atteries ashore fell around us
fast and thick, but fortunately nobody aboard was seriously injured,
notwithstanding the vessel was struck several times by shell, and also
by a number of bullets. At 9:20 o'clock p.m., after throwing coal
overboard, emptying the boiler, and with the assistance of the tug
Belle, which came up, we got afloat, and were towed by the tug Belle
down into Albemarle Sound, along side of the Otsego. On the 30th the
hawser was taken out of the propeller. At 1:15 p.m. the Valley City got
under weigh, and steamed alongside of the Tacony for coal.

I append an extract from the _North Carolina Confederate_, published at
Raleigh, N.C., bearing on the brush up the Scuppernong river:

"BRUSH WITH THE YANKEE GUNBOATS.

"The Goldsborough _State Journal_ gives an account of quite a
spirited little brush between a small detachment of our troops and
some of the Yankee gunboats, which attempted to go up the
Scuppernong river, in which the Yankees came out second best.

"On attempting to ascend the river, two boats were attacked and
forced back by Lieutenant Sharp, commanding Captain Pitt's company
of cavalry, assisted by two pieces of artillery under Lieutenant
Williams of Lee's light battery, and Lieutenant McWaston of the
50th North Carolina regiment, with thirty infantry.

"One of the boats got aground at the mouth of the river, about
seven hundred yards from the shore, where she was well peppered for
some time by both our artillery and sharpshooters, one shot
striking her near the water-line.

"So hot was the fire upon this craft that the Yankees were all
driven from their guns.

"Three more gunboats at length came up to their relief, and opened
fiercely on our little party, who courageously held their ground
and fought them, till the approach of night and scarcity of
ammunition admonished us to retire beyond the range of the enemy's
guns.

"We had three men slightly wounded, and one howitzer was somewhat
damaged by a shell.

"The enemy's loss has not been ascertained, but it must have been
considerable, as their _wooden_ gunboat was aground and under the
fire of our artillery for some three hours, and it was well
ascertained that every man had to seek shelter below from the
deadly aim of our sharpshooters.

"Hit him again, Colonel W."

Mr. Milton Webster, Executive Officer of th