Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-09-26
From Oar Living ard Our Dead.
"REMINISCENCES OE E'EaE; LOWER
GAZE FEAR.
BY X.

! called by request on Col. >. L.. Ere
mont, at Wilmington, who Informed
me that on the Goth of August, th
commissions of officers, not attached
to companies, had been revoked by th
State, and therefore [ "was out of com
mission" as they say of old naval hulks
that he, himself, was II mere civilian IL
command; that Capt. Winder had re
manned at his work although in a simi
lar plight; that Capt Childs, who haG
rendered invaluable service had bee1
ordered South; and that he desired me
to go on duty as speedily as possible
Thus it happened that soon there
after, found my self at the mouth o.
the Cape Fear. Winder for convent
ence and for other considerations, haG
likewise sought quarters removing
frc,n the garrison. At that time. througl
his energetic action, Fort Caswell had
come to wear very different aspec!
from its former Appearance in the
''piping times of peace" the citadel, ii
is said. had been rendered bombproof,
the magazines were greatly strength
ened; heavy traverses, g., had been
erected; the moat put i'll thorough re-
pair, and the extensive basin in front
of the Fort was ready to be flooded,
with from four to six feet of water, at
the first making of the tide.
Battery Campbell, then intended as
u mere outpost, was we'll under way
| Zeke's Island had been delivered over
! in prime condition to n garrison, and
was under command OF the indefatiga-
lie Hedrick.
At Confederate Point early in May,
| Capt. Bolles bad thrown up q small
fortification, known as Battery Bolles.
and Capt. DeRosset had assumed com
mand of it.
To arm it, the Wilmington Light
! Infantry rolled their heavy ordnance a
| considerable distance through the deep
sand on the Point, and performed
other labors that seemed equally inca
pable OF accomplishment i'll the al
| sence OF ordinary facilities. Their great
zeal led them into arduOus undcrtak-
ings, but their perseverance, and indus
try crowned their endeayors with meri-
ted success.
Another fortification was now in
progres higher up the river and near
the site of an old work, perhaps Of
1872; this [ think was under the com
mand OF Lieut.. Col. Meares. II was
called after the lamente:l Fisher, and
its history and fate well perpetuate the
name OF that noble sDirit-a veritable
Bayard, ,-.Sans lcnl It sans reprOche.
Capt Winder plan of defence, if
recollect Alright, embraced, besides the
Notifications on the main land opposite
Zeke's Island; another higher up,
afterwasds known as Fort Anderson;
and on Confederate Point line of
earthworks terminating in Il strong re-
doubt at the head of the Sound. As
ground work for the future execution
of this plan, he erected Battery GatIin
near the head of the Sound, and Bate
ry Anderson nearer Fort Fisher. These
were to be enlarged, strengthened and
perfected as occasion permitted; and
connected with Fisher by a series of
breastworks, behind which protected
military road was to pass to the rear of
the redOubt. At Fisher, he was about
to construct casemates with palmetto
logs brought from Smiths Island b.
Mr.. Prioieau.
Such was the condition of defences
on the first Gay of September. As fer
the troops, the various commands were
orderly and web drilled.
Lieut. Col. Brown had established
''regular army system at Fort Caswell;
L
were models of precision in their vari-
Gus exercises: and the others We'd with
these i'll regularity of cCndIlct. subOr-
dination and obedience 10 authority.
About this time, Mr.. iIasOn Oh Char
lesion, brought us a machine for rit1-
ing cannon by hand. Ritied ordnance
was then novelty with us; we appre-
hended that by the operation the old
guns might become 50 weak as to burst
on the least provocatiOn-and were
fearful that the exper ment might cost
us both guns and men. But the almost
incredible reports of the effectiveness
of riHcd cannon IN the Italian cam
paign decided us to try one gun. In
about twelve hours an old smooth bore
b pdr was converted into Il hran-ncW
rificd canton throwing q 6l pound
projectile.
The garrison turned oItt to II man to
| witness the trial, and rs the smoke
| cleared way, after each successive dis
| charge fired with increasing charges
| of powder, they "mulc the welkii
RIM" with their shouts of applause, :
| Being satisfied with the result, we
went 10 work with will, and kept the
machine going. night as we'll as day,
until Il proper proportion of the guns
were rificd. BY this means We soon
increased the weight of oIlr metal, and
felt relatively more capable of coping
with the enemy's vessels.
Not confined to any particular point,
| [ led kind of nomaGic life. sleeping
habituallv at SmithvilIe-bu5 off early
to such posts AS required attention
freed from the restraints of supervi-
| sorry authority, AMI rot often thrown
in contact wit either officers or soldiers.
| Winder had as boatman an old
colored worthy, yclept "Clem," whose
| little craft carried us safely across the
| hnfh0r in storm or sunshine with cqual
safety. These trips were not always
unattended with danger: but when the
| weather was pleasant, they We're OK
tremely delightful. Indeed tie harlol
is unsurpassed for sailing, while The
historic associations OF The locality III
vested with Il peculiar interest, each
point on which the eye can rest. And
this the more, as the scenes thatwouid
suggest themselves to my imagination
were in harmony with the circumstances
that surrounded me. | could III fancy
trace the movements # the &kIiitIi
Rhettf as he in the summer of 17lS
engaged the well armed Pirate ''Re
VenGe, now bearing across tne cil;til
mel to deliver broadside; now receiv
ing the murderois fire Of his antagon
ist, and then enveloped i'll II cloud o
sulphurous vapor, clearing his ship
encouraging his brave Charlesto
mans, and preparing for a NOR
decisive encounter; until at length
after six protracted hours o
: desperate battle, he grapples wit
the enemy, and Seth Bonnet, tn
, last of the Cape Fear pirates-''
/ gentleman, man OF honor, man 0
. fortune, and one that had a liberia
: education" delivers himself mp wit
his followers to grace the well-earne'
gibbet.
Looking to the nortlward, ther
/ could be discerned the solitary ''sr1ga
loaf" where tradition hath it tina
f "Old King Roger Moore led his faitl
full servants to the last battle with tn
Indians of the Cape Fear, and by hi
5 victory won the future peace of th
, infant settlement That he so tho1