Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 10.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[222] her as rapidly as we could fire; I then dropped astern, to give the vessels coming up an opportunity to pass and engage her. It was then growing dark; the ram steamed up to the Roanoke River, and the firing soon ceased on both sides.

The officers and men of this ship behaved with great coolness, and did their whole duty.

Enclosed you will please find carpenter's and gunner's reports. Casualties, none.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Sir: I have the honor to submit the following report of ammunition expended on the fifth instant, in the action with the iron-clad ram Albemarle, in the Albemarle Sound.

Seventy-six (76) thirteen-pound nine-inch cartridges.

Seventy-six (76) solid nine-inch shot.

Forty-one (41) ten-pound six-inch cartridges; one hundred-pounder rifle.

Forty-one (41) solid six-inch shot, (chilled ends,) four long, and thirty-seven short.

Seventy-six (76) selvage wads.

One hundred and fifty (150) percussion primers.

I am, very respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

Sir: I respectfully submit the following report of damages received by this vessel, in hull, &c., during the engagement with the rebel ram Roanoke, in Albemarle Sound, on the afternoon of the fifth instant:

One shot struck smoke-stack, and passed through, scattering fragments over quarter deck; one struck starboard wheel-house, and carried away hand-rail, passing through port quarter boat, tearing away her planking; one shell struck under the starboard counter, passed through, cutting away hang knee under after beam, and bursting in tiller-room, cutting through solid work of after pivot boss, and carrying away two thirds of second after beam and hang knee on port side, starting two outside planks, and started the decks up under pivot gun, and knocked down the cabin bulkhead, making a total wreck of the tiller-room. The ship is very much shaken from the effects of the rapid firing, making about five inches of water per hour. Several shot and shell passed over our top gear, but did little damage, save cutting away smoke-stack guys.

During the engagement off Plymouth with the same vessel, the ram ran under our port bow, and scarred the planking for several feet, within fourteen inches of the water. A shell from gun No. 3 struck the ram, rebounded and exploded, cutting away port forward boat davit, and fragments passing through deck forward of boiler and starboard waist, and cutting away port smoke-stack guys, and passing through smoke-stack.

I have the honor to be your obedient servant.

Sir: I have the honor to report that during the engagement yesterday with the rebel ram this vessel received no damage, neither were there any casualties.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Sir: I have the honor to report to you the part taken by this vessel during the engagement of yesterday (fifth) with the rebel iron-clad ram Albemarle and gunboat Bombshell.

In obedience to a general signal made by the flag-ship Mattabesett, I weighed anchor at 3.30, and proceeded up the Albemarle Sound, following the United States steamer Wyalusing. The rebel ram, accompanied by two steamers, was soon discovered apparently steaming towards us. Went to quarters immediately, and prepared for action. At 4.30 the action became general between the leading vessels, Mattabesett, Sassacus, and Wyalusing, and the ram Albemarle.

Owing to the superior rate of speed of the above-named vessels, I was unable to bring my vessel into action until after the rebel steamer Bombshell had surrendered. The rebel steamer Cotton Plant, with a number of launches in tow, having succeeded in making her escape, my attention was then directed to the ram, upon which I opened fire with the hundred-pounder rifle, using solid shot first at a distance of one thousand yards, but it was soon lessened to four hundred yards.

The ram, meanwhile, commenced to retreat towards Roanoke River.

Being ordered by you to take my position astern of the United States steamer Miami, and follow up the attack closely, I immediately took the position assigned; but finding that I could not use the hundred-pounder rifle effectively, I steamed ahead of the Miami, and on a course parallel to that which the rebel steamer was making, until I approached within two hundred yards of her. At this distance we succeeded in making some excellent shots, the projectiles used being solid chilled-end shot, which must have made a serious impression on the iron armor of