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the powder vessels.
My officers reported that they had great difficulty in getting on board the admiral's vessel on account of the sea being so rough.
We remained there the night of Sunday.
On Monday morning (the 19th) Admiral Porter signalled to me that as it was rough we could not land, and he proposed to exercise his fleet.
He got his fleet in line of battle by divisions, and sailed all about, I with my ship following the flag-ship.
We all sailed within sight of Fort Fisher.
That I believed was the first intimation the enemy had that we were off the coast.
I am confirmed in my opinion because Lieutenant R. T Chapman, commanding the rebel battery Buchanan, which was the mound battery just below Fort Fisher, begins his report to the Confederate authorities on the 29th of December, 1864, in these words: “I reported to you on the 20th inst. that the enemy had arrived off this place.”
When we were exercising the fleet it did go within sight of the mound battery, and it was remarked on the squadron that if we could see them they of course could see us.
On the evening of Monday the 19th, the wind hauled round to the northeast, and it was very evident that there could be no landing of troops at that time.
I had taken coal for ten days on the transport vessels, all they could carry.
As my flag-ship was running light I could put a hundred tons of coal as ballast in her hold.
I had taken ten days water.
Most of the vessels, however, had water condensers with which we could supply ourselves in case of necessity.
Having waited in readiness from the 9th of December to the 20th, my ten days supplies were getting rather short.
By Admiral Porter's direction we were to rendezvous under Cape Lookout or in Beaufort Harbor, as many of our vessels as the depth of water would permit to go in.
As I saw that we could do nothing for three or four days, I sent my tender to the fleet at Masonboroa Inlet with a message that all that could do so should go into Beaufort Harbor, which was between sixty and seventy miles from Fort Fisher, and renew their coal and water.
I proceeded to Beaufort to superintend that matter because the water was to be brought from a distance of some fifteen miles, which involved great loss of labor and time, not having any railroad facilities.
A. M. Thayer and Co. 1892.
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