FIRST BATTLE OF THE CONFEDERATE RAM “ALBEMARLE.” 627
CAPTAIN J. W. COOKE, C. S. N.
breathe, we made our way back up the river, hug-ging the northern bank, and reached the ramabout 1 o’clock, reporting to Captain Cooke that itwas practicable to pass the obstructions providedthe boat was kept in the middle of the stream.Captain Cooke instantly aroused his men, gave theorder to get up steam, slipped the cables in his im-patience to be off, and started down the river. Theobstructions were soon reached and safely passed,under a fire from the fort at V/arren’s Neck whichwas not returned. Protected by the iron-cladshield, to those on board the noise made by theshot and shell as they struck the boat sounded nolouder than pebbles thrown against an empty bar-rel. At Boyle’s Mill, lower down, there was an-other fort upon which was mounted a very heavygun. This was also safely passed, and we thendiscovered two steamers coming up the river.They proved to be the Miami and the Southfield. &
The two ships were lashed together with longspars, and with chains festooned between them.The plan of Captain Plusser, who commanded,was to run his vessels so as to get the Albemarlebetween the two, which would have placed theram at a great disadvantage, if not altogether athis mercy; but Captain Cooke ran the ram close tothe southern shore, and then suddenly turningtoward the middle of the stream, and going withthe current, the throttles, in obedience to his bell,being wide open, he dashed the prow of the Albe-marle into the side of the Southfield, making anopening large enough to carry her to the bottom inmuch less time than it takes to tell the story. Partof her crew went down with her.4-
The chain-plates on the forward deck of theAlbemarle became entangled in the frame of thesinking vessel, and her bow was carried down tosuch a depth that water poured into her port-holes
% The Miami carried six 9-incli guns, one 100-pounderParrott rifle, and one 24-pounder smooth-bore howitzer,and the ferry-boat Southfield five 9-inch, one 100-pounderParrott, and one 12 -pounder howitzer.— Editors.
| Of the officers and men of the Southfield, seven of
in great volume, and she would soon have sharedthe fate of the Southfield, had not the latter vesselreached the bottom, and then, turning over on herside, released the ram, thus allowing her to comeup on an even keel. The Miami , right alongside,had opened fire with her heavy guns, and so closewere the vessels that a shell with a ten-secondfuse, fired by Captain Plusser, after striking theAlbemarle rebounded and exploded, killing thegallant man who pulled the lanyard, tearing himalmost to pieces. Notwithstanding the deathof Plusser, an attempt was made to board theram, which was heroically resisted by as many ofthe crew as could be crowded on the top deck,who were supplied with loaded muskets passed upby their- comrades below. The Miami , a very fastside-wheeler, succeeded in eluding the Albemarlewithout receiving a blow from her ram, and re-tired below Plymouth, into Albemarle Sound.
Captain Cooke having successfully carried out hispart of the programme, General Hoke attacked thefortifications the next morning and carried them ;not, however, without heavy loss, Ransom’s bri-gade alone leaving five hundred dead and woundedon the field, in their most heroic charge upon thebreastworks protecting the eastern front of thetown. General Wessells, commanding the Federalforces, made a gallant resistance, and surrenderedonly when further effort would have been worsethan useless. During the attack the Albemarle heldthe river front, and all day long poured shot andshell into the resisting forts with her two guns.
COMMANDER C. W. FLUSSER, TJ. S. N.
Jill_i