The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1902-04-20
The Story of a Flag

April u, 1864, the Confederate forces
evacuated intrenchments on Rodman's
Point and at Fishers HILL N. c., a few
miles below Little Washington, where
they had lain in siege fourteen days. The
war department at Richm ond had order
ed a mobilization of all troops in the
state. including all officers and men hav-
ing commands within the state who were
then on furlough to proceed at once to
Hamilton where they were directed to
report to General Hoke.
That portion Of the order which refer
ed to officers and men on furfough was
In the nature of a request and an urgent
appeal to the patriotism of the holders
thereof, to respond to the call of their
suffering country in her effort to drive
from the confines of their native state
the common enemy of the entire South
land. Be 1t said to their honor and re-
nown, in General Hokes report of the
mobilization he commented on the fact
that 536 officers and men whose furloughs
had not expired responded promptly to
the call of their suffering country. OF
such material were the men composed
who offered their lives on the altar of
their country's liberty In the days of 81
s5.
At break of day. April ", the long roll
was sounded the men fell into line
promptly with knapsack on back and
musket in hand ready to march. The
division was formed en-masse in a large
open space just outside the town OF Ham,
Dton, General Hoke commanding, came
TO the center of the assembled body and
sn short address informed both officers
end men that the objective point upon
which he had orders to march was Ply
mouth. that its capture would not be an
easy one, that every officer and man
was expected to do his duty. He called the
attention of the North Carolina troops
to the fact that within the next twenty
four hours they would open a ball which
he hoped would not end until the last
Federal soldier was driven from the
borders of the "Old North State" At
half past five In the morning orders were
given to march. and with the Informal
ton that our job was not to be an easy
one 1t is useless to attempt to conceal
the fact that there was considerable anx-
fety as to the probable result. The boys
were separately agreeing among them
selves as to reports to be made to the
survivors to the relatives and friends
of those less fortunate than themselves
] regret that this story must be written
largely in the first person. as 1 can tell
II In no other way.
The artillery company, of which l was
O member, was assigned to General Matt.
Ransom's brigade of North Carolinians,
as brave a band of tar heels as ever
Bhouldered a musket or executed an or
der. A bond of sympathy soon sprang
up between our battery and Colonel
George H. Worthams regiment to
which we were Immediately attached. and
"our Alabama boys were cheered on
every possible occasion by their tar heel''
admirers and supporters We reached
Williamson on the morning Of April II.
about l o'clock where we were delayed
on account of some hitch in the machin-
cry OF the ALTERNATE. the iron-clad
vessel which was to cooperate with the
land forces In the capture OF the town
After the trouble was remedied We were
ordered forward. reaching Plymouth at
& o'clock on the 10Th. Two brigades were
Immediately thrown into line and order
I'd TO move on block house No. q
situated near a point known as warren's
Neck. After a hard fight, in which our
forces were several times repulsed by
the heavy discharge of hand grenades
the block-house was captured and its
guns turned on the intrenched town.
AFTER the capture or DlOck-hOuSo No.
2 General Hoke ordered General Matt
Ransom to march his brigade to a point
below the town and there cooperate with
the gun-boat, 'Albemarle", under the
command of Captain James w. Cooke,
C. s. N. The latter brave officer had al
ready destroyed the "Southfeld." crippled
the Miami and captured two smaller
vessels Later in the day orders were
given to move on the town sim ultaneous-
ly from all sides, and with the assistance
of the iron-clad and the two smaller
boats captured early In the engagement,
which had been manned by Captain
Cooke to protect the water front. the
stronghold was taken within three hours
of the first moving.
General Vessels and his brave band
made 1t very warm for us during the en-
tire engagement and many brave fell
low on both sides lay with his face to
the skies before capitulation. 1t seemed
to be hard for the defenders of the be-
sieged town to realize that they were de-
feated, for after we had gotten within
the outer lines of the breastwork they
fought us hand TO hand from the various |
bomb-proofs they had erected. anticipat- |
Ing q siege similar to the one at little |