Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of Rebellion, Series I, Volume 15 by United States Department of the Navy

Author:United States Department of the Navy
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Official Records, Civil War
Publisher: United States Department of the Navy
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Or Eight Mile Swash

Page 411

SOUTH ATLANTIC BLOCKADING SQUADRON. 411

board. I then proceeded on, arriving off the salt works about 2 p. m. I hove the ship to opposite the works and within easy range. My executive officer being unwell, I left him in charge of the ship. Taking Acting Ensign William Mero and 12 men with me, landed safely near the works. I deployed part of the men as pickets to prevent a sur- prise, Mr. Mero taking the remainder as a working party to destroy the works. On examination we found the works much more extensive than 1 expected, they being partly concealed from the ship by a high sand ridge. There were four separate works, each containing twelve large pans, the water being raised from the beach by horse power, leading into a cistern large enough to contain 100,000 gallons, built of timber planked and calked on the inside. There were twelves pans ready for setting, also timber and materials for extending the works to double its size. There were about thirty buildings, three of them large warehouses built of heavy logs, containing about 2,000 bushels of salt, a large quantity of rice, corn, and bacon. One of the ware- houses was constructed as a blockhouse, with loopholes on all sides. The salt pans were 6 feet by 4, and froni 6 to 18 inches deep, and of cast iron, which were easily broken. After breaking all the pans, making it impossible to repair them, and having no other way of destroying the salt, I had it mixed with sand as far as time would allow, then set lire to all the buildings, also to about 50 cords of pine wood. The buildings, being built of pine logs, were soon enveloped in flames. On landing we discovered two white men and one old negro behind a fence, who immediately gave themselves up. The rest, about 30 in number, took to the woods on our approaching the shore. While we were destroying the works four negroes came out of the woods and assisted us in the work of destruction. Two of them wishing to get their families before leaving, I allowed them t7o remain; also the old negro who had his cabin near by; his wife being a free woman, he did not wish to leave. Taking the two white men and the other two contrabands, we returned to the ship, arriving on board at 5 p. in., filled away and stood back for the inlet. The wind being light, we made but little headway during the night. At 9 oclock the next morning we were off Withers Swash, and saw a man behind the house before alluded to, waving a white handkerchief. I sent the second cutter, in charge of Mr. Mero, and took him on board. His name is Allen Jones, of North Carolina. He reports himself to be a commis- sary sergeant of the rebel Army. He informed me that the house on the beach had a furnace in it, with boilers for making salt, and that a Mr.

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