New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-04-25
uruCAyNI
pRor NORTH CAROLINA.
r..rinned fron First Page.

III, on Friday, April 10, Adj Gen. Hoffman SEM
Tor Col. II. 4. Ssson of the 5th Rhode isIana, o.
Rn,nside fame and service and informed MN Oh toe
os;tion of things and sad I" i VIII not order nor
az won 10 90, but 1t is most vital TO cOmnuoa.o
s,ttb Foster" Col Sisson, with his usual prompt,
mess and patriotism, offered himself and hls cohihaho
n attempt the hazardous task.
At6 O clock the same afternoon, the goou steaueI
Es,ort. Gait. Wall, left Newbern with me o'h
Rbede Island, accompanied by Gen. Palmer, Adla-
1aut-Gen Holman, and number oil eminent mil
tsry men. Saturday morning We reached the gun
. ~ gset composed Of the Hurchback, Southheld,
Vs0ev CITY Whitehead, and Seymour, together
~ : ,nm6er OF transports at anchor some four or
.ys miles below Hills Point battery. The day
~qo rassed in hnOg the Escort about the boiler
ard pilothOuse with bales OF hay, and taxing on
(a,pe quantities Of ammunition and stores for Gen.
Eetsrls command Night came on, and we all eX-
rcred 70 try and run the blockade. No orders came
r. move. and morning found us at anchor. In the
dense ioy We got under way, and the gunboais cane
with ne till when the fog lifted, the Escort was
about half mile from shore )ust in the channel, |
and -xactly in trout Of Hills battery. The gun
boz were long, safe way behind We expected
to run ny and silence or engage the battery,
in tue smoke and confusion, we were TO run by
zee If we cOud GET up and relieve Foster
ordered US back to the rear, and commenced
nbard the battery, perhaps a mile aud nal
70 miles away. The scene was grand and
lie. Only nine shots were drawn from the
Q. Some Of the hundred pound shells Iandeo
Sploied sending the sand and black dirt IN
lejs spoutiDg into the AR. Soine eApio0ed III
the water makiOg commotion that 1 cannot de-
,cribe The tide OF sound as 10 billow after blllow
u rolled upon the air was hike HOO OF thunderS
r.iuQ from the waters away to the distant forests
What harm was done we know MOI. The Rebels
seen 10 have holes back in the rear under ground
into which they draw their guns after they IRE
them. There was no flag visible. GRADUALLY we
droonsd back TO our original position beyond
rang of the guns, Night came, but no order TO
NOV, and our noble utn chaied with indignation.
Moudsy we surely would go. No order. reconnols-
sense on shore by Capt. Douglass and nifty men oil
She Sth Rhode leland was led by negro and bat !
tery with three guns was found commanding Blunts
Greek some two miles below Hills battery.
Camp OF 200 men were a couple of miles OIL. and
come 5000 were on this creek by bridge ON the
read from Washington 10 Newbefn
IA the afternoon Col Sisson called together Lieut..
Gel TeW and Major Jameson, and told them be ielt
that desperate step was needed, and they fnly
ndcrred his plane. lie then sent his conf lments
4, Gen. Palmer and requested him to send him TO
Gen. Fosters relief Gen. Palmer did not think 1t
safe go. At length Col. Sisson got the privilege
q making the attempt, and the Escort was put uI-
DER hif command At hali-past 8 i stood on the
after deck III the clear, calm starlight as single
stroke of the bell on the gunboat half mile away
sounded the hour agreed upon 10 move. One after
another OF the grim monsters Of war moved OF to
ward HilPs battery. The Escort came in the rear
Oh she forward dock for his own amusement Sbarp-
shooters stationed about the snip 10 take
CT those on shore and III the guard-boats moving
about in the river. The rest OF the command was
pet as low in the ship as possible. As looked out
into the future, certain questions would force them
sfivee upon my mind. Cou.d the pilot strike the
gate 10 the row of spiles With less than u
loot OF spare water under our keel would she
not IN the crooked ehanDel, at some point get
agroundf Might not a sNOt explode the boiler and
sald this multitude OF souls. Might not some shell
explode and pierce the carpet Of human bodies vol
UNFAIRLY spread over those barrels OF guupowder to
protect It, and send those noble repOse from
the battle Col. Sisson knew that on his GOODNESS
aud skill hung measureless and immortal interests.
Quietly the gnnboats took position, perhaps mile
or 30 from the battery. Each gun was trained and
ready for work. Tue escort slowly and quietly
moved toward what the pilot supposed 10 be the
gate she stoppedi little nearer the shores owly
Not sound save the low patter Of the wheels
Presently crash. The wheel had struck one Of the
posts. The ship reeled, all steam was crowded on
and she passed the gaze. Flash-wbist-and we
were under a most terrible fire from Hlls battery.
Inc gpoooais opened on The fort. Not shot struck
US Inc lour miles between Hills and Rodman 8
batteries the channel 10 crooked and the shall
low. Col Sisson stood between the pilot and man
heaylng the lead, and passed the soundings US
cooly as be eats his oysters. The sharp
shooters next opened upon from the
shore. The guns at Rodmans rake just Town the
channel snd there ue had TO 20 Just under them to
get by. Enreged that we got by HIPS battery aud
hit us. The Esccrt was not to be harmed. One
grapeshOt aud some nine balls bit the boat but no
man lost Drop Of blood. The black steward told
me be prayed all the time, aud be knew God would
not let them Rebels hurt When our boat touched
The wharf, the cheers were equal 10 three thousand
men, and afterward we learned that the Rebels sup
posed large force had arrived.
The most intense JOY Was manifested by the
garrison 1T our timely and safe arrival. Tuesday
morning, the Rebel batteries about us opened with
great spirit, and our guns replied fnely-fring moe,
of the day, "Wednesday. AT times the reports this
morning were as rapid AZ the ticking of clock
Im in doubt whether to write this but it is So Is it
days and no one be killed, and bat few wounded
not strange that such bOmbardment should 20 Oh IL
The officers and men here seem much elated at Col.
SiSons bold and triumphant step, that brought such
timely relief ana il service for The country IL 10 be
the ground OF promotion, you may look for a star 10
fall Gu the shoulder Of this piucky Colonel and for
an eRgle to drop silver leaf the shoulder
of Ma or Jameson. These men are soldiers On
her return, the Escort got aground and was delayed
I'll after daylight, aud at Rodman' g. Mime ball
killed the noble pilot, and solid shot took off the
arm OF black man. Twenty-Five shots from HillS
failed 10 hit here.
1Aursaay.-No firing this morning. Siege raised
and the Rebels gone. The negroes are Gestroyiug
their batteries. An engineer, Dy the name of NAL
lowAn, was shot to-day, rs the gunboat Ceres went
down to ROdman's. A force of Rebels was left
there, ana ~ The gunbOat came down. they fred.
Five COMPANIES Of the 9th Rnode Island have gone
70 oeenpy It, They met a small force shot one man
ana captured some prisoners, among them @ capt ain
and orun-majOr. They tell US that large force is
just back, aud will return within three days and
Storm the town. Gen. Foster has armed the
negroes here, and two hundred have been in among
Inc other soldiers at duty, aud one officer or man
delighted. 'OO--
Az h0dman's We found The following note: