Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 12.djvu/32

22 ing that she should accomplish her wishes.' Simms gave a very correct report of the number of men-of-war in the fleet; it was not possible to count the transports. At sunset, as we saw no disposition on the part of the enemy to move, we anchored. We kept guard boats out during the night to avoid a surprise.

"At daylight on the 7th, the Appomattox was sent to Edenton, and, as she did not return till sunset, and the Warrior took no part in the action, this reduced our force on the water to 7 vessels and 8 guns. At 9 a. m. we observed the enemy to be under weigh and coming up, and we formed 'line abreast,' in the rear of the obstructions. At 1 1 130 the fight commenced at long range. The enemy's fire was aimed at Fort Bartow and our vessels, and we soon became warmly engaged. The commodore at first directed the vessels to fall back in the hope of drawing the enemy under the fire of Forts Huger, Blanchard and Forrest; but as he did not attempt to advance, and evidently had no intention of passing the obstructions, we took up our first position and kept it during the day. At 2 p. m. the firing was hot and heavy, and so continued till sunset. Our gunners had had no practice with rifled guns, and the firing was bad. It was entirely too rapid. Early in the fight the Forrest was disabled, and her gallant young captain, Lieutenant Hoole, badly wounded in the head by a piece of shell. She got in under Fort Forrest and anchored.

"Some time in the afternoon, in the hottest of the fire, reinforcements arrived from General Wise's brigade, and were landed on the island. The Richmond Blues, Capt. E. Jennings Wise, were part of this force. Fort Bartow kept up a constant fire, and the enemy could not silence it. The men stood to their guns, encouraged by the spirited example of their captain, Lieut. B. P. Loyall. Forts Huger and Forrest did not fire, the enemy's ships being out of range ; but Fort Blanchard fired an occasional gun during the day. [Maj. John Saunders