The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-12-03
capture of Gunbsats In North Carelina.. IL
teresting Description Of the Affair.

The terrible gunboats ara meeting with disa,.
Ter alter disaster II ~ clear that they caunot on
crate in nasTcw r,vers whose banks are inha abited
ny bold and determined men, Two cases have oe.
CURED In North Carolina In one. Cspt. Newkirks
cavalry, with piece Of artillery, captured an iron
steamer ia New river. II. c, and In the other Cap.
Whhfsrd's Rangers captured sunboat and her en-.
tire crew in Bay river. g. G. OF the frs. capture
q correspondent Of the Wilmington (N c. .Jouras,
gives An interesting account. The steamer entered
New river IN Onslow county, on the morrisu of
the cath uit TIE letter says:
Her arrival wss duly noticed and prompuv rs
ported By Capt. Wards pickets 70 the proper an
thoritJ. when Capt Newkirk, with a detachment
OF the Rebel Rangers, together with Lieut. Latham:
wsh one piece OF the Kennedy Artillery, proceeded
to the mouth of New river to pay her their re.
speels They arrived on the morning of the o5th
1usf a. she was returning from, sonvllle where
sac had taken the Iasil aud what papers she could
nnd IN the iheAntims appropristing to her especial
use some boxes OF clothing deposited there by tie
patriotic ladies of Onslov for the use of our brave
soldiers n the hsd And just here, tor their con.
ISOLATION, let me In: orm them that, although they
isiiea TO reach their proper destination, yet they
never gave warmth to their enemies az thew wei .
destroyed with the steamer Az she was quietly
proesoding down the river, on her way out epps-
rently in no hurry at all, Lieut. Latham opened
upon her with bis riHed piecs, checking her pro.
rvsr, and causing general confusion on board
So soon as she recovered from her shock she
opened upon him terrific fire of shell and csuis
ter, but ee Needed not her reply, aud continued
pour upon her rapid Ire, sing hsr iron sides
to ring But twas play at bali with no equality
IN our sde for having but the one piecs TO contend
with she was ebls to direct her three heavy eurs
at Us. while Lieut.. Lathsn's balls failed % enter
her iron sldss and it was not until be found he
could not sink her did he leisurely and In the best
OF ortsr retire while grape WAS q ing thick and
fast IN every direction. The steamer continued TO
shell the woods to dnd ont The whereabouts II tbs
artillery a ID shying around the place where she
knew 1t had been she stuck fast on a saod bar and
could neither get over nor back asTsy from II -
Capt. Ncwkirk the officer In command imu edistely
dispatched courier to the artillery camp for one
IN mnrs gun, which arrived the night of the 25th un
der oAsnmand of Capt. Adams. Ii WAS then deter.
min d to renew the attack by daylight.
Positions were chosen, and next morning an hour
before Gay. all parties ordered to their respec
tive places Capt. Eewkirk super;ntended the
movements. y'hirg was now ready and there
ensued for few moments perfect stiffness, which
was broken by :he rifed shell of Capt. Adams
which went thunoering forth; then another made
her riE4, then came Lieus. LathAm'S shot, which
did its errand well. then replied the steamer with
her would.be murderou6 grape, while botn pieces
OF artillery Kept NJ :aoid IRE just thea a boat
was seen going down, and as i; touched the water
Lents. MeCiasnDy and Spieer, with their detach
ments. stood ready TO dispute their passage to the
LAND but that boat had busine. elsewhere; thew
made towards q sch ,ouer which lay we'll tow ards
the inlet, and though the srtisry threw shot near
enough to them to throw the water in their no at il
failed to sink iham Just she'll from the artil-
lery made entrance into ths cabin. a light was
discovered. AID Capt. Ns~kirk proclaimed the day
ou-s
Very sooi tho wood work Of the steamer was in
a light oiaz :, and the attention Of ali was directed
20 the schooner, :, hieh bore them away as a stiff
bre.z, earned them fast do~a the river. Had it
been cain, tee entire crew would hsve been ours !;
but ies rest c3uLen: Wiz what as do %. They
left in the utu.os: confusion, leaving everything
they bad then rises cutlasses books caps, shoes
aUa even their bfef ami crackers hslf done.-
Whether any Of them sefe killed is net known
The saell tsi! Ill aToun1 her On tar pas:age w.
the river SIZE .ired into 5J Lieut.. Sl.nmons anu
his picket. wiki what eaect u not known. She &C.
ecmplisaed aolh'.s 8, AL. Uar;rlckets burned tho
schooner tia. nsS reaoy tos sea. Ali the papers
the steamer got a. jacksonville .1ust nave Oaen
lost She. il. aiiy fof Ee-3ait, aio!. schooner in
Tbish nas> her escape an " as tvTc by forty.
Eve mer 10 aoailion nef eleua.4t 81 power, ircr
gunbost. Toe officers aua laer engaged are dc
serving of especial praise. Her csnnon Dsgaz,no.
chests, 1ater-t..nks boiler. and a vsst q0antty of
iron, tavs been ssved Many things OF vslGe were
found among them aot Of newly iI,ven ed ehack!es
for TIE feet together with hsni 2utf IN abundance.