Today in History:

309 Series I Volume IX- Serial 9 - Roanoke

Page 309 Chapter XX. ENGAGEMENT AT SOUTH MILLS, N. C.

but on arriving at our place of landing at 6 o'clock, finding our boats ready to receive us, we embarked on board our proper transports, proceeded to this anchorage, landing the detachment belonging to Roanoke, and those destined for New Berne proceeded to their stations.

I cannot close this report without bearing testimony to the gallant officers and men under my command. Lieutenants Gerard and Avery, Marine Artillery; Lieutenants Morris and Herbert, Ninth (Zouaves) new York Volunteers, deserve all I can say for their coolness and courage. Mr. Albert E. Hand, formerly clerk of this vessel, attached himself to my command, and behaved in the most gallant manner. Captain Child, temporarily on duty in this vessel, S. C. D., and Mr. Moore, pilot, were indefatigable in landing the troops, piloting the vessel, &c. When it is considered that our men marched nearly all night, fought a hard battle of three hours' duration, and marched the same distance the second night without sleep through deep much cheerfully, without a murmur, too much praise cannot be awarded them.

Respectfully submitted.

W. A. HOWARD,

Colonel Marine Artillery.

Brigadier-General RENO, U. S. A.,

New Berne, Department North Carolina.


Numbers 4. Reports of Colonel Rush C. Hawkins, Ninth New York Infantry, commanding Fourth Brigade, with resulting correspondence.


HEADQUARTERS,
Roanoke Island, N. C., April 21, 1862.

SIR: In accordance with orders from department headquarters I, on the 18th, at about 11 a. m., embarked on board of the transports about 2,000 men of my brigade from the following regiments: Ninth New York Volunteers, 727; Eighty-ninth New York Volunteers, 625, and Sixth New Hampshire Volunteers, 600. In this force was included two boat guns belonging to Company K, Ninth New York Volunteers.

About 11 o'clock the same evening my brigade commenced landing at a place opposite Cobb's Point, about 4 miles below Elizabeth City, on the Pasquotank River.

By 2.30 o'clock on the morning of the 19th the landing of my brigade had been completed, including two field pieces from the steamer Virginia; this through the water where it was more than knee-deep, which the men were compelled to wade.

At 3 a. m. the whole brigade was on the march, and continued for the next twelve hours on its weary way through a long, circuitous route of 32 miles, beneath the terrible heat of the sun, amid the constantly-rising dust.

At about 3 p. m. I succeeded in arriving in sight of the enemy's position with about one-half of the men who had commenced the march, when we were immediately ordered into action, the Sixth New Hampshire Volunteers going to the left of the enemy's position, the Ninth and Eighty-ninth New York going to the right through the woods to outflank the enemy on each side. Up to this time to the part of a battery from the Ninth New York, worked by Lieutenant Herbert, assisted by


Page 309 Chapter XX. ENGAGEMENT AT SOUTH MILLS, N. C.