maeort of the New York submarine
engineering company and his assistants, were
otSthe greatest assistance to me. Indeed, |
was merely governed by his advice, as he is
more familiar with this sort OF work than |
am. He is of opinion that it will require two
or three months labor with a dredging ma.
chine, to remove what we have placed there
in day and half, lie says it will be easier
and cheaper to cut new outlet than to re-
move the distractions The rebels have l
> think no thought Of using the canal as they
have themselves been obsructing it above and
below the bridge. 1t would be we'll to send a
steamer there daily until the lumber is well
wafer soaked and sunk
Respectfully, your obedient servant,
G.. w. FLUssER
Lieutenant Commanding.
Tie secretary OF the navy has received an
official account Of the part taken by the navy
in the capture of fort Macon Commander
Lockwood sent it through his flag officer. lie
says -
"On the 25th of April, our batteries on
shore opened fire. got under way When
within range, at daylight opened fire, followed
in succession by the State of Georgia com.
mander james F. Armstrong, the gunboat
Chippewa, lieutenant commanding \. Bryson,
and the barque Gemsbok, acting lieutenant
Edward Cavendry. The three steamers kept
under way steanliug around in circle, delv-
erlug their treas they came within range at a
mile and quarter distant from the tort The
barque anchored after firing number OF
rounds OF shot and she'll, finding that tile sea
from southwest wind blowing on shore caused
the vessels to roll SO quick and deep as to rem
der our gnns almost unmanHTeable to prevent
the accuracy of our aim. l reluctantly with.
drew after being engaged about an hour and
quarter hoping that the wind and sea would
subside We expected that the enemy would
hold out for several days. The wind and sea
increasing, rendered the renewal of the en-
gagement impraCuCable, that afternoon bv the
gun6Oats. Towards evening Il flag Of truce
Was displayed from the fort, which passed into
our possession the follow ing morning, and we
heartily cheered the temperance OF our old
nag over Tie rampartS of tort Macon about
ten OcIock April 26th, 1862. On entering the
iNiG ldu an lHlelVleN WIN MAJOR General
Burnside, and we jointly signed the terms of
capitulation Our time of attack was most
Opporune, as We drew the fire of the enemy
from an important land battery, which eua-
bied oar forces TO repair damages caused by
the concentrated fire thereon. The fire of the
enemy On the vessels from guns Of greater
range, was excellent. Their shot and shell
fell around us in every direction. Many good
line shots passed just over and beyond US, as
We successfully passed their line OF fire, and
We were exceedingly fortunate in receiving so
little damage. The Daylight was struck by
an eight-inch solid shot on the starboard quar-
ter, below the spar deck, passing through sew
era. bulkheads, and the deck below to the CD.
poSite side OF the vessel i'll the engine room,
about Six inches above the machinery, among
which it dropped. y splinter fractured the
small bone vi the right fore arm OF acting
third assistant engineer Eugene j. Wade, and
| am happy to state that this was the only cas-,
ualty that occurred. | am informed that our
forces on shore had one killed and two wound.
ed, and that the enemy had eight killed and
twenty wounded.