Adam Badeau, Military history of Ulysses S. Grant from April 1861 to April 1865. Volume 3

[331] report to these headquarters for further instructions.

At four o'clock on the morning of the 6th of January, the transports sailed. During the day a severe storm arose, which greatly impeded their movements, but on the 8th, they arrived at the rendezvous, many of them damaged by the gale. This day Terry communicated with Porter, but the weather continued unfavorable, and it was not until the 12th, that the combined force arrived off Federal Point; even then, in accordance with the decision of the admiral, the disembarkation was deferred until the following morning.

At daylight, on the 13th of January, Porter formed his fleet in three lines, and stood in, close to the beach, to cover the landing. One division anchored within six hundred yards of the shore, and the transports followed, taking position as near as possible in a parallel line, two hundred yards outside. The iron-clads moved down within range of the fort, and opened fire; another division was placed so as to protect the troops from any attack from the north by land, and the reserves took charge of the provision vessels. Boats were sent at once to take off the troops, and by three o'clock nearly eight thousand men were safely landed, with nine days rations and entrenching tools. The point selected was about five miles from the fort, below the neck of Myrtle sound, a long and shallow piece of water, separated from the ocean by a sandspit not more than a hundred yards across.

Since the bombardment on Christmas day, Hoke had remained with his division in the neighborhood of Wilmington, and on the 13th, during the landing,