covered excavations had been constructed along the line, affording shelter under the heavy fire, causing my loss to be comparatively slight. During this day the enemy planted a battery near the Eighty-fifth Redoubt, and, partly covered by that work, opened fire upon the town. The Albemarle also opened from below; both were returned from Fort Williams and Battery Worth, but without effect. The enemy was very active, moving in different directions, withdrawing most of his force from the vicinity of Fort Gray, and apparently making a serious demonstration on my right. Skirmishing was severe in that quarter, and many casualties occurred on both sides. This state of things continued until dark, when the enemy in strong force succeeded in effecting the crossing of Coneby Creek below the town, and massed his column on my left. This disaster is unexplained, and placed me in a most critical position. Some changes were made during that night in the disposition of the troops, and arrangements made to repel attack both on the right and left.

At daylight of the following day, April 20, while my right and front were seriously threatened, the enemy advanced rapidly against my left, assaulting and carrying the line in that quarter, penetrating the town along the river, and capturing Battery Worth. A line of infantry was formed from the breast-works perpendicularly toward the river, in hopes of staying the advance. This effort succeeded for a time, but the troops seemed discouraged, and finally fell back to the intrenchments. At the request of General Hoke, commanding the rebel forces, a personal interview was granted, at which a surrender was demanded in consideration of my untenable position, of the impossibility of relief, and that the defense had been highly honorable to all concerned. In failure of this, indiscriminate slaughter was intimated. The bearing of General Hoke during this interview was courteous and soldierlike. His demand was refused, and preparations were made to renew the contest. I was now completely enveloped on every side, Fort Williams, an inclosed work in the center of the line, being my only hope. This was well understood by the enemy, and in less than an hour a cannonade of shot and shell was opened upon it from four different directions. This terrible fire had to be endured without reply, as no man could live at the guns. The breast-height was struck by solid shot on every side, fragments of shells sought almost every interior angle of the work, the whole extent of the parapet was swept by musketry, and men were killed and wounded even on the banquette slope. A covered excavation had been previously constructed, to which the wounded were conveyed, where they received efficient medical attention. This condition of affairs could not be long endured without a reckless sacrifice of life; no relief could be expected, and in compliance with the earnest desire of every officer I consented to hoist a white flag, and at 10 a. m. of April 10 I had the mortification of surrendering my post to the enemy with all it contained. It is to be remarked that during the siege and in the night a considerable number of North Carolina soldiers (many of them deserters from the enemy, and all of them fearing bad treatment in the event of capture) left their companies without authority, escaping in canoes, being picked up, as I have understood, by our boats in the sound.

The foregoing statement is made, after an interval of four months, entirely from memory, not having received a single report from my subordinate officers. Most of them are still in captivity, and the others scattered over the country beyond my control; in fact, they