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| The New Ironsides2 and monitors. |
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was so pleased with and interested in the plan, that he went with it to Washington, and he received from the War Department full permission to carry it out.1 He collected a large force at Annapolis for the purpose, and was nearly ready to go forward, when General Grant arranged for the campaigns in Virginia and Georgia, and Burnside and the Ninth Corps were
ordered to join the Army of the Potomac.3 This put an end to the expedition, and postponed the capture of Wilmington.
In the succeeding summer, when preparations were begun for Farragut's attack on the forts at the entrance to Mobile Bay,4 similar arrangements were made for reducing the forts at the entrance to the Cape Fear River.
1 Mr. Kidder's plan was as follows: Wilmington is thirty miles from the sea, by the Cape Fear River, but only about twelve miles from a navigable Sound east of it, into which, from the ocean, was Masonboroa Inlet, with seven feet of water at high tide. It was proposed to have a fleet of fiat steamers rendezvous at Beaufort, fifty or sixty miles up the coast, on which to put 12,000 armed men, under an energetic commander. These were to be suddenly landed on the main, at Masonboroa Inlet, and marched directly on Wilmington. It was known that there were no defenses beyond two miles from the heart of Wilmington (and they not very strong), to oppose the force coming in from the sea. It was proposed to have a strong cavalry force move simultaneously from New Berne, to tear up the railway between Wilmington and Goldsboroa, and, if possible, go down and destroy the bridge within ten miles of Wilmington. This force was to co-operate fully with that marching from Masonboroa Inlet.--Written statement to the author, by Mr. Kidder.
In the summer of 1864 General Graham submitted a plan for capturing Wilmington. It proposed to have a force, consisting of 500 cavalry, 500 infantry, and a section of artillery, go out from New Berne, or from Newport Barracks, and strike the railway between Wilmington and Goldsboroa, while two picked squadrons of cavalry, and 2,000 infantry and a good battery, should land at Snead's Ferry, at the mouth of New River, forty-one miles from Wilmington. This force should march on Wilmington, while another, composed of 2,500 infantry,--with ten pieces of artillery, should land at Masonboroa Inlet, and push on toward the city. These several bodies would so distract and divide the Confederates, that the capture of the city might be an easy matter.--Written statement to the author, by General Graham.2 the New Ironsides was a very powerful vessel, built in Philadelphia. It had a wooden hull covered with iron plates four inches in thickness. She had eight ports on each side, and carried sixteen 11-inch Dahlgren guns, two 200-pounder Parrott guns, and four 24-pounder boat howitzers. Her aggregate weight of guns was 284,800 pounds. She had two horizontal engines, and was propelled by a screw. She was furnished with sails, and was bark-rigged. At her bow was a formidable wrought-iron ram or beak. She first went to sea in August, 1862. we have already met her in Charleston harbor (see page 193). she fought Fort Fisher gallantly and unharmed, and at the close of the war she returned to the Delaware, whence she first set forth. There she was dismantled, and left to repose near League Island, a short distance below Philadelphia, where she was accidentally set on fire, and was destroyed, on Sunday, the 16th of December, 1866.
3 See page 292.
4 See page 439.
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