The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-05-02
HISTORY OF THE CAPTURE Of PLYMOUTH,
NORTH CAROLINA.


sends tina, paper history Of the capture Of Ply
mouth, which is very Interesting. The land forces
marched from Tarboro' on Friday, the 18Th, having
been quietly and rapidly collected at that place
during the night of the l4.h. He says:
On Sunday, the 18th, at 4 M, we were within
! two miles of Plymouth. having marched through
| swamps and across swollen creeks a distance OF
| enemy. His picket on the Washington road was
taken-our infantry thrown into line and the bat
! teries Toto position. Kemper's brigade, with a
battery of 10 FOUNDER NapoIeons and three 90
| FOUNDER PARROTS, was detached to attack Warren
Neck, strong position nn the river mile above
the town (which the enemy thought, and we feared
would effectuaiiy stop the passage OF the AIhe
marie. and SO deprive us of her valuable aid,
and by leaving the gunboats in the river the
town, seriously increased the difficulty of takngit
THE pEFENcas PLYMOUTH.
Plymouth, as is known to all your readers is sit
ua,ed on the south bank of the Roanoke, which
here flows In easterly direction. The town is
approached by four roads, the Washington on the
west, the COLUMBIA on the east, along the river,
and between these two the Bath and Lees Mill
roads. The defences of tbe town consisted OF the
following works: On the west of the Washington
road, about 500 yards from the town, strong
earth work, Fort Wessell, surrounded by a deep
moat and mounting three guns, one 80 FOUNDER aud
two s-pounders. On the east of the Columbia
road work with mOat In front and stockades ia
the rear, mounting two J2-pounden and two
IL Founders On the west Of the same road,
well constructed work with a mOat in front, but
open in the rear, mounting three guns. In the
rear Of this and within the town was another
work, partly earth, neatly turfed, and partly
st0cKAde, facing to the southeast anc open to-
wards the river, mounting TWO guns, the stocaades
being pierced for musketry. The Lee 5 Mill, Bath,
and Washington roads weie covered by line of
heavy enirenchnenls, mounting nine guns, and
terminating at the latter road In strong fort, sur
rounded by a very wide aud deep moat, and mount
ing six heavy guns. This was Fort Williams, AS
strong to resist bOmbardment or assault as the
lkt tIDfn nopseK ont I'm 4 In fhA FiVA
face of the town was camp, entrenched to resist
any attack from the water, and a little lower down
an earthwork fer the same purpose. The force In
the town and at Warren Neck consisted of the 10th
Connecticut, e5th New York, l0lst and 1881 Penn
sylvania, two companies of Massachusetts heavy
artillery, one battery Of light artillery, and two
squadron Of cavalry, the whole commanded by
Brig Gen Vessel, of the old United States army.
FEISr ON WARREN NICK.
On the night of the 18th, an attack was made
upon Warren Neck under the direction Of Colonel
Deenng; and gun boat OF the enemy coming to
the assistance Of the garrison, was sunk, and
force OF Infantry sent from the town was repused;
but the enemy successfu Iy resisted all attempts to
take this stronghold. On Monday our artillery
opened vigorously upon the town; and during the
aay oo'h parties pounded away 81 each other inces-
my, and man0uvering for position, infantry did
nothing. Toward evening, however, 1t became
evident tbat something was on foot /; and Ransom's
brigade, with the 9Th e, was drawn up in the
woods facing the works On the Washington,
Lees Mill and Bath roads. heavy line Of skir
mishers was thrown out under the command Of
Capt John Pesram, A A q; and advancing ra-
pidy with tae peculiar gait OF the sharpshOOters
and the yell with which our boys 90 TO the charge
drove the enemy back into his works, and ap
preached within two hundred and nifty yards Of the
fort, earnestly demanding TO be led into the place.
Meanwhile Pegrams battery dashed forward ut a
run, supported by the infantry, and unliMbering
delivered furious fire upon the devoted place.
Three times we advanced, each time nearer, until
within good charging distance; but the artillery had
II all to themselves. The movement was merely
demonstration 70 call off the eaeay's attention
after short but sharp resistance, fell before the
superior powers OF HOkes brigade; and that nights
work was done.
THE ouHBoAr APPEARS ON THE SCENE.
Leaving line OF pickets On the held, the main
body of the troops withdrew to prepare. by few
hours' rest, for the attack which we all felt would
be made on the morrow, and as we lay down by
our hres, every one wondered at the Albemarle's
delay, and prayed for her speedy arrival At three
in the morning we We're al awakened oy the mum,
Warren Neck en- PEASANT, and sailed safely ny over
the distractions which the enemy had placed In
the river. She went TO work ut once among the
enemy's gunboats, sinking one and driving the rest
10 Hatteras, and then turning her attention to the
Notifications she kept up speedy hre daIing tne
morning, silencing the enemy's guns and drlsihg
him Into his bomb proofs. But still the "stars ana
stripes" noated over his works. ana as ne REUSED
when summoned to strike his colors, Il became ne
ccssary for us TO do II ourselves, and the evening
and night Of the 18th devoted 10 preparing FOR
the assault on the morning OF the 2Ofh. hsmpalS
brigade had fought calamity ut Warren Neck
Hoke's men had taken Fon Wesseli with three
guns and slxty prisoners. 1t was now Kansom's
turn.
The Columbia road, which enters the town at its
eastern extremity, running parallel wltn tne nveI
and near Il, crosses CORabay creek ABOUT mile
from town To this point R1nsems brigade, INC
Sth North Carolina ard Pegram's battery maFcned
late In the evening Of the 18Th behind screen VI
woods, which hid the movement from sne enemys
and reached the creek ahOut sunses ine Dfiuso
was destroyed, and the cTeek too deep 70 oe
n strong picket of the enemy on the opposate Danx
behind enirenchDents, and sboNt three quarters o.
O mile of two % FOUNDERS and i've lA-pouhaeis
hearing on the spOt. Tho p0st0Ons must DC iala
for the infantry and artillery to cross, una :ma'
quickly, or the movement would be failure. ihe
moon was shining brightly. turning night aimosI
that every movement we made could be disuncuy
seen or heard by the enemy Lieut. Marshan Ice,
with twenty men OF company 3, 94fh, was 40.
vanced 70 the waters edge, supported oy inc lcst
OF the company, and co a, Of the 3oen, the wn0Ie
under the command Of Cane Dssna Lane Jne pou-
to0n train, under Lieut. Pool, 10Th n Z, oasnee
Dawn ~ geii0p, cid one b0at 1at0 ene eseeH ane
quickly aud Sapidiy the tWo companies efossee
as6 were in9:dla.sly saeaesd Win ehs sns-
~. 1ne - oslowsd q oaees 0e ~ ~ es
ssH tsss ss :s!: t :: s: .s :ss ss
dsejOyed o sklrmishsm ThS ponaooas Wsse nov
feeea iaNne ~ haseis, theIsk ssifing = ~ teaA
ea1 tbe aeht . ths nver, u ~ hlleut1l ssees:
Pm - ~ aGbt lhe 6kik, seeQol - 0ep t1eso
- -, oarh ~ ~, HI - - ul1 s9o