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

[218] their positions between and outside the different vessels as marked on the plan.

After the vessels above designated have got into position, the Nyack, Unadilla, Huron, and Pequot will take up position outside and between the monitors, keeping up a rapid fire when the monitors are loading.

The following vessels will then take their positions as marked on the plan: Fort Jackson, Santiago de Cuba, Tacony, Osceola, Chippewa, Sassacus, Maratanza, Rhode Island, Monticello, Mount Vernon, Montgomery, Cuyler, Quaker City, and Iosco, anchoring in reverse as before.

It is not desirable that the vessels should be seen by the enemy prior to the time of attack. A rendezvous, twenty-five miles east of New Inlet, is given. Commanders of divisions will get their divisions in line and keep them so. When signal is made to form line of battle, every vessel will take her position, the first division forming first.

As low steam will suffice in going into action, those vessels that can move and work handily with half-boiler power will do so, having full boilers without steam next the enemy. Slow deliberate firing will be made.

In accordance with this programme, the Louisiana, an old vessel designed for ‘a torpedo on a large scale,’ was towed from Norfolk by the Sassacus to a remote part of Beaufort Harbor, there anchored and filled with powder, with carefully studied arrangements for firing many centres at the same moment. The vessel was disguised as a blockaderun-ner, and her preparation for service was assigned to Commander Rhind, aided by Lieutenant Preston, Second Assistant-Engineer Mullan, and Master's Mate Boyden, with seven men