The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-11-14
TOP OF RER CAsEMlTE BLOWN OFF.
Report Of her Commander to the Rebel
Secretary Mallory.
REBEL LETTER REGARDING
HER CAPTURE.

WASHINGTON, d. c., November l2--Tho fol.
lOVing is the official report of the roCapture Of
Plymouth, North Carolina, which was received
at the Navy Department to-day
ADMIRAL roRTrR TO SECRETARY wRILEs.
NORTH ATLANTIC SQUADRON, UNITED STATES
FIAGsuIp "MALvERN," HAMPTON ROADS Va.
November ll.-Sr IL have the honor % enclose
you the report of Commander W. H. MlrOmb in
relation to the capture OF the batteries AMI town
Of plymouth, North Carolina, which place, with
all its defenSes was captured from our land
forces some time last spring
This was IL very gallant affair, and reflects great
credit on the commander Of the expedition and
ali concerned. 1t Is a handsome finishing stroke
after the blowing up Of the ran.
The fruits of the capture are twenty-five cannon,
and thrty-seven prisoners, two hundred stand OF
arms and more being picked up daily.
The flags of the fort and Of the iljemarls and a
large amount Of ammunition wore also taken. o
am, sir, very respectfully, your obedent SER
want, DAVID d. PORTER, Rear Admiral
Hon. Gideon Weiles, Secretary Of the Navy,
Washington, ID. G.
COMMANDER WAcolm TO ADMIRAL PORTER.
UNITED STATES sur "SuAuRocx," orr Ply.
AOuTn, n. c., November l.-Slr:-I have the
horror to report that on the 3lst ult. L captured
the entmy's batteries at Plymouth, n c., and the
ordnance and ordnance stores at that place and
some prisoners, besides quantity OF provisions.
The following Is report OF the action: -
After the return of Lieutenant w. II. Cushing
from his expedition TO blow up the 1l5eDlgrlc as
Plymouth, determined on making an attack on
the batteries defending that town. Accord ng!y,
on the 10Th ult., the vessels under my command
at that time in Albemarle Sound got under way
~ about a quarter past eleven A. NJ, and pro
ceeded up the Roanoke river in the following
order -CommOdoTe HWl, Sb1D,r0ck Chic0pge,
OtSegO, Wyalusing, and IdcOny, the Pdiky City
being sent at the same time mp the Middle river,
which joined the Roanoke above Plymouth, ia
order to cut off any vessels or supplies the Rebels
might attempt TO carry out in that direction.
AT about II o'clock NJ. we came within range
of the lower batteries protecting the town, upon
which we opened fire. which was returned. We
continued to advance until within a mile Of the
works, when we discovered that the channel was
ObstEucted, at point opposite the batteries, by
two schoOners sunk one on each side OF the wreck
OF the SOutIfcld, which together formed barrier
that could only have been passed with great
danger, If atal
therefore made signal to return, which was
accordingly dOne and the vessels ran out Of tile
river az 2 Z. NJ with the exception OF tho HGl}ey
CITY, which vessel, having heard the frng COM
mence and cease, and concluding shat VIC had
won the day, ran down the Roanoke river TO
within a short distance OF Plymouth, where she
was fired, and then returned, reaching the sound
at about TO T. NJ
On the morning of tine Both ultimO, having been
informed that there was sufficient water in the
Middle river, determined to blockade the enemy
at Plymouth by going up that river and gaining
the Roanoke above the town, knowing that the
Rebels had no more vessels TO sink In tho chan
mel and therefore that ! should have only tho
batteries to contend agaius: should / advance
from that direction.
Igot under way in the Shamrock, following the
tug BG-ioy, Acting Ensign NJ. ID. Ames com
/ mandiDg, having Mr.. Alfred Everett, the pilO- Of
the WyGlusiRg, on board, and followed By the
OtSe9o, Wy0lusiRg, IGcOHy and Commodore Hup,
in the order in which their names are men
toned. The Chicopee aud Vdlcy were not pres mt,
the former having been sent by me tho nigh-
before TO Newbem for repairs, and the Ia ter
being on the way to Hampton Roads, Virginia,
A with Lieutenant W. B. Cushing and his des-
patches, both having started before had decided
on ascending the Middle river. by the good
u plotting of Mr.. Everett the vessels got safely
through into the Roanoke river at about O'cO ,6
=. NJ. ] left the Commodore HUH in The Middle
river to prevent the enemy from laying tOrpedOes
there
On our way through Middle river we fred by
compass courses over the woods at Plymouth,
y at distances varying from 26iO 70 100 yards,
! and have since learned that our fire lt that
"A time was very effective. 1t was late in the
u afternoon when we arrived in the R)lUOke,
a on account of the extreme narrOWne33 and
4 the curves of the Middle river, hlJ, 90
"A prevent the enemy from ulOCkading the river, or
q putting torpedoes in the channels, dropped to
"A within short range Of the l00-poundcr ParrOtts
and shelled him for an hour or SO. Early ON the
- morning OF the 3lst ullimO, having determined
on attacking the batteries, sent q tug down the
Middle river for the Commodore HUI AMI COM
menced preparations for the action.
~ At about 8 A. Al. the Commodore mn arrived,
Fl and stationed her at tho head OF the line, a
before, on account of her ability 10 IRE I freely
"a ahead AZ about A. NJ. the Unite States
81 steamer whitehead came mp the Middle uver
~ having on board stores for the vessels il Abe
81 marie Sound, from the naval depot ~ New
bern. As her lO0-pouuder Parrot hal been
taken Out, l had her llshcd alongside the
Tdc0HV the tug Bd.l'y being lasbel 20 the
ShaslTock ana the Belle TO the O'seI3 (all
on tire port side) TO keep the vessels in mDaOu in
ease their engines should be damaged. We also
~ had the steam blown on the siarOoarl boilers oI
all the doublC-enders, the fires banked very low
beneath them, and the stop valve between the
two boilers Of each ship closed, so that there was
no steam in the starbOard boilers but the water
in them being warm, II could DegOt up Ia snort
AT haf.past nine o'clock A. NJ, the ships being
Ia in line, signazed 70 the Commodore H,A to
&H run down and recOnnoitre and ascertain II the
4 channel was clear She reported "all right" and
" III got under way, Signalling the other vessels to
ollow in close order. The enemy opened on US
hs we kept in range and Kept Up a constant aud
kFefy heavy fire. directed principally at the com
II 1nOd0rc HaR and tile Haayoci.
As l ncarcd the batteries / gave the order
N'OO ahead FAST and we were soon directly OpPo-
. sile the euemy's guns, when lie was driven from
the rife pits and eld. pieces by grape and canis-
ger from the sN'ps, which we poured in vory
heavily.
- N ghn 10 be mild but as the Shamrock passed
hen ore of her shells exploded in their magazine,
hich blew up with great force, some Of the trag-
.ents falling on our decks. This evidently
faused panic among the Rebels, for from that
inc their fire slackened and at length ceased
together.
Ithen made signal TO cease hnng, ana TO land
ID take possession Of the batteries, which was
he without resistance, A party from this ship
ster Lieutenant Duer, marched into the lower
Orks 1--WE having by this time passed the town
and arrived opposite them), took about dozen
prisoners, and spiked the guns to prevent the
epemy from firing on the vessels, should they
return to their batteries.
IL gives me great qualification 10 have the honor
20 bring TO the notice Of the Department the gal
4nt aud intelligent conduct Of all the command
hg officers engaged, viz, Lieutenant Commando
NJ. +. Arnold, OF the OtSego; Lieutenant Com
~. pauder Earl English, Of the lFyallsiag; Lieuten
kut Commander n. s. TTuXton, OF the Taeoay
Acting N AsteT Francis Josselyn, Of the CoaB.ORon