Reminiscences of Two Years in the United States Navy Part 5

ORGANIZATION OF THE EXPEDITION.

The naval portion of this expedition sailed from Plymouth on the evening of the 9th instant, in the following order: Wyalusing, Lieutenant Commander Earl English, bearing the broad pennant of Commander W. H. Macomb, commanding the fourth division of the North Atlantic squadron; Valley City, Acting Master J. A. J. Brooks; Otsego, Commander Arnold; Chicopee, Commander Hannell; Bazeley, Acting Ensign Aimes; tug Belle, Acting Master Green; and the picket launch No. 5, Acting Ensign Chapman. The Shamrock was to follow.

A land force commanded by Colonel Frankle had started from Plymouth at daylight the same morning, to co-operate with the fleet.

THE OTSEGO DESTROYED BY A TORPEDO.

Without interruption, the squadron at 9 o'clock the same night arrived at Jamesville, a small town above Plymouth some twelve miles, when the signal to anchor was made from the flag-ship. The night being dark, and the river flowing rapidly in its narrow and tortuous channel, it was thought best to proceed no further until daylight. The Wyalusing had just let go her anchor a few yards above the town, when two loud reports were heard astern, and dense volumes of smoke and steam were seen to envelop the Otsego. That fine vessel had struck two torpedoes, one under the port coal-bunker, the other beneath the keelson, driving a large hole through her bottom, and throwing one of her hundred-pounder rifled Parrotts into the air. She sank in fifteen minutes in three fathoms of water, being a complete wreck. Her officers and men lost all their clothing, except what they had on at the moment of the explosion, but were cared for by their comrades of the other vessels, who hurried to their rescue, and periled their own lives in saving their shipwrecked fellow-sailors. Commander Arnold behaved with great coolness, and his self-possession soon restored order and discipline on board the sunken ship, or rather on her hurricane deck, which alone remained out of water.

DESTRUCTION OF THE BAZELEY.

In the morning orders were given to drag for torpedoes, when it was found that the Otsego had struck upon a perfect nest of them. The boats which had been pa.s.sing and repa.s.sing to and from her during the night, had rowed over numbers of them, happily without touching them. Several were picked up alongside the Otsego, and two were hanging to the torpedo-fender rigged at her bow. The steamer Bazeley during the morning was ordered to run down to Plymouth, to convey orders and dispatches, taking on board for that purpose Paymaster Louis Sands, of the Shamrock, who had been detailed as one of Commander Macomb's aids in this expedition. On her way down, being directed to communicate with the Otsego, Captain Aimes ran towards the sunken vessel, when a torpedo struck the Bazeley under the pilot house, blowing a hole clear through her, killing Wm. C.

Rossell, a lad, and John Gerrard, first-cla.s.s boy, and sinking the ship instantly. The officers and remainder of the crew escaped by swimming, and were picked up by boats. Captain Aimes, upon returning to the flagship, thus laconically reported his loss to Commander Macomb: "Sir, the Bazeley has gone up."

The destruction of two of our vessels so quickly made things look blue, but the grit and metal that headed the expedition were sufficient to overcome such disasters.

A FRESH START.

Preparations were now fully carried out to drag the river by boats for the torpedoes, which were constantly found in the richest and choicest cl.u.s.ters, in some places eight or nine being placed across the river in a line, and having susceptibilities of the most sensitive nature, going off on the slightest provocation.

Communication with Plymouth having been obtained, the signal was made to advance, the Valley City taking the lead.

Mr. Chamberlain, a civilian, had volunteered to go with the expedition with a calcium light, which proved to be of great advantage to the fleet in the intense darkness of the nights. The light was placed on the leading vessel, and made our pathway as clear as broad daylight. The fleet proceeded slowly, having six boats constantly employed in dragging and picking up torpedoes, which continued to be found in great profusion. Large numbers were found at Shad Island Bend and other points, and many exploded in the attempt made to get them on sh.o.r.e. Eighty were taken up in a distance of thirty miles.

LIVING ON THE ENEMY.

The fleet anch.o.r.ed off several of the plantations along the river, and the men were allowed to regale themselves with fresh provisions and other luxurious articles that were contraband of war. All articles of military value were taken or destroyed, and a quant.i.ty of cotton pressed into the service as bulwarks against the sharpshooters who lined the banks of the stream. Mr. Speller, a rich planter, owning a place called Speller's Landing, was arrested and sent to Plymouth. He had accepted a nomination to a seat in the rebel Legislature, had three sons in the rebel army, and was himself a bitter reviler and opponent of the government. Other prominent rebels were also seized and sent to Plymouth. One of them offered Commander Macomb and Lieutenant Commander English a large amount of gold, which he had on his person, to release him; but like Paulding and Van Wert of old, the patriotism of the sailor chiefs revolted at the attempt to bribe them, and an order to place the rebel in closer confinement was the only result of the proposition. Corruption has been little known in this war among our naval officers; and though many of them are far from wealthy, their honor and good name are more precious in their eyes than millions of dishonorable wealth.

THE OPERATIONS OF THE ARMY.

It was part of the programme that Colonel Frankle should communicate with the fleet at Jamesville; but without waiting for the arrival of the vessels, he pushed on his men to Foster's Mills, where a skirmish ensued with the enemy, who were repulsed. The mills were burned, and Colonel Clark was left to hold the place, while the main body proceeded onward, the rebels retreating on Rainbow Banks, a very strong and commanding position on the river, twenty miles above Williamston. The fleet learned the news by one of Colonel Clark's scouts, and the next day one of our picket boats, which had been sent back to Jamesville, returned to the fleet, bringing additional intelligence that the army, getting out of provisions, had fallen back to Jamesville. Commander Macomb sent a dispatch to Colonel Frankle commanding, stating that time was precious; that the fleet would proceed at all hazards, and would turn back for nothing until it reached the bluff; and urging that the troops should go forward at once. A promise was returned that the troops would again move forward in a short time.

THE FLEET APPROACHES POPLAR POINT.

The fleet kept on its way for several days more, dragging the river at every step, exploding torpedoes, fighting sharpshooters, and pressing forward toward Rainbow Bluff; until, on the evening of the 20th, we turned a bend in the stream exposing to view Poplar Point, a high bluff thoroughly commanding the river.

THE MARINES ON Sh.o.r.e DUTY.

On our left, after doubling the bend, was a large marshy plain protected by a d.y.k.e, behind which sharpshooters were thought to be lurking. Commander Macomb ordered the marines of the squadron to land, and under command of Acting Ensign Fesset, of the Wyalusing, to move along the bank, behind the levee, and look out for the enemy. They soon found the rebel pickets and skirmished with them, the rebels being driven back towards the point. Soon a large body of rebels was found, and a brisk little action took place. A prisoner being captured by Sergeant Kane, of the Shamrock, belonging to Whitford's rebel regiment, reported that his regiment was in the swamp, as the advance of the rebels, whose entire strength was some six thousand men. The marines continued the skirmishing until nightfall, when they were recalled, having throughout the day behaved admirably, retaining the good reputation which that branch of the service has always held.

THE VALLEY CITY ENCOUNTERS A BATTERY.

No sooner had the Valley City, which continued to be the leading vessel, shown her head around the point, than she was saluted by a battery which the rebels had placed there so skillfully as to give them accurate and deadly aim. She replied with great effect, and silenced the battery; but night fell, and the firing ceased. During the night all the vessels were annoyed by the rebels, who would sneak up under cover of the trees, fire a volley upon our decks, and skedaddle, their retreat being often accelerated by a wholesome dose of grape. During the day the Valley City had suffered badly from the rebel battery. Pilot John A. Lewis was shot through the head with a Minie ball and instantly killed. He was buried on the bank of the river--the rebels, with their accustomed barbarity, firing on the burying party.

A sh.e.l.l exploded in the pilot-house of the Valley City, badly wounding her other pilot. A number of her men were also badly hurt.

THE FLEET IN A TIGHT PLACE.

The 21st and 22d were pa.s.sed in sh.e.l.ling the batteries on Poplar Point, and endeavoring to drag the river for torpedoes, that were now thicker than ever. As fast as our boats would leave the ships to commence dragging, the rebels would open on them, wounding and killing the men. A new battery opened on the Valley City, inflicting serious damage on her. The other ships, with their hundred-pounder rifles, drove the rebels off repeatedly, but only to return whenever our fire slackened. It was plain that we could no longer do without a land force to drive the fellows off and clear the way for our dragging boats. Every moment the rebels thickened in the woods; the trees and bushes were alive with sharpshooters; batteries were discovered in process of erection in our rear; and in a word, the position of the squadron was critical.

THE FLEET WITHDRAWS TO JAMESVILLE.

Commander Macomb again sent a despatch to the colonel commanding the land forces, begging him to press forward without delay. The reply was that the army would advance when transportation permitted. The position of the fleet was untenable for twenty-four hours more; to have remained would have insured the loss of another vessel; to advance was impossible without army co-operation: so, very reluctantly, Commander Macomb gave the order to fall back to Jamesville, there to await the action of the army. The fleet fought its way back for seven or eight miles, and the rest of the way was pa.s.sed in quiet.

The Otsego had not yet been put out of commission--Commander Arnold and a portion of her crew remaining on her hurricane-deck, and living _al fresco_. Her heavy battery had been removed to the Shamrock and Wyalusing, but her bra.s.s howitzer still remained on her hurricane-deck to defend her crew. A survey was now held upon her, and it was decided that it was impossible to raise either her or the Bazeley. Everything that could be removed was taken away, and two torpedoes were placed in her hull and exploded, thus finishing the work of the rebels. Her remains were then set on fire, and she was burned to the water's edge.

The entire fleet, with the exception of the Chicopee and Mattabessett, are now at Jamesville; and the United States steamer Lockwood, to which Captain Aimes was ordered after the loss of the Bazeley, joined it last night, having sailed from Newbern to do so.

COMMANDER MACOMB.

The indomitable perseverance of Commander Macomb and his captains, in pushing on through a river filled with torpedoes and lined with sharpshooters for fifty miles, dragging almost every foot of the way, and driving the enemy before them, is unsurpa.s.sed even in the brilliant naval history of this war. Many commanders would have faltered after losing two of their vessels; but there was no faltering in Macomb. It was not until all hope of land co-operation was exhausted, and until it was demonstrated that without a land support he could go no further, that he consented to retire.

Throughout the whole expedition, he asked his men to encounter no danger that he did not himself share. His exposure of himself to death was constant and unflinching; his coolness and self-possession never left him; and in him his officers and men beheld an example worthy of their emulation.

Thanks of the officers of the Otsego, to Captain Wood and officers of the transport, General Berry:

"WRECK OF UNITED STATES STEAMER OTSEGO, "ROANOKE RIVER, N.C., DECEMBER, 15, 1864.

"The officers of this vessel desire to express their thanks to Captain Wood and other officers of the army transport, General Berry, for the politeness and kind consideration they received on board that boat, after their own vessel was blown up by torpedoes, on the night of December 9, and the polite manner in which they furnished both officers and men with every facility for obtaining the comforts they so much needed.

"H. N. T. ARNOLD, _Lieutenant Commander_.

"HENRY D. FOSTER, _Ensign and Executive Officer_.

"J. P. GALLAGHER, _Ensign_.

"WM. H. MCLEAN, _Ensign_.

"GEORGE C. REYNOLDS, _a.s.sistant Surgeon_.

"SAMUEL C. MIDLAM, _Acting First a.s.s't Engineer_.

"R. A. ROLFE, _Captain's Clerk_.

"ROBERT S. HOUSTON, _Paymaster's Clerk_.

"FRANLIN STEDMAN, _Acting Master's Mate_."

THAT OLD FAMILY BIBLE.

A Bible captured near Windsor, North Carolina, during the expedition up Roanoke river, on the night of December 16th, 1864, by Ensign Milton Webster, on a marauding expedition, is over a hundred years old, as is shown by its t.i.tle-page: "Edinburgh: Printed by Alexander Kincaid, his Majesty's Printer, MDCCLXIX." The book originally belonged to W. A.

Turner, of Windsor, North Carolina, as that name appears in gilt upon one of the corners of the Bible; and on a page in the book appears the following record:

"David Turner and Elizabeth Armistead were married Tuesday, August 16, 1785.

"David Turner born September 2d, 1738; Elizabeth Armistead born December 29th, 1759.