Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 12.djvu/87

Rh In the meantime the Underwriter slipped her cable and made efforts to get up sufficient steam from her banked fires to move off, or run the Confederates down. This movement only hastened the boarding party, and the crews pulled rapidly alongside. The instructions to the boats were that one of the divisions should board forward and the other astern, but in the excitement the largest number of boats went forward, with Captain Wood amidships. . . . The enemy gathered in the ways just aft of the wheel-house, and as the Confederates came up they poured into them volley after volley of musketry, each flash of which reddened the waters around, enabling the attacking party to note their position. In spite of the heavy fire, the boarders were cool and yet eager, now and then one or more were struck down, but the rest never faltered. When the boats struck the sides of the Underwriter, grapnels were thrown on board, and the Confederates were soon scrambling, with cutlass and pistol in hand, to the deck with a rush and a wild cheer that rung across the waters, the firing from the enemy never ceasing for one moment. The brave Lieut. B. P. Loyall was the first to reach the deck, with Engineer Emmet F. Gill and Captain Wood at his side. Following in their steps came Lieutenants Hoge, Kerr, Porcher, Gardner, Roby, Wilkinson and Gift, with Midshipmen Saunders, Lee, Cook and Scharf.

The Underwriter was soon in possession of the Confederates. She was a side-wheel steamer, carried four guns, and had a crew of about 80 men. She made an obstinate defense, losing in the engagement her captain and 8 men killed, and 20 wounded. On the Confederate side the loss was, Engineer E. F. Gill, Midshipman Palmer Saunders and 4 men killed, and 22 wounded.

It had been the intention of Captain Wood to proceed in the Underwriter and attempt the capture of other of the United States gunboats; but he found her moored, head and stern, only 200 yards from the Federal batteries, and as these batteries now opened a heavy fire upon her, he was compelled to burn and abandon her. In the confusion, 23 of her officers and men made their escape in one of the boats. Upon reaching Kinston the party dis-