Answer to question 6. Seven shots from 8-inch columbiad were seen to have entered one of the frigates, besides numbers from 10-inch and other guns. Answer to question 7. Nothing of importance occurred at night more than firing of grape when enemy supposed to be landing. Answer to question 8. No enemy captured or killed on land. Auswer to question 12. No small-arms lost. Colonel LAMB, D. R. PERRY, Lieutenant, Commanding Company B. Commanding. No. 21. Report of Capt. Oliver H. Powell, Thirty-sixth North Carolina Regiment (Second North Carolina Artillery). HEDRICK'S BATTERY, COLONEL: On Saturday, the 24th, the first day of the fight, I had the honor of commanding Batteries Lenoir and Roland. Battery Lenoir has two 7-inch rifles, but was not fired during the day, being under orders not to fire them without the fleet entered the inlet. Battery Roland has two 10-inch columbiads. No. 1 gun was manned by my first lieutenant; No. 2, by my second lieutenant, and was fired during the day fifty-three times-No. 1 forty-two times, No. 2 eleven times. No casualties in the company during this day. No damage done the guns, carriages, or batteries. There were in sight of these batteries about thirty-five vessels during the day (Saturday); class-frigates, ironsides, and side-wheel steamers. There were quite a number of these shots that took effect. The wheel-house was seen to shiver at one of these shots, but usually the fog was so thick that the effect could not be seen. The night passed off quietly without firing or any disturbance. Sunday, December 25, I commanded Hedrick's and Lenoir's batteries. Hedrick's has two 10-inch columbiads, and was fired twenty-five timesNo. 1 thirteen times and No. 2 twelve times. No casualties occurred among the men or officers at the guns, but during the day three privates were wounded-William J. Ward, jr., mortally (since dead), Henry Stricklin severely wounded at the mound, having been ordered there with two detachments to support Captain Brooks in repelling small boats which threatened a landing; also, Riley Everett was slightly wounded on the right knee. Damage to the carriages none, batteries slight. All has been repaired. There were forty-two vessels in sight of our guns to-day-one ironsides, three frigates, and other classes that I cannot name. The effect of the shots was not perceivable, the calmness of the weather allowing the smoke to prevent. About 2 o'clock in the night picket-firing commenced near the mound. I was ordered to rake the beach with grape and canister, which I did without any known effect more than that the picket reported the small boats of the enemy repulsed. I did not capture, kill, nor see any of the enemy on the land. Have not lost any small-arms by the enemy's shots. My company behaved with conspicuous gallantry during the whole action. Very respectfully, your obedient servart, servarty. H. POWELL, Captain Company E., Thirty-sixth North Carolina Troops. [Colonel LAMB.] No. 22. Reports of Capt. Samuel B. Hunter, Thirty-sixth North Carolina Regiment (Second North Carolina Artillery). DECEMBER 28, 1864. Report of commencement and progress of the bombardment of Fort Fisher: The engagement commenced at 12.40 p. m. on Saturday, 24th of December, the Ironsides taking the lead, followed in close succession by two monitors-one a single and one a double turretted. In regular order after these a large number of heavy frigates, carrying from forty to fifty guns each, formed in order of battle, some halting in the rear of the Ironsides, others passing to the left of her until they extended past the direction of the bar. The Ironsides took position about one mile and a half from the fort and in nearly an eastern direction from the northeast corner; the iron-clad monitors about the same distance, but a little farther to the northward. The first shot fired by the enemy was froin the Ironsides, as she took position first and was nearer at that time to the fort than the rest. Soon after the bombardment commenced in earnest, shot and shell, shrapnel, &c., flying thick as hail, but perhaps a little hotter. The fort remained silent for thirty minutes, when the signal gun therefrom was fired from the pulpit (a 10-inch) at the nearest frigate in. The bombardment continued with increased fury from the enemy's fleet till nearly 5 p. m., when it began to slacken, and finally ceased at 5.30 p.m. The fort only fired occasionally, as but very few of the wooden ships were in range of our smooth-bore guns, and they were not much exposed to our rifles except those lying far out. Toward the latter part of that day's operations about a dozen of the enemy's vessels extended much farther to the southward and westward, thus getting a cross-fire on the fort, which exposed the guns on the land face much more than before, their rear being almost entirely unprotected. Long range but small Parrott guns were mostly used from this latter position. S. B. HUNTER, Captain Company F, Thirty-sixth North Carolina Troops. Report of first day's fight at Fort Fisher, December 24: Number of guns under my command, four, viz, one 8-inch Blakely and three 10-inch columbiads. Fired Blakely twenty-four times with shell exclusively; fired one 10-inch columbiad twenty-one times with shot and twenty times with shell-total, forty-one times; fired another 10-inch columbiad twenty-five times with shot; fired pulpit 10-inch columbiad thirty-five times with shot. Number of casualties, 8 wounded. Muzzle of Blakely was slightly broken with fragment of shell. Two sponges were broken by enemy's shells at one of the 10-inch guns. Pulpit 10-inch columbiad was dismounted; supposed to have been done by a shell from the enemy's gun bursting near the muzzle and setting fire to the charge with which it was loaded, the gun being in gear and in the act of being run in battery. The epaulement in front of 10-inch columbiad was torn down by shell bursting as it passed through. About fifty vessels were in sight from my guns, viz, six frigates and Ironsides, two monitors, and forty-one gun-boats of various classes. The wheel-house of one frigate was struck by a shot from 10-inch columbiad. Other vessels were struck. Damage not known. Nothing unusual occurred at the batteries at night. No grape nor canister fired. Neither captured nor killed any of the enemy on land. S. B. HUNTER, Captain Company F, Thirty-sixth North Carolina Troops. Report of second day's fight at Fort Fisher, December 25: I had the following-named guns under my command: One 10-inch mortar, one 8-inch Blakely, one 8-inch and one 10-inch columbiad. Fired 8-inch columbiad with grape and canister twenty-three rounds; fired 8-inch Blakely with shell seventeen rounds; fired 10-inch columbiad with nine shot and two shells-total, eleven times; fired 10-inch mortar fourteen times with shell. Only 1 man wounded. No damage done the guns, but carriage of 10-inch columbiad was shattered by shell. The props and rear transom of Blakely were broken to pieces by part of shell. My guns would bear on twenty vessels-three frigates and seventeen other wooden gun-boats of different classes. The Blakely struck and drove off two frigates. Several shells from mortar burst in midst of a cluster of wooden gun-boats. Effect not known, but they soon scattered. One shell from mortar fell on deck of wooden vessel before explosion. Smoke was soon seen to rise from same, but whether it burst is not known. Firing of grape and canister at night is included in account of firing of 8-inch columbiad mentioned above. Neither captured nor killed any enemy on land that I know of. The enemy's sharpshooters were seen advancing in front of the land face just before twilight. The Austrian rifles destroyed by enemy's shells. S. B. HUNTER, Captain Company F, Thirty-sixth North Carolina Troops. No. 23. Report of Capt. Daniel Patterson, Thirty-sixth North Carolina Regiment (Second North Carolina Artillery). Report of Company H, Thirty-sixth Regiment North Carolina Troops, during the bombardment of Fort Fisher on the 24th and 25th of December, 1864: Number of guns under my command, five-one 10-inch columbiad, two single-banded rifles, one double-banded rifle, one 32-pounder smooth-bore. [December] 24, 10-inch columbiad fired fifteen solid shot; singlebanded rifle fired thirty-two bolts; double-banded rifle fired sixteen shot and thirty-six shell; single-banded rifle fired one bolt; elevating [screw] got out of fix, could not fire any more. Thirty-two pounder smooth-bore fired twelve solid shot and one shell. [December] 25, 10-inch columbiad fired forty-five solid shot; singlebanded rifle fired nineteen bolts; double-banded rifle fired sixteen bolts and two shell; second single-banded rifle fired one bolt; elevating screw broke. Double-banded rifle, brace and upright of the carriage slightly damaged. Thirty-two pounder smooth-bore, rim knocked off one wheel. The entire fleet was in sight of my guns; number not known. They were of all classes engaged. General effect not known. Several vessels struck by several guns. The firing cannon and musketry occurred at my battery during the night of the 25th. Fired from my guns fifty rounds of canister and six of grape. None of the enemy captured; I hope some killed. I saw the advance of the enemy on land. No conspicuous case of gallantry, except when a shell from the enemy fell on the platform of the double-banded rifle, the fuse was put out by Private John Turner, and the shell thrown off platform by Private J. H. Brisson. No particular incidents, except as above mentioned. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, D. PATTERSON, No. 24. Reports of Capt. William F. Brooks, Thirty-sixth North Carolina Regiment (Second North Carolina Artillery). MOUND, December 29, 1864. COLONEL: I respectfully forward the following in answer to your questions of the 28th instant for Saturday: The guns assigned to my command on Saturday were two 10-inch columbiads at Hedrick's battery, and 10-inch columbiad and 6.4-inch Brooke gun on mound. At Hedrick's battery left-hand gun discharged solid shot, shell; right-hand gun nine shell, seven solid shot, and one grape. Mound, 10-inch gun, six solid shot and twelve shell; Brooke gun, six bolts and sixteen shell. Casualties, none. Damage to guns and carriages none. * Nominal list of casualties embodied in this report, shows 1 officer, 2 sergeants, and 12 privates wounded. Damage to batteries, struck several times, but not seriously injured. Vessels in sight of batteries unknown. At Hedrick's battery eight shots took effect. At mound seven shots took effect. Nothing of importance occurred at batteries at night. Only one grape was fired during the evening. No enemy captured or killed on land. Saw no advance of enemy on land. My company so far as I know all acted well. No conspicuous gallantry worthy of distinction. No particular incident during the day. Lost no small-arms by effect of enemy's shot. W. F. BROOKS, Capt., Comdg. Company K, Thirty-sixth North Carolina Troops. Colonel LAMB. MOUND BATTERY, December 30, 1864. COLONEL: The following contains the answers to the questions propounded in your communication of 28th instant for Sunday: The guns manned by my company were 10-inch columbiad and 6.4inch Brooke gun.' Ten-inch fired eleven times (shot) and Brooke shot nine times. No damage done to guns and carriages. Left prop and the travers ing gear of 10-inch columbiad were torn off. Several shots of the enemy struck the mound and cut it considerably in some places, though not seriously. Number of vessels in sight not known. About eight shots from the battery thought to take good effect. The enemy attempted to land at my battery at night, but were repulsed by the picket-line, composed of forty men from Companies E and K, Thirty-sixth, before any assistance could reach them. No grape nor canister fired. Captured or killed no enemy on land. Saw no advance of enemy by land. No cases of conspicuous gallantry to report. The company all acted well. W. F. BROOKS, Captain, Commanding Company K. Colonel LAMB. No. 25. Report of Capt. John M. Sutton, Third North Carolina Artillery Battalion. FORT CASWELL, December 29, 1864. LIEUTENANT: I have the honor to report that on Sunday, the 25th of December, I commanded the four guns on the extreme left of Fort Fisher-Shepherd's battery: One 10-inch columbiad, one 32-pounder rifle; two 8-inch seacoast howitzers. The 32-pounder was under the immediate command of Lieutenant Faison; the howitzer commanded by Lieutenant Frame. The 10-inch and one 8-inch were dismounted, and the carriage of the other 8-inch struck by a shell. |