dock.

The next day their artillery opened on the right of the town, but the
lay of the ground in front of our works was such that it was really
our strongest point. A few of their infantry advanced into a ravine in
our front, and were unable to extricate themselves until dark.

During the day the town was pretty effectually shelled, and a caisson
was blown up on each side. Our navy being entirely gone, the ram
"Albemarle" did good service for the enemy, with ninety and two
hundred pound shot.

Three separate times were we asked to surrender and save further
sacrifice of life, but each was peremptorily declined. General Hoke
(rebel) the last time replying, "I will fill your citadel _full_ of
iron; I will compel your surrender, if I have to fight to the last
man."

There was no doubt now but what we must succumb sooner or later. There
was no hope unless reinforced, and that could not be as long as the
ram was in the river. The men built bombproofs and traverses, which
were a great protection.

Late in the evening, Co. "G" was ordered to the left of the town, on
the Columbia road. They lay there during the night, preventing the
gunners on the ram from sighting their guns and coming on deck; they
also had two little brushes with cavalry, who broke through the line
to procure beef that was in a yard near by. The enemy, meanwhile, were
concentrating nearly half their force opposite this point.

By 4.30 o'clock on the morning of the 20th, (I find from their
accounts,) they had ten regiments of infantry, four battalions of
artillery, (Pegram's, Blunt's, Marshall's, and Lee's,) and two
companies of cavalry, besides the "Albemarle" and "Cotton Plant." This
must have made a force of five or six thousand in line about six
hundred yards in front of our works. At this hour a rocket was sent up
as the signal for the attack, and a more furious charge we never
witnessed. Instantly over our heads came a peal of thunder from the
ram. Up rose a curling wreath of smoke--the batteries had opened, and
quickly flashed fierce forks of flame--loud and earth-shaking roars in
quick succession. Lines of men came forth from the woods--the battle
had begun.

Company G, being on the skirmish line, fell back and entered "Coneby
redoubt," properly barred the gate and manned the works. The enemy,
with yells, charged on the works, in heavy column, jumped into the
ditch, climbed the parapet, and, with the artillery company (who had
previously oc