INCIDENTS OF ROANOKE ISLAND.–

21. March 2008 by admin.

Colonel Russell, of the Tenth Connecticut regiment, fell dead from his horse at the head of his regiment, while marching against the enemy. Strange as it may appear, not a scratch was found upon his body when examined, and his death must have come from the wind of a cannon ball, or from excitement.

Lieutenant-Colonel De Monteil, who volunteered in the assault upon the rebel battery, received his death wound while heading the advance, and while in the act of shouting: “Come on, boys! we’ll show them how to fight!”

In the course of the action a shell burst on the United States gunboat Hetzel, and set her magazine on fire. Lieutenant Franklin, her executive officer, ordered the men to the magazine to extinguish the fire; but seeing that they hesitated, he took the hose in his own hands, and sprang down and extinguished the flames before they reached the powder.

A similar occurrence took place on board the Ceres, from the bursting of a gun, when Acting-Master Diarmaid sprang into the magazine and extinguished the fire.

A shell entered the coal-bunks of another of the steamers, setting them on fire. The flames were subdued after much difficulty, with but little damage to the vessel.

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