le blunder. The signal was given for
the fleet to "cease firing," then for the sailors to advance. We had
quite a distance to go up the beach before making a "right face" and
rushing into the fort. The Confederates had anticipated that very
movement on our part, and were prepared for it. They rushed out of the
bomb-proofs, and gave our troops a murderous fire of musketry without
our being able to return the fire. Then the big gun was discharged, and
it made a terrible gap in our column. The detachment just ahead of ours
was almost annihilated as they received the full charge of grape-shot.
Some of the men were thrown several feet into the air. Each of the
grape-shot weighed three pounds. There must have been nearly a hundred
in the charge, as it was a double load from a hundred-and-fifty pounder.
About two hundred men near the head of the column had reached some low
sand-dunes which protected them, but the men following them became
panic-stricken, and fell back upon those in their rear. The whole column
was thrown into disorder, and compelled to retreat, the enemy keeping up
a heavy fire as we passed down the beach. As badly whipped as the
sailors were, they deserved great credit for one thing: not a wounded
shipmate was deserted; all were carried off. The dead were all dragged
up above high-water mark, so that the tide would not carry their bodies
out to sea. Had we marched up to our proper position, under cover of
fire from the fleet, and the attack then been made, results would have
been different, but being killed outright, through lack of good
judgment, would discourage almost anybody! The plan of the attack was
good. With the sailors assaulting the front and the soldiers the rear,
the enemy would have been between two fires. Colonel Pennypacker, with
his regiment, was inside the fort, the other regiments on the outside of
the traverses; they were gradually driving the enemy back. Signals were
made to the fleet where to throw their shells so as to avoid hitting our
own troops. The sailors were reorganized, and manned the trenches across
the open ground, to prevent re-enforcements to the Confederates coming
from Wilmington. By that arrangement, a regiment armed with seven-shot
repeating rifles was relieved and added to the assaulting party at the
fort.

Night came on and the fight still continued. Signals by light were made
to the fleet how to direct their fire. At one o'clock in the morning the
battle was ended by