The National tribune., 1884-05-01
LYy0UTH PILGRIMS,
And How They Came to be Captured.
A Survivors, Story.
To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:

description of the battles at Plymouth, n. c.,
April 1920, 1864
| never have seen or heard of description
of these battles in print, land / do not think
they were ever written up for publication
and as | was one of the uniucly participants
III them, as we'll as victim of the long impris
onment which followed, | will give you as
full a description as | can.
The town OF Plymouth lies on the right bank
of the Roanoke River, about seven miles from
its mouth, where it empties into Albemarle
Sound. The Dismal Swamp crosses the Roam
oke River close below Plymouth and runs up
into a kind of lagoon for perhaps mile from
the river. Before the war Plymouth had
population of from 800 to 1000. There was a
great deal of tar, turpentine, corn, pork, shin
giles, lumber, cotton, fish, canes, &c, shipped
from there to Baltimore and other ports. The
soil is sandy loan, with some gravek and
swamps are numerous As / said, one swamp
ran out nearly a mile from below the town,
bending slightly up. Another ran out above
the town about the same distance bending
slightly down. A corduroy road crossed the
latter at the river. Further up the river
perhaps three-quarters of a miie-on knoll,
were the camp fort and works occupied by the
Goth New York infantry. Just below this
swamp, and running out from the river, was a
series OF works that passed in a semi circle
around the town to the lower end near the
swamp referred TO. About one-fourth of the way
from the river above WAS Fort Williams From
the river to Fort Williams was stationed the S5th
Pennsylvania volunteers. The fort was occu-
pied By company A. 103d Pennsylvania volun-
teers; to their left the works was occupied by
the remainder of the 103d Except one COM
pany-company C-who were on detached duty
Gu Roanoke Island, II. ca Next to the 103d
lay the 10th Connecticut volunteers to their
left, the 18th Connecticut volunteers These
completed the front line. On their left the
1Olst Pennsylvania volunteers completed the
semi-eirele TO or near the river In front of
Fort Williams, about half mile, was a small
fort with one swivel gun; also, some works,
held by the S5th New York infantry. One
battery 18th New York light artillery had
placed a gun on our line of works in the
semi-circe. There was also water battery
with a 200-pound gun on the wharf nearly
opposite Fort Williams On the river were
four wooden gunboats-the Miami, Southfeld,
Whitehead, and another, whose name / have
forgotten as also two companies of the 18th
New York cavalry, two parts of companies of
colored troops. some loyal North Carolina vol
unteers,-or Butfalocs" as the rebs called
them,-and some heavy artillery-in all about
1000 to l, 500 men fit for duty
THE REBEL ATTACK
The most of US had re-enlisted as veterans,
and were daily expecting to be relieved to
to go home on furlough, and, indeed, the
heavy artillery had come as a part of our
relief when, on Sunday evening, April II,
1864, our cavalry pickets came in on the
run, with the news that the rebs were com
ing in full force and had driven in our picket
line. strong support was at once sent out,
but we had TO come in faster than we went
out, as we met line of battle, four deep, backed
Up with two batteries of artillery. This was at
dark, and for nearly three hours perfect
storm of shot and shell flew over US The
: + i L.
and shell many Of the latter bursting over ls)
was deafening The rebs finally withdrew,
and, in doing so, had to bring up their spare
horses TO get the only two whole guns left out of
the two eight-gun batteries that came into line
and opened on MS three hours before Their
loss was terrible; ours, only tri1ing in wound
ed-none killed or missing so far as | know
The next morning about an hour before day
light, they again charged our lines, and took
the s5th New York prisoners and turned their
swivel gun on US. They took the Goth New
York about the same time, but the guns at the
latter place did not do so much harm, owing to
their peculiar position. There was steady
picket firing all day, and another heavy charge
on our lines after dark. which was met BY US
and repulsed with slight loss. The next morn
ing Tuesday the rebel ram Albemarle came
down the river and was on US before we knew
il, sinking the gunboats Miami and Southfield
and driving the others down the river towards
Albemarle Sound. The channel of the river
had been INSTRUCTED with torpedoes, but owing
to the high water the ram passed safely over
them on its way down In the sinking of our
two boats the gallant Captain Flusser, of the
Miami, lost his life by a rebound Of piece of
one of his own shells. Had he lived, it is very
probable we would never have been taken pris-
oners, or the rebs have succeeded so well at
/ that time. They were now in possession of
our front, right and rear. 1t was said that the
wharf or water battery never fred shot at
| the ram as it came down the river. Why. /
could never learn. That forenoon Tuesday,
we were formed and charged the rebs time and
again. but each time we were driven back, and
| the o3th Pennsylvania was captured by piece
meal. At each charge we lost ground were
driven back, and few more prisoners fell into
I the enemy's hands. Night came on with our
position entirely surrounded, and during the
night the 10lst Pennsylvania lost as the S5th
had during the day, few of its men at a time.
GENERAL VESSELS sURRESDERs
At daylight the 18th Connecticut was also
gathered in" and the sun rose over about as
| helpless and forlorn situation for the rest of
us as can well be imagined. Our nearest forces
We're sixty miles distant, aud the country be-
/ tween held by the enemy. Our commanding gen
eral, Brighten. w. II. III. Vessels, hoped against
hope, and refused to surrender, as there was
still bare possibility of re-enforcements com
in5 up Tue river 10 our fellel. 1ne enemy had
by this time got into houses in the town behind
us and compelled US TO fight them from the
front four works. We had constructed under
ground bomb-proofs, aud while inside of them
we were tolerably safe, but could do no fighting
back. The swivel gun on the 85th New York S
works (which they kept busy annoyed us
fearfuily, doing us more harm than all the
others 1t killed Sergeant Logan, took Cor
poral BURNERS foot Off grazed my cap and
| ruptured my left forearm with a single shell.
have less than one-half the use of that arm
to-day; but generous Government allows me
the magnificent sum Of s. per month for the
loss | sustained. Ny other disabilities-the
result of scurvy, exposure, typhoid fever, and
starvation the Pension Office has declared
removed" Eoften wonder how they know {?
1t seems to me | am very forcibly reminded of
it every hour in the day, and often in the
night too. The examining surgeon could see
and feel my arm; butt because he could not
thrust his hand into my lame back and be-
numbed right thigh and feel the pain there, he
was faithless-not believing. Still, there are no
doubt, greater cripples than | who are to-day
unrecognized by the Government that once
promised to care for them. But to my story.
The 10th Connecticut were taken few at a
time, early in the morning; the few that were
left of us fought from the wrong side of our
works until about IL a. M, when Gen VESSEL
seeing that further resistance was useless-as
only about one hundred men were left to him
permitted the flag on Fort Williams to be
! lowered 1t was said by those nreeant at the