Freedom by the Sword - US Army Center Of Military History

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Freedom by the Sword: The U.S. Colored Troops, 1862–1867
Union transports in a heavy sea, en route to attack Wilmington, North Carolina. “Plenty
of pitch but not sick,” Sgt. Maj. Christian A. Fleetwood wrote in his diary.
conspiracy to blow up the English parliament. He told congressional investigators that
he approved the idea only because the Navy seemed to be interested in it, too. 58
At last, on Christmas Day, Butler’s expedition put a small landing force ashore.
Men of both divisions took part. “Co. ‘H’ [of the 5th USCI] was ordered into the launches,”
Scroggs wrote.
We landed amid a shower of bullets from the enemy concealed in the bushes skirting
the shore, deployed and advanced, a few well directed shots scattering the Johnnies like
chaff. In the meantime the White troops had landed farther down the beach and a small
party of 60 rebs had surrendered to them. . . . [Brig. Gen. N. Martin] Curtis was about
making an assault on the main works when he received Butler’s order to fall back. The
fort was weakly defended and could have easily been taken but the order had to be
obeyed and we all fell back to the beach. . . . We were all on board the transports again
shortly after dark and heading seaward.
Sergeant Major Fleetwood spent the afternoon between the transports and the shore.
“Got three companies off and ordered back,” he entered in his diary. “Got a drenching
in the surf coming off.” The fleet steamed north to the James River and deposited the
58 Report of the Joint Committee, 5: 51 (quotation); Browning, From Cape Charles to Cape
Fear, pp. 288–89; Longacre, Army of Amateurs, p. 237.