Headquarters

10th NCST, Co. C

Charlotte Artillery

Snow Hill, NC

May 7th, 1864

General,

Your orders dispatching men for forage and horses have been received. Our company will be prepared to move to Richmond upon receipt of your command to move. My staff will submit a Plymouth Battle report reviewed by me. I will see to the implementation of forage expeditions personally.

Yours for the duration.

Captain Wayne Womble

The Following dispatch is to be included with Company Mail to Battalion Headquarters

General,

I have the honor to submit the following report of our activities in the battle for Plymouth, NC.

Your orders were received and Charlotte Artillery moved with most haste to outside Plymouth. Captain Womble was ordered to Battalion Headquarters upon arrival and our gun crew arrived at Camp Storm where Lt. Dan awaited us. We informed Lt. Dan that our friends in the cavalry had given us a captured Federal wagon of which included contained pork and potatoes. We also found a dining fly and put it to use.

Upon our camp set up we were visited by Mr. Ronnie Bryant who was delivering dispatches to Gen. Hoke. Mr. Bryant wished to expand his service to the Confederacy and pitched in with us for the impending unpleasantness. Captain Womble arrived and all settled into camp for a meal of pork and potatoes. Much booming was heard around though not man made. We were informed by a local man that there were gravity storms around and thus the reason for the booming. Though we had encountered the storms in Averasboro, and heard the curious buzzing sound associated with them, we were to avoid them this evening.

Saturday morning found us in good spirits and accompanied by warm temperatures. Upon Roll Call, we welcomed Steven McElreath into the company along with his sons. His term of enlistment is for the duration of the war. He is a volunteer rather than conscription. Joining our command was Cpl. Tony Dick and his lovely wife Amanda along with their daughter Alexandra. Sgt. Stables arrived with his lovely wife Linda and beautiful daughter Betsy. Capt. Womble's lovely wife Phyllis arrived with medical supplies.

The battle found us placed in unique quarter. We were placed behind scrub mounds, out of sight from the enemy. We were firing blind through the scrub with Lt. Dan as observer calling to us the effect of our work. Frequently Lt. Dan placed himself in danger as he traveled through the weeds for a better view. We were joined in the battery by a small force of naval artillery. Eager would be better nomenclature to describe their personality as well as their battery skills. We were almost shot through on the way to our piece. On a command of "Fire by section from the right", they immediately fired their pieces. Grand as it was, it was superfluous........ they were in the center section. We have requisitioned a limber to replace the one destroyed as it was struck by solid shot to the axle.

Our afternoon was passes in recovery from the battle. We had visitors who promised to return to see us at our next involvement.

There was a naval battle we witnessed with the CSS Albemarle dominating the affair. We were treated to supper by some of the locals who cooked pork for us along with vegetables and cake. That evening we were dispatched to a local church for services. We found women in distress who needed escort through the hazardous city. We toured through the streets to find safe passage as the Albemarle shelled the local fort. Back at Camp Storm we again found threatening conditions along with music, spirits, and grandiose conversation. It was apparent that gravity storms were coming.

Sunday found a hearty breakfast and preparation for the coming business. Our duty was to attack the Federal fortifications. Lt. Dan's spirits arose as his lucky hat was returned by Betsy who borrowed it the night before on her trip to the hospital. We were placed in battery and had well placed volleys. Private Cameron McElreath sustained injury from shell fragment but his place was occupied by Mr. Bryant immediately. Our infantry occupied the works in short order. We were then drenched not by gravity but by rain. Our men slogged through it back to camp and to retire here in Snow Hill.

We thank the Almighty God for our victory.

We await your orders for our next deployment.

Your Most Obedient Servant

Grover Godwin

Aide to Camp. Charlotte Artillery

I have the honor to submit