above and on the river bank, was assailed at the same time, sustaining until dark a heavy cannonade. The garrison, composed of detachments of Eighty-fifth New York Volunteers and Second Massachusetts Heavy Artillery, Captains Brown and Fiske, though much annoyed by sharpshooters, returned the fire of the enemy with great vigor, and, with the exception of a few casualties, no impression was made on the work. The line of defense extended from Fort Gray to the crossing of Coneby Creek, below the town, a distance of 2 1/2 miles, the former being a detached work, separated from the main line by Welch's Creek and its marsh. the garrison was distributed along this line, and composed as follows: Sixteenth Connecticut Volunteers, Colonel Francis Beach, 400 effective men; Eighty-fifth New York Volunteers, Colonel E. Fardella, 450; One hundred and first Pennsylvania Volunteers, Lieutenant Colonel A. W. Taylor, 300; One hundred and third Pennsylvania Volunteers, Colonel T. F. Lehmann, 400; Twenty-fourth new York Independent Battery, six guns, Captain Cady; detachment from Companies A and F, Twelfth New York Cavalry, Captain Roche, and two companies Second Massachusetts Heavy Artillery, under Captain Sampson, the latter being distributed in small detachments in the several earth-works. There were also present portions of two companies Second North Carolina Volunteers, native troops, under Captains Johnson and Haggard. The naval force at that time consisted of the gun-boats Miami, Lieutenant Commander Charles W. Flusser, U. S. Navy, one of Kentucky's most noble and chivalrous sons; Southfield, Lieutenant French, volunteer service, with the smaller boats, Whitehead and Ceres; the whole under the direction of Captain Flusser.

For several months previous it had been well understood that iron-plated boats for operations in the sounds were in course of construction near Halifax on the Roanoke, and Kinston on the Neuse, to move down those rivers at the proper time in conjunction with a land force. Work on the former had been so often delayed for want of plates and other causes that its completion at times seemed doubtful, but was too well watched for me to obtain positive and reliable information. On the 10th of April, however, it was generally believed that the Albemarle, though not entirely covered with plating, had been floated down as far as the enemy's works at Rainbow Banks.

It was the design of Captain Flusser to fight this formidable antagonist in the river with his own boat lashed to the Southfield, running in at close quarters, whilst the Whitehead was to use every effort to disable here propeller, and great confidence was felt as to the result of this plan.

The line of defense surrounding the town was divided into three nearly equal portions, the right commanded by Colonel Fardella, the center by Colonel Lehmann, the left subdivision being under the direction of Colonel Beach. Eighty-fifth Redoubt, so named from the regiment by which it was constructed, was a small detached work in front of the right, garrisoned by detachments of Second Massachusetts Heavy Artillery and Eighty-fifth New York Volunteers, commanded by Captain Chapin, of the latter regiment. The attacking force, as was subsequently ascertained, consisted of Hoke's, Ransom's, and Kemper's brigades (the latter commanded by Colonel Mercer), all veteran regiments, mostly from Virginia and North Carolina. This division was accompanied by several formidable field batteries and a suitable force of cavalry. Until dark of the