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Grand Army Scout and Soldiers Mail Duty around Norfolk and Suffolk. First Troops in Norfolk after Its Evacuation in 1862 By Wm. J. Shirley., On May 8th, 1862, our fleet of iron-clads, the Galena, Monitor, Stephen's Battery, or Naugatuck, and our wooden fleet Minnesota and others, opened on Sewalls' Point and Craney Island and shelled them for several hours, these places being then fortified and held by a strong force of Confederates. The fleet made a fearful booming of heavy guns. The cannonading was in full view of our camp (camp Hamilton near Fort Monroe.) The Merrimac came down from the Elizabeth river to take a view, but did not fire a single shot. May 10th, the 2d N.Y., 20th N.Y. and 29th Mass. Infantry, went across the Sewalls' Point and drove the Confederates back towards Norfolk. Sunday May 11th, at 8 o'clock a.m. the Merrimac, Jamestown, Yorktown and Teaser, came down the Elizabeth river and the Merrimac was blown up at mouth of the river. The others ran past up the James river and our iron-clads followed. May 15th, 5 companies G, A, L, E, and H of the 11th Pa. Cavalry under the command of Lieut. Col. S.P. Spear, to boats for Norfolk; the other seven companies under Colonel Harlan, going on the Yorktown to join Stoneman's cavalry. On the 23rd, companies G and L under Lieut. Colonel Spear started on a scout in North Carolina. We took the tow path along the Dismal Swamp Canal and after going some 16 miles we encamped for the night on a large plantation owned by Col. Ferribee, of the 3d North Carolina Cavalry. We found many barrels of pork and about 20 horses and mules which were confiscated. The next morning we went to South Mills and captured a few pickets. This was our first advance into North Carolina. We started on June 5th to Suffolk, which was to be our headquarters and from where we did scouting and picket duty in advance of the 18th Corps. The Confederates occupied the south of Blackwater with two regiments of cavalry, 3d North Carolina, Col. Ferribee, and 2d Georgia, Col. Griffin. The ground between was dangerous for us to scout on, for we were apt to meet the enemy there. October 15th, Company G was on a scout and went out some twelve miles we run into about three hundred of the 3d North Carolina dismounted and lying alongside the road in the bushes. They fired too soon, before the whole command got into their trap, but those there were on the advance guard got a raking, which killed one and wounded seven; two prisoners were also lost. We fell back and after being reinforced by four companies and one small howitzer, advanced again, but they would not stop to fight. Gen. Peck was soon after placed in command of the district. Gen. Corcoran and his famous Irish Legion, also joined us and we had hard fighting and marching until June 1863 when we left for the Peninsula once more. [BACK] |