The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1863-05-09

! with Ncwbrrn by the pamlico river was cut Off
! by the stockade and rebel batteries These
! posts Were driven some ten feet apart about two
years ago; and VIXEN the place was captured by
! Burnside, gate was naie by the removal of
about lG0 feet of the piles, and buoys were
placed to nagl; the place of the gate. These
buhvs tie Rebels removed and us the piles were
sawed of three feet below the water, it is almost
| impossible TO find the gate AZ once, even by the
best pilot, as the river is some three miles wide
and the water thick with mud. An expedition,
led by Gen. Spinola, attempted to land below
HIS Point and force the Rebel lines, but was
ahor,vc.
Another expedition, led by Gen Spinol.l, at
icmp;cd to go direct from Ncwbcln by land and
This also was driven back. after IL short engage
in' II III Swift; Creek, in which Capt. Bcgen Of
the 'st Riodc Island Artillery and some nine
others Wee w;rldcd, but none mortally This
I apt. Bcgrn is from the regular army, and
stands y No. in this Department as II most
efficient and noble officer. Gen Foster needed
men, ammunition, am! bread. For many DAYS
Ike "rigr had been heavy and constant. The
| Town was completely invested, and shells from
| Twelve to hiity-two pounds were flied at all
hours into all parts of the town, and hit every
thing but tEr people Ii seems Il marvel that
no one has been killed. and but few wounded
Many thought Foster must Yield Foster would
not yield hawould die first. Amid the cnnflr-
sion of>Spinola's return from hi, unsuccessful
expedition, and the chagrin all felt ON Friday
April 10, Att ten. Hoffman sent for Col. ii. r.
Si5son of the 9TH Rhode Island, of Burnside
fame and service, and informed him of the posi-
tiun of things, and said " | will not order nor
ask you to 20, but it is most vital to commune
cate with Foster" Gel Sissoll. with his usual
ptnmptncH" and patriotism, offered himself and
'nnllland to attempt the hazardous task.
At & O'Clock the same afternoon. the good
steamer Escort Capt Wall, Jeff Ncwhcrn with
Inc 9th Rhode Island, accompanied by Gcnerar
!'almr', Adj Zen. Hoffman, aud IA number o.
eminent nili'ary men. Saturday morning we
cached 'he guuhoat fleet, lncho.cd some f ur
~ five niles below IIili's Point battery. The
Jay VAS passed in lining the Escort about thu
boiler aud pilut-hpusc with bales OF hay, and
,tking on board nrgc quantities of Ammunition
and stores inr Gen. Fosters command Night
came on, and we all expected to try and run the
blockade. No orders c,!mc to move. and morn
ing found lis at anchor. In the dense foo we got
un1cr way, and tie gInboats came with us Til,
when the fog lifted, the Escort was about half ii
nile from the shore, Just in the channel. and
.Xactiy in front Of lill's battery. The girbou,.
were Il long, safe way behind. We expected
them to ram up aud silence or engage the bat
cry, and, in the smoke and confusion, we wcr,
+" run by and see we could get up and relieve
Foster They ordered lis back to the rear, and
c ''nn,emc"d to lombard the battery perhaps It
lille and ulalf or two miles away. The scent.
vas grand and terrible. Only nine shots were
irawn from the Rebels. Some of the hundred
pound shells landed lust upon the lines of sand
composing the battery and exploded, scndna
he sand and black dirt in vast jets Spolllng
hto the air. sumo exploded in the WAFER,
aiakng Il cnlnEoton that cannot describe.
Tie tide of sound aS i'll bow airr hilluw i
oiled upon the air was Ike flood of thunder
'"ling from the waters away to the distant E,,-
The Rebels seem to have hn!cs back in the ren,
in1er ground into which they draw their guns
after they fire them. There was nothing visible.
Gradually we dropped back to our original
position beyond range of the guns Nigh,
came, but no order to movc and or noble men
ti'i:"d with Indignation. Monday we surely
would go. No order. a reconnaissance Oh
shore by Capt. Douglass and fifty men of the
'l Rhode Island was led by negro, and
battery of three guns was found commanding
3hint'S Creek, Some two miles below Hills
battery. camp of 200 men were couple ot
'!!les Oft, and some 5000 were ON this creek nj
i bridge on the road from Washington to New
ucrn.
In the afternoon Col. Sisson called togcthc
Lieut. Col. Tew and Major Janeson and told
hem that he fell that desperate step was
needed, and they fully inlorsrd his plans He
hen sent his compliments to Gen. Palmer and
'rpuested him to send him to Cen Foster,
fe'lct Zen. Palmer did not think it safe to 20.
AZ length Col. SisSnn got the privilege of making
The attempt, and the Escort WAS nut under his
command. At hali-past = | stood on the ufic,
deck III the clear, calm starlight as a single
stroke OF the bell on the gunbpat half u mile
away sounded the hour agreed upon to move
One after another of the grim monsters moved
nif toward Hills battery. The Escort came in
the rear. Col. Sisson borrowed IL I2-pound
Wizard gun to put ON the forward deck for hi,
own amusement. Sharp-shootcrs were stationed
about the ship to take care of those on shore and
in the guard-boats moving about the river
The rest of the command was put us low in the
ship as possible.
As looked out into the future. certain o,1cs-
tons would force themselves upon my MUD
Could the pilot strike the gate in the row of
piles " WITH less than Il foot of spare water
under our keel, would she not, in the crooked
channel, ut some point get aground! Might not
shot explode the boiler, and scald this multi
tude of souls ? Might not some shell explode
and pierce the carpet of human bodies volr,n-
tarily spread over those barrels of cunpowder
to protect it, and send those noble men to repose
from the battle
Col Sisson knew that on his GOODNESS and
skill hung measurelcss and immortal interests
Quietly the gunboats took position, perhaps a
mile or from the battery. Each gun was
trained and ready for work The Escort slowly
and quietly moved toward what the pilot sup
posed to be the gate; she stopped; little
Oh, 4 Il