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

The vessels were visited by the town authorities and other persons ‘who professed sentiments of loyalty to the Union.’

Lieutenant-Commanding Jeffers proceeded on the 13th, in the Lockwood, accompanied by the Shawsheen and Whitehead, with two schooners in tow, to the mouth of the Chesapeake and Albemarle Canal. Two small steamers and three small schooners were about a mile and a quarter distant, and the entrance was obstructed. A picket stationed near fired to give the alarm, and a large body of men got under cover.

From a point near the entrance to the canal, three shells were thrown by the vessels, when the whole body of the enemy fled. A sunken schooner, supported by piles and logs, was found fifty yards within the canal, which formed a complete barrier. A body of fifteen armed men were thrown out, and at the distance of half a mile a second row of piles was found obstructing the canal. A fine dredging-machine that had been in use sunk at that moment. The enemy had destroyed the machinery and set the upper works on fire. The two schooners in tow were then sunk in the mouth of the canal, supplementing as it were the work already done by the enemy.

Commander Rowan, in the Delaware, returned to Elizabeth City at five P. M. of the 18th, and ordered the Louisiana, Perry, Morse, Lockwood, and Whitehead to follow. Going up Croatan Sound, he found the Barney at anchor as prearranged; another vessel, the Hunchback, with a battalion of the Ninth New York on board, had grounded; the remainder of the regiment was on board of the Barney.

The vessels anchored to await the arrival of the Hunchback.