The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-06

of land at the junction of the Trent and
Neuse rivers with Pamlico sound in North
Carolina. Roanoke island was captured by
the federals on the 14th of February, 1862,
and the surrender of Newberne followed
that event. AS soon as it came into the
possession of the Union forces they at once
threw up Notifications, which extended
over an area of twenty miles, and in order
to further strengthen their position and
provide against the chances of either sur
prise or capture three or four of their gun
boats We're either anchored off the wharf
at Newberne or were kept cruising up and
down the Neuse or Trent rivers. The larg-
est of these gunboats was the Underwater,
a large side-wheel steamer, which fired the
first gun in the attack on Roanoke island
and participated in nearly all the engage
ments fought along the North Carolina
coast. The Underwater had engines of
eight hundred horsepower, carried four
guns, one six-inch riied Dahlgren, one
eight inch of the same pattern, one twelve
pound rifle and one twelve pound howitzer.
Acting Master Jacob Westervelt, U. S.
navy, of New York, was her commander,
with a crew of about one hundred officers
and men.
IN THE NEUSE RIVER SWAMPS.
The distance between Kingston and New
berne by rail is about thirty miles, but the
tortuous and circultous course which the
Neuse river takes makes the journey by
water at least twice that length Bending
silently to the muffied oars, the expedition
moved down the river, which broadened
until the boats seemed to be on lake, and
soon afterward the tortuous stream mar
rowed until the party could almost touch
! the trees on either side. Not sign of life
was visible, save occasionally when flock
of wild ducks, startled at the approach of
the boats, rose from the river and flew on
swift wing to the shelter of the woodland
or morass beyond. No other sound was
heard to break the stiffness save the con-
slant, steady splash of the oars and the
| ceaseless surge of the river Sometimes
| fallen log impeded the progress; again a
boat would run aground; then the obstruc-
| tions placed in the river were difficult to
pass, but as hour after hour passed the
| boats still sped on, the crews cold and
weary, but yet cheerful and accomplishing.
Night fell; dark shadows began to creep
over the marshes and crowd the river; owls
screeched among the branches overhead,
| through which the expedition occasionally
| caught glimpses of the sky. There was
| nothing to guide the boats on their course,
the night, and the next morning they
reached the open country above Newberne.
When they arrived in sight of the town
| the boats were run into a small stream and
| hid near the shore. The party landed on
| what seemed to be a little island covered
with tall grass and bushes. Here the men
! found temporary shelter and rations were
| served One of the launches, having been
| delayed by running foul of the Instructions
In the river, Joined the remainder of the
| expedition during the afternoon, and at
midnight the command was called to quar-
tiers and the object of the expedition ex-
planned. The plans were as follows: Major
General George E. Pickett, who was then in
command of the CoEfeslerate army oper-
ating against Newberne, was to open fire
on the enemy's lines around the town, thus
drawing their attention to the land side
While Colonel Wood and his command, un-
der cover of the diversion, was to attempt
the capture by boarding one or more of the
gunboats and clear the river of the federal
naval forces. Arms were inspected and am
munition distributed and everything made
ready to embark on what each of the party
felt was desperate enterprise. To enable
the Confederates to distinguish their com
rades in the dark each man had a white rag
was given to each. The boats crews were
told exactly what was expected of them.
and to sell their lives as dearly as possible.
The firing of Picketts command was
heard as he made a reconnaissance In force
within mile and half of Newberne at
Bachelors creek, in which number of
persons were killed and wounded. While
the engagement on land was in progress the
federal vessels in front of Newberne took
up positions in the sound so as to com
mand the plain outside of the federal line
of works.
A STRANGE SPECTACLE
In the meantime the boats were launched
in the Neuse and arranged In two divisions,
Colonel Wood commanding one and Lieut..
Benjamin p. Loyal, of the Confederate
States Navy, the other. After forming
parallel to each other, the two columns
moved silently but rapidly down the
river The heavens We're covered with
heavy clouds, while the night was
inky darkness. The steady, quiet
dip of the muffied oars, the almost
imperceptible forward movements of
the boats and the beating of expectant
hearts were all that could be seen or heard
as the expedition made its way in two files
toward Newberne. When they had rowed
some distance Colonel Wood called all the
boats together, final instructions were
given, and this being through with, he Of
fered fervent prayer to God for the safety
of his officers and men and for the success
of his mission. 1t was a strange and
ghostly sight, the men resting on their oars
with heads bowed and uncovered in silent
prayer, the commander bare-headed stand
ing erect with hands uplfted in the stern
of his boat the black waters ripping be-
meath, the dense overhanging clouds pour
ing down sheets of rain and in the black
ness beyond an unseen bell telling as If
from some phantom cathedral. The party
listened-four bells were sounded-indicat-
ing that it was 2 o'clock a. m. Guided by
the sound the two columns pulled to-
ward the steamer, every man in posi-
ton clutching his arms. The advance
was necessarily SLOW and cautious
Suddenly when about three hundred
yards from the Underwater her big
black hull loo.Aed UP out of the almost i'm
penetrable darkness. Through the stiffness
of the sleeping enemy came the sharp ring
of five bells from the watch on deck for
2:3O o'clock. He was the first to discover
the Confederates, and just as the echo of
the bell on the Underwater died away, in a
quick nervous voice he yelled Justify: Boat
ahoy!' No answer was made, but the
boats moved steadily forward "Roat abo,,i