The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-04-24
The Singular Death Of Captain Flus'
Ser, OF the Gunbsat Miami.
Communication with Our Garrison
Reported Cut Oh.
4 Fleet Of Cunboats Sent BY General Butler
70 Destroy tho Ram,
Aos a.. -.

n following AisAly inpestans intelligence ives re-
ssivsd frou Fortress hoaros tsis nosniag:-
On Sunday lass Ne vsbeh aasaultsd WORMS n Ply
nsasA, n. c., ~ we're twice rspslssa.
o. Monday nsrnss. a. 60 o'clock, Ne gsaboat Bomb
ss r. Up ~ RoAsoas river - look for the iron.
slad ran rsporssA ooosasdews
spsn sstss passanG sus vesn che DenAsAsl was fred
into - rebel battery asA sunk.
About three e'ceck The rebel down, ran past
eur Sas,ssss and Then SAa ats Ne ssnsoas ouhnsld
ard sunk her,
n gunboas Miami, very strong vessel lay close 70
ths RAM and Captain Fussef & he most gallant
h navy cleared her decks fer action and fred
nsssch shsls n The rebel ram, whioa rsboundsd from
hss sidss, 90 q them sxpoAag 81 killing Captain
viusses.
n Miami W. then imnsdistsly ran down the river
eus sf danger.
Ne rsssl ram, % far - heard from, has ses assd
shot, and now has possession q NE river below Ply.
meath Er@ trsa
Our garrison a. Plymouth 10 GU. on from all eounus,-
cation.
rss post, however, well sarrsonsd, and has plenty
q provisions, ammunition end arms.
General Butler 10 confident that u win Withstand any
further assault that the rebels can make
Advioes from Newbern say that Lassls Washington 10
also threatened by the rebels.
General Butler has sent army OF gunboats into III
Sound, 70 open communication vito Plymouth ana aid
the navy vessels 70 destroy the rebel ram.
Admiral Lee has also sent guaboas V replace the
eouthHeld.
Despatch to tho Navy Department..
WASHINGTON, April -, 1894.
The Navy Department has received the following IN
formation OF the destruction Of the gunboat Souhne
About halfpast ave O'Clock P. M April IT, Fort Cray,
above Plymouth, WAS attacked BY the rebels with
battery OF six Geld pieces sand bank thousand
, ards up the river. ehs
Lieutenant Commander Flusser despatched the Ceres
70 compunicate with the Whitehead, which was doing
picket duty up the river. In passing BY the rebel bat
terry she received . shot through her port gangway.
killing two and wounding seven men. The firing on the
fort ceased At about nine O'Clock The Cores returned
about that time.
Al early dawn q Monday the enemy charged upon Fort
Gray, and were REFUSED
The Bombshen, an army gun boat, In command Of En-.
sign Thomas Stokes. steamed up the river 70 commu
nicats with the FORT She returned and sunk q he
wharf.
Later in the day Tho enemy appeared in force in the
rear Of the town, ana At sunset commenced . vigor
Gus attack on Fort Williams and Fort IVES.
soils, 1t which time the Miami and Soushnsld-
previsusly chained toesshsr-wers cast loose. Tho
6outh6sld steamed 10 river to protect Fors wessss
while the Miami dropped down and shsed the enemy in
front OF Fort Williams
During the evening the enemy assaulted Fort vessels
and rspulsed three times the Southneld throwing
shell among them.
About halfpast ten n. the 6oushHsld dropped down
the river ana reported TO Lieutenant Commander Fusser
who ordered the vessels 10 DO lashed together with
hawsers, the Southned being the port side Of the
Miami About midnight the Whitehead came down the
river, and alongside the Manu. and reported the
ram coming down.
Al three A. N. on Tuesday the ram dropped dswn
alongside the Miami, under Of the shade Of tho
trees, and, when near, ran oblqusly across
into the starboard bow OF the 0outhneid.
The vessels had bssn firing all tho previous even
ing At the enemy shore, and their guns were
loaded with shel, which there IVES NOT time 70 draw
The Lieutenant Commander nrod the Arss SHELL and o.
Ito bursting some fragment. enher from that or the
southselds shells, rsboundsd, Which caused his death,
the fragments piercing hs chest and SKULL also woundng
the following officers and Acting Ensign Thos @.
Hargis Acting Third Assistant Engineer Harrngtos and
some six Or eight men-pone mortaly.
Upon the approach Of the the eouthneld nreA 1t
her. Tho prov Of the ram running Into The eosthasad
caused her 70 al with water and she sank inside u M
teen minutes The forward lashngs parted By the
pressure Of the between vessels and the after
ones we're cut, and many could GOT on the Miami
did %, when she Miami retired, and was pursued abort
Distance BY tho ram, which considered slow, maxim
but four ko,s Per hour shs Miami throwing solid Shot q
her = shs retired. Soma or the mon Of che souShssld
took % small boats, snd picked up BY Ne whis
bead and Cores.
fhs Cores ives despatched 10 Hewbern Immediately
with the body Of Commander Fluseer
The officers misaing Of the Southhsld wers;-
Acting Master william b. Newman
Acting Ensign Thomas b. Stokes.
Acting Second Assistant Eaginser william Coz
Acting Third Assistant John A. Strictly.
Acting Master'a Mate George W. Pratt.
Paymasters Clerk George Brown.
soms Of the officers and mon Of the eoush0sld nay
have been captured; but most have escaped Few "
mono we're probably lost. The Miami 10 unisjussd-
The ram ID thought not 10 have used hsr guns vhss
under the bows Of the Miami souShnsld nor could
our guns then bear her. The shs, nrsd a her vas
when she approached.
Sketch Of Lieutenant Com nasr Chss.
w. Flssser, U. 3. N.
lieutenant Commander Charles w. Y1usesv vhs 80
killed BY piece Of shell which rebouuasa sSsss being
nred from tbs forward pivot gun Of the Miami a ths rsss
ram 10 her attack upon The United states forces q Ply
month. N c., was born in Maryland, but was appointed
from Kentucky, OF which State was citizen he co.
tered the naval service - mdshipman On The leth e
July, is47. HIS nrst cruise made IN the Cumbss
laid In ls4e he vas sent 10 the Raritap. 20 gums.
where he remained until the part Of 1880 10 1851
ne was ordered 70 the Saratoga soop war and IN hsP