into the Sound, thus leaving the ram in a position to
extricate herself from the Southfield, as she could not do while held down
by the cable. If French had, instead of cutting the cables, just put on
steam, he could have run the ram on the shore stern foremost, as Flusser
had intended to do, and for which purpose he had the boats lashed
together. Extricating herself from the Southfield, from whose guns she was
continually receiving solid shot, she opened her batteries upon her and
soon sent her to the bottom, picking up and making prisoners of the crew.
These were very bitter in their denunciation of Capt. French, whose
cowardice alone, they said, saved the ram from being run ashore and
captured, as it would have been had Flusser lived.

CHAPTER IV.

OUR RETREAT CUT OFF--A PERILOUS RECONNOISSANCE BY THE CAVALRY--CAVALRY
SENT TO CAPTURE A BOAT'S CREW--FLEEING NORTH CAROLINIANS--WALKING BACK
INTO PRISON RATHER THAN TO SKULK A FIGHT--FIRING THE TWO HUNDRED POUNDER
AT THE RAM--SQUELCHING A REBEL SHARP-SHOOTER--A FURIOUS ATTACK AND FEARFUL
SLAUGHTER--A PRISONER OF WAR.

Being now in possession of the river, the Albemarle took her station about
a mile below the town, just opposite our left, which, as I have said, was
unprotected by works. This was the only weak point in our defence, and
while our own fleet was in the river, they could effectually protect this;
but now that they were replaced by the Albemarle, Hoke would have no
trouble in getting through and gaining our rear. The greatest obstacle now
to be overcome by the enemy, was the passage of a deep, wide creek and
swamp, half a mile from the river, which was commanded by Comphor and
Coneby redoubts.

At daylight of this, the 19th, we also discovered that the enemy had
gained possession of Fort Wessels, the small works mentioned as being over
a quarter of a mile on our right, and on a line with Fort Williams. This,
taken with the fact that our retreat was cut off, made us feel a good deal
as though we were prisoners.

At 6 a. m. Capt. Hodges, brigade-quartermaster on Gen. Wessel's staff,
came to me and said the General had assigned me to a very delicate and
dangerous duty, which was to take thirty picked men of my command, and
pass between Hoke's right and the ram, and proceed to Stewart's Hill,
which was on the river about one and a half miles below the ram, where he
thought a boat's crew from the ram would land and attempt to communicate
with Hoke. My du