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to attempt to get them on shore and have them intrench there during the night in the coming storm.
I knew very well, for I had studied them very carefully, that my instructions said that we were to blockade Cape Fear River by landing and intrenching there.
But finding that the channel of the river was a mile and a half from any spot of ground where I could possibly plant a gun, I was not very hopeful of preventing, with my field guns, blockaders running by. I had obtained information which satisfied me that Hoke's division was there, and when they were all there with the garrisons and reserves that had been thrown in, there would be at least twice as many as I had on shore.
Hoke's division alone was about six thousand men, and I had between twenty-one hundred and twenty-three hundred men landed.
I had under my command sixty-five hundred men in all. It was evidently impossible to do anything further at that time in the way of landing.
But troops can be got off when it is not possible to land them and their supplies.
Orders were, therefore, given to get the troops off, and everything was done that could be done to get them away.
General Weitzel and Colonel Comstock agreed with me.1
Before starting upon this reconnoissance Admiral Porter had sailed by my boat in his flag-ship, and with his speaking trumpet hailed me in these words:--
“ How do you do, General?”
“Very well, I thank you,” I answered.
“How many troops are you going to land?”
“All I can,” said I,--for the navy had agreed to furnish me with the means of landing.
“There is not a rebel within five miles of the fort,” said the admiral.
“You have nothing to do but to land and take possession of it.”
I had a different opinion, and avowed it. I said to those around me: “I think there is a man on shore by the name of Weitzel who will find out if it is so.”
That was the first personal communication I had with Admiral Porter after leaving Hampton Roads.
The words were hardly out of Admiral Porter's mouth, and his vessel had not got many lengths from me, when the rebel skirmishers
1 See Appendix No. 125.
A. M. Thayer and Co. 1892.
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