The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-05-02

Southern Railroad, and a run of 70 miles
brought us to Elizabeth City. AT Cam
den the train halted long enough for us
to see on our right the Courthouse where
the regiment turned toward South Mills
or Sawyer's Lane, and where we had
brisk engagement with our old friends Of
the Sd Ga
As our time was limited, we could moi
90 to the battlefield and return in time
to catch the boat for Roanoke Island, SC
we took in the town in hack, taking
with us a drummer in the snuff business
from Brooklyn. He was fine fellow.
and we were loath to part with him.
We left Elizabeth City at 6 p. m. and
arrived at Roanoke Island at 10 p. m.
The night was dark as Sam and landed
at the long dock, down which we were
escorted to our hotel, which was fitted up
like fisherman's hut. AS We looked out
Of our bedroom window we saw the light
Oh Roanoke shoals, and in fancy could
see BurnSide's fleet sailing up from Hat
teras TO lombard and capture the island,
as it did over 32 years ago.
In the morning we found that our
quarters were over the general country
store of Daniels & Pugh, the latter being
a son Of old Capt Pugh (now dead) who
was pilot and fisherman, and who
PILoTED OUR FLEET
from Hatteras Inlet during the lombard
ment. We found that we had landed at
Ashbey's Harbor, now called Yankee
Point. The point was "pinted" ont to
us where our regiment had landed from
the transports, as well as the house and
the field in which we encamped on the
night of the landing, Feb. z, 1862,
preparatory to the assault ON Fort De
fance the next morning.
The Importance to the Confederates of
Roanoke Island during the war was that
it was practically the key to Norfolk.
Here the first white child of English
parents was born, by the name of Vir-
ginia Dare. 1t is now the County-seat
Of Dare County.
On the morning of the 26th we saw
Mrs. Pugh, and when she learned that
we had taken part in the capture of the
island she unconsciously paid our regi.
ment one of the greatest compliments it
ever received, for she said that the Zou-
aves were the men who captured the
fort up the road about a mile and a
half This was before she knew to what
command we belonged.
She said she remembered the red caps
very well, and that her husband often
toid her that if it had not been for the
Zouaves the fort would never have been
taken. / dismiss the subject Of who
captured Fort Defiance and whose flag
first graced IFS ramparts by this simple
recital of this old lady.
AT the next Reunion Of the Ninth
Corps and the Burnside expedition, L
would match this old lady upon this
point against all the blatant orators who
claim that their regiment
CAPTUrED THE FORT
and had the first flag on ii, and that the
9Th n. Y. (Hawkinsis Zouaves) were
not in it at all
Sam and / induced Charley Pugh, a
son of Mrs Pugh, to drive us to the fort
and about the island. After riding
about one and half miles we came
upon what was left of Fort Defiance, or
the 3-gun battery. The old narrow
causeway up which the zouaves charged
with their peculiar yell of "Zou, Zou,
Zou," is still there, but In much better
condition. The center of the fort where
the main gun was, as seen in the pictures
of our charge, has been completely dug
away, and the road or causeway runs
through it.
The moat or ditch in front of the fort
is still there, but the fort has been partly
dug away in repairing the road, and
much Of it has been washed away by
time, and by wind, rain and storm. How
vividly the recollection of that fierce
charge was brought back to us as we
stood upon the ramparts of that old fort,
and We wondered at the bravery of the
"old 9th" in charging up that narrow
causeway amid that storm of shot and
she'll
We drove to the village of Manteu,
passing shallow Back Bay, where Capt
O. Jennings Wise died in little house
on the beach, when brought up by some
of Co. G's men as he was endeavoring
TO escape to Nag's Head.
That afternoon we drove over to our
old camp and the negro quarters, where
Nigadier-General Massa Thompson had
at one time in his charge some 5000
contrabands. We visited the ruins of
Pork Point Battery, and
PICKED UP SHELLS
thrown by our gunboats, still imbedded
in the sand, and each brought piece
home as a souvenir.
The ruins of Fort Barlow and Huger
could be seen on the north shore of the
island through powerful glass, but as
our time was limited we did not 90 to
them. The next day it rained, but,
nevertheless, i put on a pair of heavy
rubber-boots, such as the fishermen use
on the island, and tramped up to Fort
Defiance and Iack Thara por q faSc;