Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1864-05-06
The Capture OfPlymouth, y. c.

The Capture OfPlymouth, y. c.
The first news Of the impending attack was
brought 70 our pickers ontside-of Plymouth
by little boy, who had been cut gathering
pine chips. The alarm was communicated 10
Gen. Vessels, while his troops were at dress
parade, and consequently found him prepared
for any emergencies. The cavalry was az
once sent out 10 rec0nn0itrc, and 10 an en-
. gagcment with the rebel advance guard, the
I Union Dragons lost some siz or seven mon
and Lieutenant IN killed. and about as m1nv
wounded They, however, succeeded IN re-
pulsing the enemy, and after a splendid on
gagemeut withdrew.
The rebels ioll0wed up, and rs soon as they
came IN range, the guns Of the forts opened
] upon them with graIe and shrapnell, and
repulssd their attack with fearful slaughter
The next point Of attack was Fort GRAY.
situated two and a halfmiles above Plymouth
on the Roanoke River. As soon as Gen.
Vessels found the enemy advancing, hc com
municated with Capt. tiusser, Of the gun
boat Mimi, clmmandinE the naval feet, and
requested him 90 send one or two Of lis gun
boats 10 assis; him. The Whitehead apJ
Bombshell were accordingly despatched fol-
lowed by the Niami and SIuthteld, 70 check
the advance OF the rebel ran, which, it was
expected would move down 20 the assistance
of Rams IN E land forces.
Three several attacks were made upon Port
Gray, and each time the enemy was hlul-
slmciy repuis4d. The slaughter in this ac-
tiln was terrific. and disconnected the rebels
not little Ihs gunboats, after attaining
the proper mu-c. pouring their murder1U5
brladsIlcs into tHc ranks of the enemy. kill
iug many no every discharge. Finding ou-
lines So bnveiy defended, and Disappointed
at not having caught Gen. Vessels mapping.
the rebels wi ihdrew, carrying their Killed
AMI wounded with them. THIS ended the
affair ol the l7th inst
During sunday night Gen. ~. ordered aI
the women, C Iliren and uln-c1mhauut-
from the place The gInb0lts were posted
in the most advantageous positions. ami --e
esrlhwarss around che town strengthened
and The guards doubled.
After the noon bad ser. the rebel ram
daate4 silently down the tile ou the opposite
bank ID. che river. unJ' served .v our gun
boats. Tine Miami and SJl-hfeij bad been
chained together by heavy cables. IN order C.
present str0u. barrier 90 the iIun-clad m9n-
stsr. AZ soon a- the enemy gunl1st bad
passed Fort Gray she started her machinery,
and before any one was aware Of danger, she
came illl tilt upon the S1uthfed, and buried
her prov, projecting about eight feet. and
made ike a saw, into her port side, ripping
open an aperture Of s:x feet in width. The
stern Of tire SouIhfeld sank iusrnuter. while .
her bow, being KEEP; up by the Miami, con-
tinucd 20 f0at for about ten minutes. when
the cable parting. the doomed boat sank in
ten iathoms Of wa-er.
..E 81 gnfN
that Of the III fatei Cumberland. fred a 100
FOUNDER Parrot gun into the iron-clad. .
which, however, rc5JInded without iniurinE
her in the slightest.
Captain Flusst-, who was in his cabin
while this brief engagement was progressing, !
hurried on deck, and at once took charge OF
one Of the guns bearing on the ram. He /
asked Of bis gunner what charge the gun
contained, ana was answered a shell. lie said
'' Let US FIRE this off, and afterwards we will
give hIm something else He accordingly
fired the gun, having sighted it himself. The
distance between the Miami and the iron
clad was only about twelve feet The fuse
in the shell was ten seconds. The shell, on
striking the slushed deck of tre ram, re-
bounded, and coming back, struck Captain
Flusser in the breast, at that moment ex-
plodlng, and tearing him literally TO pieces.
Death. as matter Of course, was instauter.
and the brave and daring officer lay a mass
of shapeless flesh and bones, where, but 4
few seconds previous, he bad so nobly com
manded his ship. One or two men who stood
by him were more or less injured by pieces
Of the shell, but none other killed
The death Of the commander acted like a
panic upon the officers and crew of the Miami
and the ship at once left the scene Of action. /
Thus the rebel ram had her own way on the .
water for the time being, our navy boats
having either been sunk or driven of
General Vessels, in order 10 keep this
monster from firing into the town, planted
some two-hundrcd-pou Parrots on the I
beach, Of which, thus far, she has kept out
Of frange
In the meantime, the land forces Of Ran /
som returned on Monday, and, by hae Of
truce. sent word to the Union general that
he mus. surrender the town in halt an hour,
giving thus long to make up his mind. Gen
eral Vessels answer was that he needed only
half a second; and il they wanted Plymouth
they must come and take 1t.
The second attack was made BY the enemy
on all OF our forts surrounding the town al
most simultaneously, and in every assault he
was driven back with terrific slaughter. But
the rebels seemed determined, and renewed
attacks were made and checked, each one
still attended with the most dreadful carnage.
From this time until hnlf-past ten 'clo1k on
Wednesday morning, the hghting was almost
uninterru pied. On Tuesday orders were Is
sued for the evacuation Of Fort Vessels, bet
ter known az the Eighty-ff,n regiment re-
doubt, situated q short distance from Mil
creek Captain Chaplin, the commandant Of
the fort, had been killed, and, although the
stock Of ammunition on hand was growing
small bv degrees and beautifully less"
| still the heroic little band kept up an inces-
| sant firing on the enemy, every SHOT telling
with fearful effect. Upon the reception Of
1 the order the survivors Of the garrison await
| cd the coming Of night, and under its pro-
teeting shade silently withdrew to the town.
having first, however, disabled the guns Of
| the fort.
/ 1ha union forces concentrated, on the eva
/ cuati0n Of Fort Vessels. in Forts Williams,
| Comfort and red0ut facing the Roanoke
/ liver. below Mill creek, and kept up the hglr
| incessantly. The forces of General Vessels,
/ thus being massei and able 70 handle their
/ artillery more effectively, kept up regular,
/ steady and CALLING FIRE on the rebels. The
onemy used thirty -pOunder Parrott guns aad
/ other artillery OF about simaar calibre.
/ At one o'clock on the Goth inst, 4 most
/ inpetuous assault was made by the rebels on
/ Fort Williams. Oar brave boys nobly stood
BY their guns and repulsed every attempt OF
the enemy 10 enter the fortihcation. In
splendid order did the rebel column advance
! to the assault General Vessels allowed
him time 70 come within easy range Of his
guns, and then gave the order 10 fire. Every
| discharge moved down the rebel troops by
platoons. Still the gaps were instantly filed
uu and the attack renewed. In this manner
the enemy received several severe shocks,
and. after a last and still more impetuOus
charge. which likewise resulted disastrously
10 him, he withdrew, evidently TO repair
| I...a.... ..,d mn Il -n.ir- fn- another ,ttack