uction of
the ram. These guns were trained on the slat door, and on the opposite
side was the door of the magazine, which was well supplied with hand
grenades, shell, and a large supply of powder. Should a shell come through
the door and explode inside this magazine, it would blow us all into
eternity.

The boys were using their carbines with terrible effect upon those serving
the pieces; and although there were but thirty or forty of us, so rapid
and accurate were the discharges, that for some time the enemy were
prevented from using them upon us; but the heavy column of Confederates
that had poured in on our left and gained the rear of our entire works,
were closing in upon us along the river bank, which served them
excellently as a protection; while they were within a few feet of the
unprotected portion of our redoubt, so near were they, that after a
council of the officers, a white flag was raised on a bayonet as a token
of surrender, and it had scarcely appeared above the low earthwork, which
was only about breast high, when half a dozen rebs stood upon it peering
down curiously at us, whom they were surprised to find so few in number,
having supposed from the rapidity and effectiveness of our firing, that
there were at least a hundred of us.

When I found that a surrender was inevitable, I seized my pistol by the
muzzle (a weapon that had been presented me before leaving home) and threw
it far out into the river, rather than have it fall into the hands of the
enemy. At the same time the Sergeant in charge of the big gun spiked it,
by driving in a rat-tail file with a hammer and breaking it off close to
the piece. We were at once asked to lay down our arms, and were marched
under guard down to the left, receiving, as we went, a furious discharge
of grape from Fort Williams, under the supposition that we were
Confederates, Hoke's main column following along the line of works, taking
them in detail until Fort Williams alone remained to Gen. Wessels; and
this was completely surrounded, and hemmed in on all sides, while the
sharpshooters of the enemy were stationed in the houses, where they could
effectually prevent the men from serving the guns. Bravely did Wessels
defend his stronghold, repelling all assaults until nearly noon, when he
met Hoke under a flag of truce, to agree upon terms of the surrender,
Wessels asking that he be allowed to march out with his colors, the
officers retaining their side arms. This Hoke