The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-11-19
ANNOUNCEMENTS Or CANDIDATES.
DestructlOH Of the AIbermale-Cap
ture OF Plymouth.
Report of Commander MscOmb.
UNITED STATES STEAMSHIP SHAMROCK,

UNITED STATES STEAMSHIP SHAMROCK, I
OFF PLYMOUTH, n G., Nov. |, 1864 !
SIR have the honor to report thai
on the 3lst ult l captured the enemy'f
batteries at Plymouth, n. c., and the
ordnance and ordnance stores at thIt
place and some prisoners, besides q
quantity of provisions The following
S report of The action:
After the return of Lieutenant w. B
Cushing from his expedition to blow
up the Albemarle at Plymouth, | de-
termined on making an attack on the
batteries defending that town. Accord
ingly, on the Doth ult. the vessels un-
der my command at that time in Albe-
marie Sound got under way at about q
quarter past eleven, A. NJ, and pro
ceeded up the Roanoke river in the
following order Commodore Hull,
Shamrock, Chicopee, Otsego, Wyalusing
and Tacony, the Valley City being sent
at the same time up the Middle river,
Which joined the Roanoke above Ply
mouth, in order to cut off any vessels
or supplies the rebels might attempt TO
carry out in that direction.
At about twelve 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 obstructed, at a
point opposite the batteries, by two
schooners sunk one on each side of the
wreck of the Sonthfield, which together
formed barrier that could only have
been passed with great danger if at all
therefore made signal to return,
which was accordingly done, and the
vessels ran out of the river at two P n,
with the exception of the Valley City,
which vessel, having heard the firing
commence and cease, and concluding
that we had won the day, ran down the
river 70 within short distance of Ply
mouth, where she was fired on, and
then returned, reaching the sound at
about ten P N.
On the morning Of the Both ult,
having been informed that there was
sufficient water in the Middle river,
determined to blockade the enemy at
Plymouth by going up the river and
gaining the Roanoke above the town,
knowing that the rebels had no more
vessels TO sink in the channel, and
therefore that l should have only the
batteries to contend against should |
advance from that direction. | got
under way in the Shamrock, following
the tug Bailey, Acting Ensign n ID.
Ames commanding, having Mr. Alfred
Everett, the pilot of the Wyalusing, on
board, and followed by the 0tsego,
Wyalusing, Taeony and Commodore
Hull in the order in which their names
are mentioned The Colcopee and
Valley were not present, the former
having been sent by me the night be-
fore TO Newbern for repairs, and the
latter being on the way 10 Hampton
Roads, Va. with Lieutenant W. B.
Cushing and his dispatches, both haF
ing started before l had decided on
ascending the Middle river. By the
good plotting Of Mr Everett the vessels
got safely through into the Roanoke
river at about four o'clock, Pm left
the Commodore Hull in the Middle
river to prevent the enemy from laying
torpedoes there.
On our way through Middle river we
fired by compass courses over the
woods az plymouth, st distances vary
ing from 2,640 10 LOO yards, and ]
have since learned that our FIRE at that
time was very effective. II was late in
the afternoon when we arrived in the
Roanoke, on account of the extreme
and the curves Of the Mid