Daniel Ammen, Confederate Military History, a library of Confederate States Military History: Volume 7.2, The Atlantic Coast
Clement Anselm Evans, Ed.

[181] Midshipman B. J. Porter landed with six navy howitzers, ‘to assist the army in commanding the main road and its two forks during the night, and to assist in more active operations the following morning.’

The direction from which the rattle of musketry on the land proceeded gave assurance that the Union troops were not in the line of fire, and the gunboats were again moved up and engaged the forts. This continued until the firing of small arms slackened, and then signal was made to cease firing, as it was supposed that the Union troops were approaching the rear of the batteries. At that time, however, the enemy were replying with only one gun.

At 1 P. M. the Underwriter, Valley City, Seymour, Lockwood, Ceres, Shawsheen, Putnam, Whitehead, and Brincker, were ordered to clear away the double line of piling, which was effected soon after 4 P. M. About the time our vessels had removed the obstructions, the National flag had been hoisted by the Union troops, and a few minutes later the enemy had set on fire the works at Redstone, and the steamer Curlew. Both blew up in the early part of the evening, and Roanoke Island was then in the undisputed possession of the National troops.

Pork Point batteries, known to the Confederates as Fort Bartow, was found to be a heptagon, mounting eight 32-pounders and one 68-pounder rifled gun. In its rear was a field battery of three guns, designed to protect it against the advance of troops. The six howitzers from the fleet under Midshipman Porter rendered essential service in the reduction of this work. A mile and a half north of Fort Bartow was Fort Blanchard, mounting four 32-pounders, and one mile beyond that Fort Huger, on Wier's Point, mounting two 68-pounder rifles and ten 32-pounders. Fort Ellis, on the eastern side of the island, was a four-gun battery, intended