LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
 013 7014610 # 
 
 pH83 
 
473 
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 I.C64 
 :opy 1 
 
 llistoricid Mtiiiior'ud of the CharloUc C'dutfrtj. 
 
 81 
 
 Liberty Mills, Va. , December 22. 
 Jack's Shop, Va., December 23. 
 Gordonsville, Va., December 24. 
 
 186^. ( 77/6' Re^imcfit was fur long hed for tico Dionlhs and transferred 
 to Bcalc s nris;adi\ Jiast Viri^inia, W. If. J\ I.ee s Divisioti.) 
 
 Quaker Road, Va., March 29. 
 
 White Oak Road, Va., March 31. Isaac Friend wounded 
 second time. 
 
 Five Forks, Va., April i. Henry P. Dickerson, Albert Moses 
 and George W. Read wounded. 
 
 Avery's Church Road, Va., April 4. Hunter H. Marshall, Jr., 
 killed. 
 
 Amelia Springs, Va., April 5. 
 
 Jetersville, Va., April 6. 
 
 Deatonsville, Va., April 6. 
 
 High Bridge, Va,, April 6. 
 
 Farmville, Va., April 7. Dallas Kent wounded. 
 
 Appomattox C. H., \'a., April 9. M. C. Morris wounded. 
 Henry Dice killed. 
 
 E. E. BOULDIN, formerly Captain Charlotte Cavalry, 
 Company 8, 14th Virginia Cavalry, C. S. A. 
 
 D.wviLLE, V.\., June 21, 1906. 
 

 Southern Historical Socict)/ Papers. 
 
 From the jV^tcs Leader, September 3, 1906. 
 
 NEW LIGHT ON THE GREAT DREWRY'S BLUFF 
 
 FIGHT. 
 
 Judge William Izard Clopton's Description of the Naval 
 
 Engagement — a Valuable Addition to Civil War 
 
 History — Facts Heretofore Unpublished. 
 
 The following report of the great naval battle of Drevvry's 
 Bluff was prepared and delivered to a large audience at Ches- 
 terfield Courthouse, Tuesday afternoon, September 4, 1906, by 
 Judge William I. Clopton. In speaking of this address, Judge 
 Clopton said : 
 
 ''There is no effort at elocutionary pyrotechnics, nor any 
 flowery eloquence. It is simply an historical report of what actu- 
 ally happened in an event which was fraught with so much 
 moment to Richmond in the stirring times of the Civil War. 
 The naval engagement here related is the one which prevented 
 the men of war of tlie enemy from coming up to Richmond and 
 bombarding the city in 1862." 
 
 In treating the facts concerning- the naval battle which oc- 
 curred at Drewry's Bluff, May 15. 1862, I am aware that much 
 controversy has arisen as to the true state of facts. 
 
 The usual source of information is the official reports, but 
 as these are strangely oblivious of the part taken in this very 
 important battle by the Chesterfield company, commanded by 
 Captain Augustus H. Drewry, I shall confine my account to the 
 descriptions given to me by Captain (afterwards major) Drewry, 
 and Sergeant Samuel A. INIann, which latter account is vouched 
 for as true, by Dr. Thomas J. Cheatham, who certified that he 
 was present during the whole action and that Sergeant Mann's 
 account is correct in all respects. 
 
 I can perform this service in no better way than by simply 
 reading Sergeant Mann's plain and simple, but very eloquent 
 account of the battle, and by reading Major Drewry's account of 
 
 CO 
 
 '^Of 
 
1^ Nciv Light o?? the Great Dmcru's Bluff Fight. 83 
 
 
 the buildinc^ of the fort, and the part taken by his company in 
 the battle: 
 
 ]\r.\jOR Dk!:\vky'.s Lf.tter. 
 
 Judge W. I. Clopton: 
 
 Dear Jndjj;e : — Referring- to the conversation which passed 
 between ns at the office of our mutual friend, Judge George L. 
 Christian, I have only to say that the present is the first moment 
 which I have felt that I could give any attention to your request, 
 and even now I am forced to do so under circumstances which 
 will not allow me to do justice to the matter in question. Never- 
 theless I submit the following: 
 
 Early in 1862, when General [McDowell was preparing for 
 an advance upon Richmond from the direction of Fredericks- 
 burg, and General ]\IcClellan was moving up from the Penin- 
 sula, the Governor of \'irginia was authorized by act of the 
 Confederate Congress, then in session, to call for 2,000 men 
 to man the batteries around Richmond. When Captain J. B. 
 Jones and myself, in view of the advantages which would be 
 enjoyed by the people of Chesterfield to enlist in^its service, 
 raised a company, composed largely of men who were beyond 
 the age of conscription, and tendered our services to the Gov- 
 ernor. By whom we were accepted and assigned to duty at 
 Battery No. 19, on the turnpike, between Drewry's Bluff and 
 the city of Richmond. After being there a while, I came to the 
 conclusion that our position was unimportant, and that we would 
 likely be called to field duty, for which I did not think my men 
 were well suited ; hence, I went over to see General Lee, and 
 suggested to him the propriety of obstructing the river, and the 
 establishment of a fort at some selected point, and let me take 
 my command down there for service, for which they were well 
 suited. To all of which he readily agreed, in view of the fact 
 which was clearly foreshadowed that Norfolk would soon be 
 evacuated, and the river open to a raid upon the Confederate cap- 
 ital by the Federal gunboats. The following day, accompanied 
 by Major Rives and Lieutenant Mason, of the engineers depart- 
 ment, we went down the river to select a suitable position. 
 Upon reaching Howlett's, which is at the head of the Horse 
 
84 Southern Historical Society Papers. 
 
 Shoe, forming Dutch Gap, we coiickided that was the best 
 place, both on account of its great elevation, and the more 
 even depth of the river at that point, with an abundance of tim- 
 ber on either bank for the obstructions ; soon, however, upon 
 the examination of some charts of the river, which we had with 
 us, it was seen that the Federals might cut through at the Gap, 
 and pass on up the river, and we would have to go above for 
 our fortifications. Then Drewry's Bluff was found to be the next 
 best place. Thither I removed m}^ command the following day, 
 and went to work with Lieutenant Mason, in helping to ob- 
 struct the river and throw up the fort, furnishing him details from 
 my company, who put in the cribbing, employing my team, labor 
 and company to aid him, which was likewise done by other 
 members in my command. So the work went on pretty much 
 after the order of a private enterprise tmtil a short while before 
 Norfolk was evacuated, when the remnant of our navy made 
 their appearance in their flight before the Federal gunboats, ter- 
 ribly demoralized, and surprised that we should think of resist- 
 ing those heretofore victorious and invincible gunboats. With 
 some persuasion they were induced to stop with us, and planted 
 themselves on the river above our fort, with assurance that we 
 could take proper care of them. The Confederate authorities 
 and the City Council of Richmond had in the meantime become 
 alive to the importance of our work, and gave us considerable 
 help to its completion. It is true that Captain Farrand, who 
 had been run out from Mobile, was sent down ; he messed with 
 me and would occasionally sally out to look after his defunct 
 navy, but his being there was more of an accident than otherwise, 
 and he did not undertake to interfere with my command in the 
 fort, which bore the brunt of the fight, and I am not aware 
 that any man connected with the navy put his hand upon any 
 gun in the fort during that engagement. After the fight. Cap- 
 tain Farrand reported to Mr. Mallory for the navy, and I, upon 
 the recommendation of General ]\Iahone, who witnessed the en- 
 gagement, reported to Governor Letcher, who communicated 
 with the Secretary of War, and upon their recommendation, I 
 was promoted to major of artillery, and in the body of my com- 
 mission, directed to remain in command of Fort Drewry, which 
 I did until it was determined to make a naval post out of it, in 
 
New Lifild on the (irc<il Dirinys Blut}' Fif//i(. S.') 
 
 command of Captain Lcc, and my command was revoked widi 
 
 instruction to report to P.rigadier-Gencral John H. Walker, 
 
 which I declined to do, as I belonged to the provisional army, 
 
 and they had no right to call upon me elsewhere for duty. I 
 
 have forgotten to mention that the gallant Captain Tucker, of 
 
 the Patrick Ilcnry. did casemate one of his eight-inch guns on the 
 
 river bank, just above the entrance to the fort, but as heavy rain 
 
 had fallen the night before the gunboats reached the fort, its 
 
 whole superstructure fell in, and we lost the benefit of his help, 
 
 until the light was nearly over ; also that Lieutenant Catesby 
 
 Jones did have a nine-inch Dahlgren in position around the 
 
 curve in the river, but being out of range, he could not render 
 
 us anv help. 
 
 (Signed) A. H. Drewry. 
 
 SERGKAXT :^^.\XX S ACCOUNT. 
 
 The compan\- afterwards known as the "Southside Heavy 
 Artillery of Mrginia A'oluntcers," was enlisted early in Jaiuiary, 
 1862. and towards the latter part of the month, assembled at 
 Chesterfield Courthouse, where we proceeded to elect our com- 
 missioned officers, with the following results : 
 
 For Captain — Augustus H. Drewry. 
 
 For First Lieutenant — James B. Jones. 
 
 For Second Lieutenant — Spencer D. Ivey, and 
 
 For Third Lieutenant — Dickerson V. Wilsoft. 
 
 All of the lieutenants had been officers in the Chesterfield 
 militia, in which Lieutenant Wilson had held the rank of cap- 
 tain. We then returned to our homes subject to a call to service 
 in the Confederate States army, which had been at war with the 
 United States army for about ten mondis, with varied success, 
 previous to this time. 
 
 \\'hen on the 5th day of February, 1862, those of us who 
 lived on this side of the county took train for Richmond at the 
 Pocahontas depot, in the city of Petersburg, and were put off 
 opposite to, and went into camp with the rest of the company 
 at Battery No. 19, on the turnpike, a little south of Manchester, 
 the dav that the writer of this lacked eleven days of being twenty 
 
86 Southern Historical Society Pcq)ers. 
 
 years old. Our quarters consisted of a ridge pole set up east 
 and west, with plank set up on each side, at an angle of about 
 forty-five /degrees, and covered so as to break joints, and formed 
 a very good storm-proof roof, with no light or ventilation, but 
 such as could come in at the end doors and cracks through the 
 roof. The east end was partitioned off for officers' quarters. 
 We found it erected, and bunks inside, filled with clean straw 
 for beds. 
 
 And the writer met the largest majority of the members 
 of the company on this day for the first time. 
 
 Thus we began our army life. 
 
 Soon we were allowed to elect our non-commissioned offi- 
 cers, when Colonel Robert Watkins, of the Chesterfield militia, 
 was elected first orderly sergeant, and I was chosen third cor- 
 poral. 
 
 Shortly an officer who had lost an eye at First Manassas, 
 came over from Richmond, and mustered us into service of the 
 Confederate States of America, Colonel Joe. Selden. 
 
 The ages of the men of the company ranged all the way be- 
 tween seventeen to about forty-five or fifty years, and were, by 
 occupation, mostly farmers, with a sprinkling of carpenters, cot- 
 ton-mill hands, with some gentlemen. 
 
 On the 28th of February, in the afternoon, we were marched 
 over to the old armory in Richmond, and were furnished our 
 first muskets of Virginia make, which had been altered from 
 flint-lock to percussion. Then we were marched back to camp, 
 late on a cold, blustering evening. 
 
 About this time a man who was a Scotchman, McFarland, 
 spare-built, and appeared to be about thirty-five years of age, who 
 told us that he had been a soldier for sixteen years ; first in Eng- 
 land, and lately in the United States army, was sent down to us 
 as drill-master, and began to teach us our facing, and the manual 
 of arms, according to Hardee (Lieutenant Wilson had taught 
 some of us the year before according to Scott), and after we 
 had made some progTCss, we acted as provost guard in Manches- 
 ter for about ten days. Then we proceeded to erect good, two- 
 room frame houses for quarters, and had occupied some of 
 them, when, on the 17th day of March, with drums beating and 
 
New Lujht on the Gnat Drcwrij's Bluff Fif/hl. 87 
 
 colors llyinir;-. accompanied with all our impcdinients, we were 
 marched alonj;- the turnpike, down to Drewry's Bluff, on the 
 "Xoble James river," about seven miles below Richmond, and 
 bivouacked at the future "Gibraltar" that night, grumbling- about 
 the hard fate that had overtaken us, at having been turned out 
 of our nice new houses ami ft)reed to make our beds on the 
 bare ground. 
 
 Then Captain Drewr\- look us in hand, and with his accus- 
 tomed energy, hurried us on towards erecting log-cabins for 
 quarters, and preparing the battery for mounting guns, &c. — 
 the fort had been laid out by Lieutenant ]\Jason, of the engi- 
 neers — sometimes we were f(^rced to work on it day and 
 night. After a busy time, the quarters were finished, 
 and occupied, and emplacements to hold three heavy guns 
 were prepared on the river face of the bluff. The two 
 eight-inch Columbiads. which we were told had been constructed 
 at the Bellona arsenal, in Chesterfield county, on the upper James 
 river, above Richmond, w^ere sent down the river on lighters, 
 drawn by tugs, to the wharf, erected at the mouth of the ravine, 
 just east of the fort. Then the heavy work of landing them and 
 hauling them up the steep incline-railway to the level of the 
 fort, ninety feet above the water began, and after severe labor 
 finished, and they were at their places in the battery, ready to 
 be mounted. 
 
 Then after skilled workmen had built substantial foundations 
 and laid down level platforms, and laid out the traverse circles, 
 we, under Colonel Robert Tansell, who wore the full regimentals 
 as colonel of artillery, proceeded to mount them to their places by 
 the aid of a "gin" and much heavy pulling on ropes by hand. 
 
 After which our aforementioned Scotchman. Robert Stuart 
 McFarland, (Major Drewry employed him), by name, began to 
 teach us tlie manual of the heavy artillery tactics, showing us 
 how to go to our places for action, take implements, sponge, 
 load, in battery, point and fire, all of which motions we had to 
 go through with "at double quick time." And from thence for- 
 ward every da\-, and almost all day long, we wcve kept at severe 
 drill at the heavy guns. 
 
 About this time a man named ^^IclMellon (Major Drewry 
 
88 Southern Historical Society/ Papers. 
 
 employed him), who had belonged to the Ordnance Department 
 of the English army, came down to teach us what he knew about 
 drill at the guns, and how to arrange the powder in the maga- 
 zine, and the shells in their houses. He also taught us some 
 hygiene exercises. 
 
 They sent us down a ten-inch Columbiad from Richmond, 
 which we mounted on the western emplacement, already pre- 
 pared, took it in charge, and began to drill with it also. The 
 company thus had all three guns under its charge, mounted and 
 ready for action, and numbered from east to west, as follows: 
 Gun No. I, eight-inch; Gun No. 2, eight-inch (64 pounder), 
 and Gun No. 3, ten-inch (128 pounder). I was assigned to Gun 
 No. 2, as gunner, and remained at the same post as long as the 
 company remained at the fort. 
 
 IMeanwhile some workmen were detailed from the company 
 ■ — Lieutenant Ivey among them — to work, obstructing the chan- 
 nel of the river below the wharf, driving piles with steam pile- 
 driver, building cribs and loading them with stone. The steam- 
 ers Jamestown and Curtis Peck were sunk at the last moment 
 to help make the blockade more secure. 
 
 All of us were thus kept busy until about the first of May, 
 when one day, while at work on the battery at the fort, we 
 saw several steamers loaded to the guards with soldiers, closely 
 following each other, being carried to reinforce the batteries 
 down towards the mouth of the river. They seemed to be in 
 high spirits, for they cheered us as they passed hastily by. But 
 only after a few days we again saw them returning up the 
 river, looking sad and apparently very dejected. 
 
 Still we kept at work, when one day late in the afternoon we 
 saw the foremost of our battery steamers slowly making their 
 way up from Norfolk, which had been evacuated by the Confed- 
 erate troops, leaving the navy-yard to fall into the hands 
 of Federal forces, and we learned tlirough the newspapers that 
 the Merrimac (Mrginia), had been blown up, thus leaving our 
 river open to this place. 
 
 On Tuesdav, May 13, 1862, about noon, while we were at 
 work at the fort, one of our exchange steamers — under flag of 
 truce — came up the river, passed up through the blockade, stopped 
 
New Li(//i( 0)1 the Great J)reirr>/'s Jll'ijJ' Fujhl. 89 
 
 in front of tiic hatlcrv. '"hailed." and tf)Ul us to get ready, as 
 five gunboats, including the ^Fonitor and Galena, were at Har- 
 rison's bar, coming up the river to make an attack on this place. 
 
 llicn all was hurry and some confusion, but wc kept on 
 steadily, making preparation to defend the fort. I think we 
 loaded all three guns this day. 
 
 The crew of the ]\Ierrimac had. in the meantime, since their 
 arrival from Norfolk, a few days before, been busily engaged 
 mounting a gun on the river bluff, outside of a little to the west 
 of the fort, covering it with heavy logs, so as to form a case- 
 ment over it, and another, maxbe still higher up the river, this 
 latter was out of range. 
 
 We were told by some of our working party that some of 
 their working party declared that to attempt to defend the place 
 would only make it a slaughter pen, and they further told our 
 men that the boats would run our company out of the battery in 
 five minutes after the action began. 
 
 \\'ednesday, May 14th, every one very busy making things 
 re^dy at the battery, when near towards noon, probably, the 
 boats having reached a point around the bend in the river to 
 eastward, and out of sight from us in the fort (for the large 
 ravine cast, southeast and south from it, was then covered with 
 original forest growth), tired a shot, directed over the fort, 
 although high overhead, but we were startled by its vicious rush 
 through the air, and as it was the first hostile one many of us 
 had ever heard, besides it was of gigantic size, compared to 
 those generally used, and we heard it drop away back toward 
 the turnpike. But they did not fire another that day, and we 
 kept on at work until night, and were told before we retired 
 to our quarters that a signal shot would be fired by the sentry 
 on post at the battery, as a signal, that the hostile boats had ap- 
 peared around the bend at Chaftin's Bluff, and to warn us to 
 hurry to the fort, and to take our places at the guns. But none 
 were fired that night, so most of us slept very well, but some of 
 the m/en were kept at work all night. 
 
 Thursday, May 15. 1862, was cloudy, after smart rain last 
 night, and likely for more to-day; some light showers fell. We 
 
90 Southern Historical Society Papers. 
 
 were up early, and about 6 o'clock A. M., while my mess were 
 at breakfast, we heard the expected signal musket fired from the 
 battery ; when each one taking a biscuit in his hand, hurried 
 silently to the fort. When upon arriving there, we found the 
 working party toting sand-bags f which had been filled on the 
 outside), to inside, and placing them so as to form embrasures 
 to the gun. And we were ordered to assist them, which we 
 did to the last moment. Meanwhile we could see the five gun- 
 boats in the reach below, and very slowly making their way to- 
 wards us. firing some guns to right and left towards some pick- 
 ets in the field on our side, and at some guns of the "Washington 
 Artillery" — as we were told, stationed on Chafiin's Bluff, who 
 speedily retired out of range. The boats then continued on, 
 nearer and nearer (and we still toting up sand-bags from outside 
 and next to them), until they got so near we made a rush for 
 the gun, but Captain Farrand, the naval officer, ordered us not 
 to fire until he gave the word. Then we waited with baited 
 breath. 
 
 Meanwhile we got to our stations at Gun, No. 2, in the fol- 
 lowing order: Post No. i, Richard H. Pond; Post No. 2, John 
 Hamilton ; Post No. 3, Richard E. Jordan, and Post No. 4, 
 Watkins Coleman. Calvin T. Taylor brought the powder from 
 the magazine to us, and Archibald W. Archer, with Stephen 
 B. Ellis, handed up the shot. I took my place upon the turn- 
 table, behind the breech, to act as gunner. 
 
 This detachment was not relieved, but continued to serve 
 during the whole time that the battle went on. 
 
 Robert S. JMcFarland, our drill master, went to Gun No. i, 
 to act as gunner, with enough men to make three detachments, 
 with corporals to serve vent. I am not informed as to their 
 names as a whole. 
 
 Captain Farrand, the naval officer. Captain Drewry, with 
 Lieutenant Wilson, took their stations at my gun (No. 2), Lieu- 
 tenant Jones also stayed there some ; we were well looked after. 
 
 Captain Jordan, of the Bedford Artillery, with his men, 
 took charge of the ten-inch (Gun No. 3) ; I think they came to 
 the fort the night before. 
 
Neio Liijhl on the Great Dreivn/'s BlnJ' Fi(/ht. 01 
 
 Thus we stood, ready for the word to "commence firing" 
 at the proper time. 
 
 The boats, continuing to advance, finally took up the follow- 
 ing positions: The three wooden ones — Aroostock, Port Royal 
 and Naugatucket, lay to and stood about "bows on" at the 
 mouth of Wilton creek, wliich enters on the north side of the 
 river, about three-fourths of a mile from the fort, and hugged 
 the bank pretty well. The Monitor and Galena — iron-clads — 
 kept on till about six hundred yards from the fort, when the 
 Galena stopped, turned "broadside," with her stern not far 
 from the Chesterfield low water-mark, and threw out her an- 
 chors. The Monitor took up her position nearly abreast of the 
 the Galena, going over her flag-staff, and struck a lime-pile on 
 river. And from where we stood she looked pretty much like 
 a barge inverted tank, on a very low raft, and we did not need 
 to be told her name, for we knew her at a glance. 
 
 Some weeks before this day' after we could handle the guns 
 pretty well, an army ofificer, who had been at Roanoke Island, 
 came to the fort and to my gun (N'o. 2), and showed us how to 
 fire two five-second shells from said gun, being the first and only 
 I had ever heard fired and exploded up to that time. I acted as 
 Post Xo. I. and he acted as gunner, and explained to me very 
 carefully about pointing the gun for that range. 
 
 As soon as the last boat took position Captain Farrand 
 shouted: "As soon as you get a chance fire on them!" When 
 Captain Drewry, seeing me about to point the gun, climbed up 
 to me, and said : "Let me aim this gun," when I stood and looked 
 over his shoulder, and thinking about what I had been told by 
 the officer aforementioned about the range, said to him: "Cap- 
 tain, you are aiming the gun too high." He replied : "Oh, no, 
 you come with me," when we went to windward to avoid the 
 smoke, had the gun fired, and saw the shot just miss the top of 
 the Galena, going over her flag-stafif, -and struck a lime-pile on 
 the right short, some distance beyond. Then he turned to me 
 and said: "You go try your hand." This, I think, was the first 
 shot fired during the engagement. Then I ran back to my post 
 on the gun, served the vent — the detachment c(Mitinuing to load 
 as coolly as if on parade. We ran the gun " in battery " and I 
 pointed it, aiming at the Galena "aniid-ship," about half-way 
 
92 Southern Historical Society Papers. 
 
 np her shield, ran to my post of observation. Then Lieutenant 
 Wilson again gave the order to "fire" in his most stentorious 
 tones. When the shot struck pretty much where it had been 
 aimed, and glanced off, and the last I saw of it, it was vanish- 
 ing in the distance, towards Chaffin's Bluff, but it left a visible 
 scar on the boat. 
 
 Gun No. I had also been "fired," presumably with good re- 
 sults as its gunner was considered an expert, and was a brave 
 man. 
 
 Captain Jordan's ten-inch gun had been fired, shortly making 
 a most deafening report, and the gun was disabled with the 
 violence of its recoil, which came very near to dismounting it, 
 as the carriage ran back with such force as to knock off the 
 "rear-hurters" on the turn-table, thus preventing its being run 
 "in battery." And it only resumed its fire near the end of the 
 engagement. 
 
 The naval gun, just west of the battery, was also disabled 
 by having its casemate of heavy logs cave in on it. Thus leav- 
 ing Captain Drewry's Company with the two eight-inch guns 
 (64 pounders) to continue the fight alone, and both guns contin- 
 ued to fire as fast as possible to the end of the battle. 
 
 As soon as we opened fire every gunboat simultaneously 
 commenced pouring their huge shells into us. All the boats 
 using one hundred-pound (parrott) rifle shells, except the Moni- 
 tor, which used her two eleven-inch (11) smooth-bore (Dahl- 
 gren) gunshells, which weighed about one hundred and sixty 
 (160) pounds. And I have thought that when the first broad- 
 side of four shells from the Galena passed just over the crest 
 of our parapets and exploded in our rear, scattering their frag- 
 ments in every direction, together with the sounds of the shells 
 from the others, which flew wide of the mark, mingled with 
 the roar of our guns, was the most startling, terrifying and 
 diabolical sound which I -had ever heard or ever expected to 
 hear again. 
 
 With "blanched," but earnest faces, we continued to pelt 
 the flagship, Galena, trying to penetrate her armor, which we 
 finally did at the water-line, when the shot could be seen com- 
 ing out of and tearing up her deck, after glancing up, having 
 been deflected bv something inside of her hull. 
 
New Lhjhl on (he Gnat Drcirri/'s Bli/Jf Flylit. 1)3 
 
 Thus the unequalled struggle went on for four long hours, 
 and it looked, sometimes, like they would finally overcome us. 
 But many a secret prayer was offered up to Heaven from anx- 
 ious, if not faithful hearts, to the Ruler of the Universe, and 
 God was very good that day, for "He delivered our souls in 
 peace from the battle that was against us"— for not a man of 
 the company was seriously hurt. Although Lieutenant \\'ilson, 
 who was a strong, heavy man, of about thirty years of age, had 
 been dashed to the ground very violently by a shell, which came 
 through the cordon of sand bags very near him, and I had re- 
 ceived a heavy fall, as at one time, I was making a dash from 
 my post where I could observe the effect of our shot, back to 
 where I served the vent — stumbled over the rammer and fell 
 heavily on Ihe hard platform. But neither of us was much 
 hurt, and no one had been disabled, which seemed miraculous. 
 And our company was thus enabled to contribute fullv towards 
 repulsing the formidable and hitherto victorious fleet of Federal 
 gunboats. 
 
 Captain Jordan, together with our navy had seven men 
 killed while trying to remount their guns. And I believe they 
 were all struck down while our two guns w-ere silent toward the 
 end of the action, w'hen we were ordered by Captain Farrand 
 to "cease firing for half an hour," presumably to save our ammu- 
 nition. But we had to commence firing again long before the 
 time expired. For the commander of the Federal fleet, no doubt, 
 thinking that all of our guns had been silenced, signaled to the 
 three wooden boats, which immediately advanced and took up 
 a new position, right behind the Monitor, Galena, and all five 
 of them redoubled their fire on our batteries. And I have al- 
 ways thought that it was at this time all the casualties on our 
 side took place. As we heard the first outcry of the unfor- 
 tunate wounded while we were lying down with all our guns 
 silent. 
 
 About this time a naval of^cer walked down and said to me, 
 "we must commence to fire again, as the boats are now firing 
 into our men." So without further waiting we all resumed our 
 posts for action at the guns. When Captain Drewry, on seeing 
 how the boats had been concentrated, commanded in a very confi- 
 dent tone of voice : " Fire on those wooden boats and make them 
 
94 Southern Historical Society Papers. 
 
 leave there," when both of our guns resumed fire, and put some 
 shot through them broadside, when shortly, I think I saw a 
 shell from the ten-inch gun — which had at last been remounted, 
 burst on the deck of the Galena, and I am not sure, but that 
 Captain Tucker's naval gun also began to lend its aid at the 
 "eleventh" hour. 
 
 Then after both sides had exchanged a few more rounds, 
 I saw a peculiar flag (to me) slowly creeping up the small iron 
 mast of the Galena, so I called to the men and cried: "Look 
 out, they are going to try some other scheme." When at once, 
 (about 11:05 o'clock), after the fight had been going on fully 
 four long hours, the three wooden boats turned and began to 
 steam rapidly down the river, followed more slowly by the Moni- 
 tor and Galena. 
 
 Captain Farrand immediately gave the command : "Cease fir- 
 ing," but as my gun had just been sponged, preparatory to 
 loading it. and my enthusiasm got the better of my discipline, for 
 my spirits had now risen several degrees above despondency, I 
 said to Lieutenant Wilson: "Let us give them a parting salute." 
 He replied: "Don't care if you do." No other objection being 
 raised about our thus disobeying orders, we loaded the gun as 
 fast as we possibly could, and by the time we got it "in bat- 
 tery" the wooden boats had gotten nearly a mile from us. 
 So after pointing carefully and giving what was thought to be 
 the proper elevation, when after most of the men, including 
 Captain Farrand, had jumped to the top of the parapet to watch 
 the shot on being fired, fell a little short, but ricochetting, struck 
 the boat, which we took to be the Naugatucket, about half-way 
 from deck and water, directly astern. Dick Pond, our No. i, 
 afterwards declared that the hole made by the shot into the 
 boat looked as large as a flour-barrel, and must have done some 
 damage to her. 
 
 Then we tossed our caps into the air, and shouted our cry 
 of victory. 
 
 After which Captain Drewry took us in hand, and said: 
 "Don't a man leave for the quarters, for I want you to fix up 
 these parapets that have been knocked down, and those sand- 
 bags torn to pieces, must be replaced and get ready for them, 
 for the boats will probably be back here again in two hours. 
 
 But thev never returned again. 
 
New Light on the Great Drewry's Bluff Fi(/hf. 9'> 
 
 President Jefferson Davis, with General Robert E. Lee, 
 liaving- galloped down from Richmond, came to Gun No. 2, soon 
 after the firing ceased. The General showed us how to replace 
 the sand-bags, and both seemed well pleased with the results of 
 the engagement. 
 
 Thus the writer of this who had never been absent from 
 duty since the company had been mustered in, must have made 
 it clear to the reader that Captain Drewry, with his company, 
 of most all Chesterfield men — he and most of them plain farm- 
 ers — had by his indomitable pluck, skill and daring, almost un- 
 aided, as has been shown — won a remarkable victory that day. 
 
 As has been said, the guns not disabled had also been made 
 in the county. And so : 
 
 " The Monitor was astonished. 
 And the Galena admonished, 
 And their efforts to ascend the stream 
 W'ere mocked at. 
 
 " While the dreadful Naugatuck, 
 With the hardest kind of luck, 
 Was very nearly knocked 
 
 Into a cocked-hat." 
 
 And the behavior of the officers and men of the company 
 on that occasion, under the circumstances, was extraordinary. 
 
 Captain Drewry and Lieutenant Wilson, at my gun, were 
 alert and aggressive, and seemed to be devoid of fear, and the 
 men, judging from those that worked Gun No. 2 (and were not 
 relieved during the four trying hours), could not have been ex- 
 celled by veterans or regulars for coolness, cheerfulness, skill 
 and courage of a high order. 
 
 It was true that some of the sick ran home, and many of 
 the unemployed were dreadfully demoralized. But that kind of 
 timidity is usual among men in all commands, while receiving 
 their baptism of fire and. unable to defend themselves. 
 
 The disabling of Gun No. i (ten-inch), in charge of Cap- 
 tain Jordan's company, has been alluded to, but I will state fur- 
 ther that it was badly disabled at the time of the first fire, by 
 a too severe recoil, and for some time we thought that it had been 
 handled awkwardly, and the mishap had been caused by its 
 
96 Southern Historical Societi/ Papers, | 
 
 having been fired ''in gear." But we afterward came to the con- 
 clusion that it had in two charges of both powder and shot, as 
 the report was very loud, indeed, as burnt grains of powder 
 fell at our gun (the line of fire being very oblique). It re- 
 mained disabled nearly the whole time. 
 
 And Captain Tucker's naval gun, as before mentioned, was 
 disabled by the rain causing its superstructure to give away 
 so that its casemate of heavy logs caved in on it, which deprived 
 us of their help also, until near the end of the fight. 
 
 •No doubt the moral efifect caused by the presence of the 
 crew of the Merrimac Avas great. But otherwise without any 
 fault of theirs, they rendered very little help towards the re- 
 pulse of the hostile fleet of gunboats. It was true that Cap- 
 tain Farrand, with his professional skill, in giving very pertinent 
 commands, rendered valuable aid. Yet they have always claimed 
 the almost entire credit for the victory. And but for the fact 
 that Captain Drewry was promoted to the rank of major of ar- 
 tillery, and ordered to take command of the main fort at Drew- |' 
 ry's Blufl:' by the Secretary of AA'ar, George W. Randolph, upon * 
 the recommendation of General William ]\lahone, who had wit- 
 nessed the fight, seconded by Governor John Letcher, who knew 
 of all the circumstances of the defence, his company's claim 
 to fame would have been entirely ignored by the officers and 
 men of the Confederate navy, as well as by others higher in com- 
 mand. But truth struck down will rise again. When history, as 
 W'cU as posterity, will finally be compelled to give honor to whom 
 honor is due. 
 
 Perhaps, here, it would be well to state that our skill of 
 gunnery and the effectiveness of our fire, were greatly aided by 
 the fact that, unfortunately for us, the ^Monitor and Galena (the 
 front sights of our guns being short), came within point-blank 
 range, thus rendering themselves conspicuous targets easy to hit, 
 so that we wasted very few shots. Our. height, ninety feet 
 above the water, caused the line of fire of our guns to be about 
 three degrees depression to reach them, while theirs on the 
 contrary, had to be about the same degrees of elevation to reach 
 us. 
 
 It is now useless to discuss the "might have beens," but if 
 our two guns had been ten-inch calibre instead of eight-inch, 
 
New Llijlil on. Ike i/rcal JJirirri/'s JUujf FhjIiI. '.i? 
 
 thus niakin.c: the projectiles as heavy, the (lalena would have 
 been rendered a total wreck. 
 
 Captain Drewrv was pleased to compliment me for the part 
 taken by me in the affair, and our expert, Akd-arland. held my 
 skill as gunner in great repute after that time. 
 
 As has been said, the lire of the fleet killed seven Confed- 
 erates and battered the jjarapets of the fort badly, and also shot 
 our lar^e flag- to pieces and cut down trees of all kinds and sizes, 
 for they did not seem to otTer any resistance to their hug;c, blust- 
 erinj;- projectiles, th;it were sometimes hurled against them in 
 showers. 
 
 ■Now. as to the damage to the fleet. \\'e afterwards heard 
 that the (lalena lost about forty men — wounded and killed — and 
 that she was badly damaged by having her armor jarred loose, 
 and her deck ripped up by our shot, after penetrating being- de- 
 flected upward by chains, anchors. &c.. piled on that side for 
 the purpose. And that eighteen were killed on board the Nauga- 
 tuck by the ex])losion of one of her own guns, besides other dam- 
 age rendered b^' us. 
 
 S.\.Mi'EL A. INIaxk. 
 
 I was present tluring the whole engagement and certify that 
 the foregoing is a true statement. Of course, there are many 
 things which I observed as a spectator, which Samuel A. INIann, 
 being engaged, could not see. I will give a statement of mv ob- 
 servations in full. 
 
 Trio:\[A.s J. Crri:.\TiiA.M, M. D. 
 
 Thus w'e find that one of the most wonderful achievements 
 of the whole war was the result of the foresight, skill, lab<^r 
 and courage of the men of Chesterfield commanders, naval or 
 military, and of which the reading public knows nothing. 
 
 The only efificient service in this battle was done by the 
 Chesterfield company, commanded by Major .\. IT. Drewr\ . 
 The two eight-inch gun.s. which did the lighting, were made at 
 Belona arsenal, at his foundry in Chesterfield county, and the 
 battery at Drewry's BhifT was constructed by Chesterfield men 
 with their own resources, and was built upon land owned by 
 Major Drewry. 
 
 A glorious victory over the hitherto invincible navy of the 
 United States was achieved and the fall of Richmt>nd was pre- 
 
 
 
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 Soiilhern Historical Society Papers. 
 
 vented, for if the Federal gunboats had succeeded in passing 
 Drewry's Bluff on that day the capital of the Confederacy would 
 have at once been at their mercy, and the Confederate troops 
 would have been compelled to retreat from Richmond, and prob- 
 ably from Virginia. This gallant band of Chesterfield men by 
 their heroic conduct on this occasion, thus not only saved the capi- 
 tal of the Confederacy from capture, but prolonged the war for 
 three years, and enabled the "Army of Northern Virginia" to 
 write its heroic achievements in blood and fire for three long 
 years. The proud record of that magnificent army, which will 
 be the boast of all future generations of Virginians, might never 
 have been made. 
 
 The men of Chesterfield who composed the Southside Heavy 
 Artillery, commanded by Augustus H. Drevvry, who drove back 
 the iron-clad fleet down the James river on that momentous day 
 are justly entitled to the laurel wreath of victors, and should 
 ever be cherished in the hearts of their countrymen. 
 
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