Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-05-05
THE Capture OF PLYMOUTH.
DETAILED ACCOUNT or THE FIGHTING BY A
PARTICIPAYT-TH FIRST VIRGINIA REGIMENT
AND FAYBTTE ARTILLERY, &C., &C.
TCorrespondence of he Who'll


April 24.h, 1854.
As you have doabdesssere this heard Of the recap.
ture of this place, suppose you would ike to hear
few of The particulars OF the affair. do not know
how il is regarded in Richmond but We, here, consider
it a. the nitia,ory step towards Kidding this STATE OF
the enemy, and recaiming very extensive and pro-
duetye section of the Contederscy.
Our forces, numbering three briga1es-HOkes RIM
SONS aud Kempsrs Che latter under Colonel Terry,
gallant On officer as ever the admiration and aTec
ton of his men Major Reds battson OF artillery,
consisting of the FAyete, Blunts Brancns aud Mllers
batteries Asjor NOseeys BATTALION the names Of whose
batteries are unknown to me, making rs pieces, al
der Col Dearng with small force OF cavalry; the
whole commanded by Big Gen. HOke left TarborO' on
the morning OF the Is b. and reached tho vicinity OF
Plymouth about O'Clock the evening of the l7.h
April We Immediately formed 10 line of battle,
our left, Kempers Bagsds, resting the Roanoke
river, above the town. RInsOn right also rest
ing near the stream below tho town, H0ke occupying
the CENTRE Without resting moment from tae fatigue
Of our long march, our skirmshers thrown for
ward driving the Yankee pcksts and hslng about half
mile fr IN their Notifications. shall now speak more
particularly of operations the Lett where the regi
nent 20 which bslong was posted. Three of our com
panies (of the lst Va.) advanced skirmsheTs the
enemy retiring precpitAsely before them. Having
cleared the way artillery, We halted and lay
down. while the Fayette and Bunt's batteries took pO
ston behind the crest OF low ridge. The frs. gun
was fred from formidable looking fort in front of us
sending 32pOunder DO Sli1g our heads in harm
ess fury. Our light field pieces promptly replied, and
At the fourth fifth rouad cut the Yankee flag staff
sending The bunting down. amid loud huzz ls from the
Rses. The eoors we're soon hosaed again, however,
and the artillery duel continued furieusy until eight or
Line o'clock at night. All this tine the skrUishers
we're lying down ABOUT 200 yards in front of bat
eries and tween the hres-a decidedly unple8-
SAINT situation as NUMBER of our shells exploded too
soon and fell around US, Voundng several of own
men We had been in this position than tall
hou; when the startling cry raised that OF
the enemys gunooaIs was steauing towards u from
the town.
This vas q most alarming p Of intelligence TO US
he advance Incl situated ex ot'y alta rKbt
acge with the river, il open field, aud aking IRE
could thus be brought to bear upon US, which would
have been perfectly indispensable. Nearer aud carer
the ugly craft ca ne. Someh ng must be done. "a
fence the field parallel and about 200 yards
FROM the river. A. this critical junoture Mlo Norton
gave tie command 10: those OF The skirn hers /. o
were on the lett of the iencs TO Ssh rouad to s
face the river prepared to open ,Ae gamers oon
the boat, impair their seadiness AGj fjieuc
The order was promptly executed, aud the Ii, hro
formed just the boat came opposite to To Sc-
infinite relief however, she did not stop, but continued
Afterwards
asceTtlined il be. Two or three pieces of art
lsry opened on her. but it seemed that their FIRE was
TO ally ineffective, and che passed if in utter con-
temp Of US without so much IS firing gun. About 9
O'clock P. NJ, she returned, and again artillery
opened on her, with smart sp.inhling of musketry
from sharpshooters the river bank. This time she
replied No harm seemed, however, be done on either
side aud again she escaped Us. Tnis lie wonderful as
she was small wooden, sde-Whet steamer within
ca musket-rangs Of our guns I'D ought, it seemed
kn,vo L Nv ONA md Ca
this bad shooting, quiet reigned ,upreme The moon
rode in regal spendor through the sky and wrapped
our blankets around u.s. and-a sufficient watch having
b. en- posed-threw ourselves upon the earth snAtch
hours of repose-porhaps 10 some Of US, the last,
so far as then know
AT dawn the next day the artillery firing again com
menced with no other results than the wOunding OF
few men, About o'clock 2. NJ, our regiment was re
eved by the 1lth, who took the position which had
been held BY u.s. while all the rest OF the brigade
moved round to the to join HOke; for il
that the real attack to be made operations on
the lsft having been fent. Previous to re-
leVng us, the llih had, at daybreak,' moved
around the right OF advance line and driven in the
Yankee pckets To reach them, they compelled
20 wade knee-dsep through swampy thicke. The
morning was chill AID fOggy, and their moyement was
necessarily painfully slow and difficult. The Yankets
fell back before Them and IN the Grdor Of their pur
suit they within about 200 yards OF the fort which
had been firing at US. The enemy Immediately opened
on them with grape and canister, killing and wound
ing l5 As t designed to storm the fort ct that
time he regiment at once fell back, and have sta
ted were placed in position on the extreme left Of
the line. Kempers brigade, the lst 7th, llh and "A
Regiments moved rouOd from the left the centre aud
Joined HCks. We bad beel told that Confederate
gunboat-an iron clad iam-Would cooperate with US
in our efforts TO take the pace. The previous night
bad anxously waited her arrival All this day We had
strained our eyes to catch the smoke her stack
none hid been seer and it finally came to be the opin
ion that our gunboat myth. Tnis idea was not an
cable one, as We kceW the capacity Of the enemy
70 annoy from tue wafer, even if we succeeded in
driving them cut of the town. Asw approached cur
ne position to which were wing under cover OF
tue woods sharp picket firing heard rom the field
on right followed BY the heavy crash OF artillery