Wartime Reminiscences 8

War-Time Reminiscences
Fort Macon, Friday, April 21, 1862

WAR-TIME REMINISCENCES

By J. M. Hollowell

Rummaging among some old papers a short time ago, I came across three pages of writing that I did on April 25, 1862, more than forty-seven years ago. It is a record of the bombardment of Fort Macon on that day. The Sergeant-Major of the Post was taken sick two days before the fight and Adjutant R. E. Walker had me detailed to fill his place.

When the fight began Col. Moses J. White, the commandant, directed me to keep an hourly record of it from the best information I could get from observation and from the officers and men as they were relieved, the Colonel giving me consideration information himself.

The following is the record as taken down hourly:

Fort Macon, Friday, April 21, 1862

5:30 o'clock A.M. - Roll call as usual. No appearance of anything unusual.

6:00 o'clock A. M. - Yankees commenced firing on the fort from their batteries up the beach, throwing shell and rifle shot. We immediately returned the fire from the mortars on the lower parapet by Capt. Pool, and the seige pieces on upper parapet by Capts. Manney and Blount, and from the 10-inch Columbia's on Capt. Guion's battery. Shot and shell falling in and around the Fort in great numbers.

7:00 o'clock - Firing still going on by the batteries up the beach, (appears to be three batteries). We are returning fire from Blount battery the 10-inch Columbia's on upper parapet and the seige pieces and mortars on the lower parapet; great many shot and shell falling and bursting in the fort; several guns on Lieut. Cogdell's battery disabled.

8:00 o'clock A. M. - Yankees still firing from batteries up the beach; four steamers have just come up near the car and are now firing on us. Capt. Pool has left battery on lower parapet, facing up the beach, and is firing on steamers from the 8 and 10-inch Columbia's on sea front, lower parapet, while Capt. Guion has turned the 10-inch Columbia's and rifle cannon on this battery to bear on the steamers and he and Pool are pouring it to them warmly, while Blount's battery and Manney's seige pieces are keeping those up the beach sufficiently amused. Blount's men have just been relieved by a detachment from Co. F., Lieut. Cogdell. There is an incessant roar of artillery; shells bursting over and in the fort, nearly covering some of the gunners with dirt.

9:00 A.M. - Firing still continues very fast on both sides; most of the shot from the steamers pass over the fort, our greatest danger being from the batteries up the beach. It is thought we have dismounted one of their guns; Pool and Guion still shooting the steamers; Blount's and Manney's batteries firing up the beach.

10:000 A.M. - Firing on both sides, but not so briskly; about 10:30 the steamers drew off; it is thought we have damaged them; Pool and Guion batteries not firing now; a great many shells bursting in fort; some pieces going through windows, wounding some of the men; several men have been wounded at the guns; one seige piece disabled.

11:00 A.M. Both sides still firing, the Yankees only from up the beach, we firing from Blount's and Manney's batteries.

12:00 M. - Both sides still firing. Capt. Guion has his 10-inch Columbia's to bear upon them, and this with Blount's and Manney's batteries seem to be giving a warm time up the beach; steamers still lay off out of range.

1:00 P.M. - Firing very rapid on both sides; steamers don't seem inclined to come close again; our firing from Blount's, Manney's and Guion's batteries; doors to several rooms broken in and the walls in several places are badly battered by the shot and shells that are falling at the rate of three or four a minute.

2:00 P.M. - Yankee batteries still firing; Manney's and Blount's batteries returning the fire.

3:00 P.M. - Firing from up the beach is very brisk just now, and is doing us considerable damage to the walls; we are still returning their fire.

4:00 P.M. - Firing still going on both sides, though slightly slower; we firing only from Manney's battery; most of their shells burst inside the fort; they seem to be feeling for our magazines, and the walls of ours on beach side is considerably cracked. About 4:30 Capts. Guion and Pool were sent up the beach with a white flag, firing ceased on both sides.

5:00 P. M. - All quiet; no firing going on; Guion and Pool have not returned; two boats with white flags came over from Beaufort and were met in mid channel by Adjutant R. E. Walker, with similar flag.

6:00 P. M. - Everything still quiet everybody has had a chance to look around the Fort inside and out and get some idea of the damage done. Capts. Guion and Pool have not yet returned; four men on horses have just rode from up the beach down to the Eliason House, where Guion and Pool are; at 4:12 they returned and report a cessation of hostilities for the present agreed to.

This is as far as the record goes.

At about sunset Col. White, with Capts. Pool and Guion went in a sail boat to meet Gen. Parke on the flagship near Shackelford Banks. They did not return until about two o'clock, and then would not give any information about what had been done. It was rather an uneasy night for us. We had learned that they had gotten ready a sixteen-gun battery at Shackleford which they would open on us next day. This would have put us in a cross fire between their two batteries. Every gun on the upper parapet facing the inlet was disabled; the 10-Columbia at the northeast angle was dismounted and the iron carriage destroyed, while several other guns in different places were dismounted, one magazine badly cracked. Taken altogether, we were in bad shape to continue the fight. My recollection is there were six men killed and some fifteen wounded.

At 8:00 o'clock next morning we were ordered to fall in with arms, when Col. White informed us that he had surrendered the fort and that we would be paroled and sent home. This news was received joyously. We were then marched to the parade ground where we stacked arms and the Yankees marched in. Our flag was soon replaced by the Stars and Stripes. When they went up, the blockading fleet steamed in and anchored in the harbor. We had about 400 men, at least half of them belonging in Cartaret and Craven counties. These were paroled and boats took them to Morehead and Beaufort. The others were paroled and taken on board a man of war and delivered at Fort Caswell, at the mouth of the Cape Fear river. My company had one man, B. Combs, killed, and another J. D. Langston, lost a leg.

I was glad to read friend Bonitz' letter last week. It was a strong corroboration of my letter the week before in regard to the Dutch Captain and the French brandy. I know I can prove by him that it was good. I accept the invitation to attend on the 10th of June, 1912, and taste that brandy again, but in the language of the Governor of South Carolina to the Governor of North Carolina, it will be a long time between drinks, and for fear I may not live until then to attend, I think it would be a safer (and to me) a more satisfactory plan for him to send me one bottle now. He can send by express. Jones will pay the freight.

The booklet War-Time Reminiscences and Other Selections by J. M. Hollowell was contributed by Alton Parnell and digitized by Rita Korbach. Printed with permission.

Other topics in this series:

About these writings and J. M. Hollowell - A Character Sketch
Some Early Recollections of Wayne County - But More Particularly of Goldsboro
Politics 1852 - 1861
Early Residents, Soldiers, Railroad Workers, Early Churches
Early Trade
Webbtown, Graded school, Pates
Coming of the Yankees
War-Time Reminiscences

Early History of Goldsboro

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