, 1864-11-17
CAPTURE OF PLYMOUTH.
Official Report of Com. Naaeotnb.
REBEL REPORT OF THE DE-
STRUCTION OF THE ALs
REMAlfAE.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Nor. Isth, 1soL
The following is the official report Of the re-
capture Of Plymouth, N. c., which WAS re-
ceiyed at the Navy Department today:
ADMIRAL PORTER TO SECRETARY WELLEa.
This waa a very gallant affair, and rejects great
credit On the commanter Of the expedition and all
concerned. It is handsome finishing stroke after
the blowing up Of the ram. ..
thirty-seveu prisoners, two hundred stand of arms
and more being picked up daily.
" tcoN- -AAcosn TO ADa1RAL PORTER =
q. S. STEAMSHIP SnAMnocK,
OFF P11Hou1n, y: G., Noy. !, ls91 Z
nit. captured the enemies batteries at Plymouth,
N. G., and the ordnance md ordnance stores ut that
pase and s9me RFisener besides 99qaasy ep1o
. After tho return Of Lieut. W. r. Gushing from
his expedition to blow up the Albcmarle at Ply
mouth, determined % making an attask On the
the s9th u&t, the vessels under my command IN Al
bemarle Sound got under way at about q quarter
past eloFen e ,n and proceeded up the Roanoke 4!s
Shamrock, Chicopee, Otsego, Wyaluslng, and To
cony, the Valley c1y beng sent at the same time
up The Middle river, which Joined the Roanoke
supplies the rebels might attempt 10 carry out In
On onr way through Middle River we hred by
compass courses over the woods at Plymouth, at
distances varying from AGO TO 100 yards, and
have since learned that our Ere at that time was
very effective. It Was late In the afternoon when
IRENE narrpWncss and the curves OF the Middle
River, but, to prevent the enemy from b1ockadtng
the river, or putting torpedocs IN the channel,
Par1otte, and shelled him fol an hour OF EARLY
On The morning Of the 3ist ult, having determined
On sttae6tng the batteries, sent @ tag down M ne
menced preparations for the action.
At abunt q. M, the Commodore Hull arrived,
and stationed her at The head Of the line, as be-
fore, on account Of her ability to fire directly
% WSitehcad % came up thc be- aiidio River, having On
board stores for the vessels in Albcrmarle Sound,
poander @ ' Parret i 6ad been taken out I had her
ed Ss sns q fu Ss
m6tion, in case tier engines should be damaged.
We a1eo had the stcam blown Of the ata1boasd
boilers Of all the double endcrs, the fres banked
tho two boilers Of each ship closed, 80 that there
was no steam in the staIhoard boilers. but the
water in them being warm, 1t could be got up in
1t haicpast nine o'clock \. NJ, tho ships being
in line, algnalizcl to the Commodore Hull to run
down and reconnoitre and ASCERTAIN II the channel
under WY, signalling the other vessels to follow
In close order. The enemy opened on Is as soon
as we canc IN range, and kept up = constant and
Hui md Shamrock. AZ Ineared he batteries /
rave the order, "Go ahead fast," and We were soon
directly opposite the enemy g guns, when he was
driven from the riaep1ts and c1d pieces by grape
and-canIster rom the ship, which VIC poured In
Ike 6attesics stin held ont, though their FIRE be-
gan to be mild; but as the Shamrock passed them
one Of her shells exploded In their magazine.
which blew up with great force, some Of the frag-
ments falling On our decks. This evidently caused
panic among the rebels, for from that time their
fire slackcned, and at length ceased altogether.
I then made eignal to cease firing and TO land and
tnke possession Of the batteries, which Wus done
without resistance. A party from this ship, under
Lcut: Duer, marched into the lower works 1--WE
having by this time passed the town and arrived
opposite theD} took about a dozen prisoners and
spiked tho guns to prevent the enemy from filing
on the Vessels, should they return to their bat
teries.
quantity Of ammunition, the exnct amount am
unable to give at present nearly 40 stand Of arms
{mOTe are being picked up all the tmc,) the ram
Abemarle {sunk at the wharE) with everything On
board and the colors OF the batteries and the IRON
clad. For the part which each vessel took In the
fight mns refer you to the reports os each Of the
commanding officers, which will forward % they
are received. As commanding officer Of the Sham
rock, 1t becomes my duty to testify to tho gallant
behavior Of the officers, crew aud marines Of this
vessel.
am, Sir, respectfully, your obedient se.vt,
+ ". II. MAco4B, Commander,
Commanding District Of the Sounds, N. A. B. s..
To Rear Admiral D. D. Porter, Commanding, n.