us than they had against us. Captain Cooke too of the
Albemarle dropped some of his 90 pound shell among them. Still
they resisted stoutly, showing a disposition to die rather than
to yield. At last, however, some of our boys creeping forward
through the entrenchments, got an enfilading fire upon them,
which soon brought them to terms, and hundreds of them rushed
out of the fort without arms and surrendered. Just at this
moment a shell burst directly on the magazine, and when the
smoke cleared away the hated flag was fluttering rapidly down to
the ground. Without waiting for orders, the brigade swarmed into
the fort, Company B, of the 24th, leading, and the color of
everything was quickly changed from blue to grey."

From the _Examiner_, April 22d:

"The details of the affair at Plymouth are not yet fully
ascertained. It is safe, however, to pronounce it one of the
most brilliant affairs of the war. Its immediate fruits are
important. Those which may ultimately flow from it, the
possession of an abundant country, and the possible command of
the inland waters of North Carolina, though as yet the subject
of uncertain speculation, may well excite high hopes for the
future. General Hoke, judging from the large number of his
prisoners, does not seem to have made such thorough work as that
by which Forrest has so shocked the tender souls and frozen the
warm blood of the Yankees. The resistance he encountered was
probably not as desperate, and the blood of the victors not so
heated; though in a fortification carried by storm the loss of
the garrison must inevitably be large. The strict laws of
civilized warfare acknowledge the power of the victors to put
all to the sword in such cases. However severe such an example
might seem it would strike a salutary terror into the Yankees,
which would be useful to them in the end, and their melancholy
whine, at meeting a part of the punishment their barbarities
merit, is absurd."

From the _Examiner_, April 25th:

"Tuesday evening a flag of truce was sent to Fort Williams,
demanding the surrender of the enemy. The flag was taken by
Colonel Deering and another officer; and General Wessels, the
Yankee commander, refused to treat with them, but requested a
conference with the General commanding. At the interview which
ensued the Yankee com