Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1862-04-23

of about 80 gunboats and schooners advanced y,
ten divisions the rear having the schooners ana
| transports in tow. The advance and attacking d.
vision again sub-divided, one assailing the squad
ron and the other firing upon the Fort with nsne'
inch, teineh and eleuen inch SHE'LL spherical case
few round shot and every variety Of ritied pr2)ec
tiles The Fort replied with but four guns, (wh,cn
were all that could be brought to bearJ anu a,'eI
striking the foremost. vessels several tnes the neet
fell back 50 as to mask of the guns OF the Fort
leaving but three to reply to the fire OF the whoe
feet The Commandment was continued throughout
the day. and the enemy retired at dark. The squad.
| ron under the command of Commodore Lynch. saS-
tanned their position most calamity, and only re-
tired after exhausting all their ammunition, and
having lost the steamer Curlew end the Forest dis
abled. Fort Barlow sustained considerable damage
from the fire of the day. but the injuries par
TALLY repaired by the next morning. and the Fort
put in state of defence
About 81 o'clock on the morning of tie 18th, the
enemy sent of from their transports about 20 men
in launch, apparently to take sound'ngs, VINO
were fired upon and retreated. WhereuPon' Two
large steamers having in tow each ~ ooais ni'eo
with troops, approached the Island under the pro
lection of their gunboats. at point MOTIF o. asn.
| by's landing, known as Haymon's, and did effect
landing. The point selected, was out of reach OF
| the fed nieces at Ashbys, and defended by a
| sw,mn from the advance Of our infantry, and pro-
toctcd bv tbe shot and shell thrown from their gun
hoats. Our whole force thereupon withdrew from
Ashby's and took position at the redoub or breast
work and placed in, battery the three field pieces,
with the necessary artillery men, under the respcc-
tive commands of. Capt. Schemerhorn, Lieuts. Kin
! ney and Seldom. Two companies of the Sth and
two of the 3lst were placed at the redOubt to sup
! port the artilIery-three companies of the Wise
Legion deployed to the right and left as skirmish
ers-the remainder of the infantry in position 300
! yards in the rear of the redoubt as reserve.
I md YNnn
| with artillery, and at o'clock, A. NJ, Of the 9Th,
opened fire upon the redoubt, which replied to
Immediately with great spirit and the action soon
became general and was continued without inter-
ruption for more than five hours, when the enemy
succeeded in deploying large force on either side
of our line, fanking each wing. The order was
then given by Col. Shaw, to spike the guns in the
battery and to retreat to the northern end Of the
Island The guns were spiked and the whole force
fell back to the camps. During the engagement at
the redoubt the enemys fleet attempted to advance
up Croatan Sound which brought on desultory
engagement between Fort Barlow and the feet
which continued up to half after y o'clock, when
the commanding officer informed that the land
defences had been forced, and the position of the
Fort turf ed; he thereupon ordered the guns to be
disabled, and the ammunition destroyed, which was
done, and the Fort abandoned The same thing was
done at Forts Blanchard and Eluger, and the forces
from all the forts were marched in coed order to the
camp. The enemv took possession of the redoubts
and forts Immediately, and proceeded in pursuit,
with great caution, towards the no thern end Of the
Island, in force, deploying as to surround
forces al the camps. Col Shaw having arrived with
his whole force at his camps in time to have saved
his whole command, if transports had been furnish
ed but none were there and, finding himself sur
rounded, by greatly superior force, upon the open
Island, with no field works to protect him. and hav-
ing lost his Only three field pieces at the redoubt
had either to make Idle display of courage, in
fighting the foe at such immense disadvantage to
the sacrifice of his command, or to capituate and
surrender as prisoners Of war. lie wisely determin.
ed upon the latter alternative.
The loss on our side in killed and wounded and
missing is as follows: Killed 49, wounded 5s. mis-
sing 81. The loss of the 18th and 59;h Virginia
volunteers is, killed 6, wounded %, missing 10
That of the Sth and 3lst and End North Carolina
troops is II killed. 80 wounded 4S missing. OF the
engineer department. Lieut. Seldom killed-who
had periodically volunteered his services in the line,
was assigned to the command of the six-pounder
which he handled with much skill as TO produce
immense havoc in the encmy's ranks and to elicit
the unbounded admiration of all who witnessed it,
Unhappily, however that gallant officer received
rifle ball in the head, and he fell without groan
The loss of the enemy was in killed and wounded
at least 900 men, and the probability is much
larger number.
The foregoing is brief and concise view of the
defences Of Roanoke Island and of the adjacent
waters the number of troops engaged in its defence
on the 9TH and Sth of February, and the circum
stances of the capitulation thereof on the 9Th of
February. The Committee are satisfied that Col.
Shaw held possession of that post as long as he
could have done without useless sacrifice of hui
man life That the 18th and 9Th the officers and
men in Fort Barlow displayed great coolncss cour-
age and perseverng efforts to sustain their position
and drive back the enemy's feet
In the battle of the 9Th of February. at the re- |
doubt, the officers and men exhibited cool and
deliberate courage, worthy Of veterans in the SER
vice. and sustained their position under an unin-
terrupted and deadly fire, for more than five hours
repuising the enemy in three separate and distinct
char Ses and only Withdrew from the deadly con- |
met alter exhaustng their ammunition for their ar
tlllery and being surrounded and flanked by more |
than ten times their number. Instead of the result
being deeply humiliating" it was one of the !
most brilliant and gallant actions of the war;
ana IN the language Of their absent Commanding |
GENERAL, both officers and men fought firmly. |
cody, efficiently, and as long as humanity would !
allow. The committee are satisfied that the whole |
co did their duty and they do not feel at |
hoery to designate any particular acts of companies
or OF individuals. But in simple Justice to Colonel
Shaw, upon whom devolved the command. bv rea.
son OF the extreme illness of his superior, General
Wise, and who has been censured for the result.
the Committee take pleasure in stating that there is
no foundation for any just reflection upon him. He, !
upon the 7th of February after disposing of his in
iantry force, and finding that the enemy did not in
tend landing repaired Immediately in person to
Fort Barlow, where the bombardment was progress
sing, and made his way into the Fort amidst the
most imminent danger from shot and SHE'LL and
there remained, encouraging the men and assisting
as far as he was able, until he discovered the enemy
intended to effect landing below when he left the
Fort under the same dangerous circumstances of
the morning. to take command of the infantry in
person; and upon the 9Th, at the redoubt, he CON-
lnanded in person, sharing the dangers Of his men
Tor more than five hours with firmness, Goodness
and bravery worthy of the position he occupied
=, Immediately upon the secession of the State of
North Carolina from the government of the United
States, and the adoption of the Constitution of the
States of America, the authorities of
That State commenced the construction of fortifica-
lions at Hatteras ard Oregon inets and other points
upon her coast which were not completed, when the
State transferred her FORTS arsenals army, navy and
coast defences to the Confederate government
St,nrfl fhnvo. ffo~k H.. l.