and its altitude, he returned home, convinced that the immense morass might be easily drained, for it lay considerably higher than the surrounding country. Through his influence the Virginia Legislature gave a charter to an association of gentlemen who constituted the 'Dismal Swamp Company.' Some, less sanguine of success than Washington, withheld their co-operation, and the project was abandoned for the time.

"It was reserved for the enterprise of a later day to open the Dismal Swamp to the hand of industry. A canal now passes through it from north to south, upon the bosom of which immense quantities of shingles and lumber are floated to accessible deposits. By that canal the swamp might be easily drained, and converted into fine tillable land. To every visitor there, the wisdom and forecast of Washington, in suggesting such improvement a hundred years ago, is most remarkably manifest."

Friday, September 16, 1864.—The Valley City left Newbern at 4 o'clock p.m., with Paymaster Louis Sands of the United States steamer Shamrock aboard, and arrived at Roanoke Island on the 17th, at 11 a.m., and at 2½ p.m. left Roanoke Island. At 9 p.m. arrived at the fleet, and put stores, which the Valley City had conveyed from Newbern, aboard the Shamrock. On the 18th, at 6½ p.m., left the mouth of Roanoke Island to go on an expedition up the Chowan river, and arrived at Winton, on the right bank of the river, at the junction of Meherrin river, at 8 o'clock a.m. of the 19th. Winton was entirely destroyed in the early part of the war, leaving nothing but here and there a wall, a chimney, or foundation wall standing. An armed party went ashore and captured some cotton, and came in contact with some Confederate pickets, with whom they had a little skirmish, or exchange of shots. We left Winton at 4 o'clock p.m., and arrived off Edenton at 9 o'clock p.m., where we anchored for the night. At 7 o'clock a.m. of the 20th we got under weigh, and proceeded to the fleet, where we arrived at 9 o'clock a.m. At 1 p.m. we steamed to the mouth of Roanoke river, where we anchored. On the 22d we got under weigh, and at 1:35 p.m. arrived at Edenton. Captain J. A. J. Brooks, Acting Assistant Paymaster J. W. Sands and myself went ashore, and called on Mr. Samuel B.'s family, and spent a very pleasant time. At 3:40 p.m. we returned aboard, and proceeded to our old anchorage at the mouth of Roanoke river. The weather was cloudy and hazy. On Friday 23d, at 12½ p.m., the ram Albemarle made her appearance at the mouth of Roanoke river. We immediately fired our signal gun, and got under weigh, and steamed towards the United States steamer Otsego, commanded by Captain Arnold, which was anchored further down the Albemarle Sound. As we passed the Otsego, Captain Arnold ordered the Valley City to steam as rapidly as possible towards the fleet, and the Otsego would follow after. We soon met the fleet steaming towards the mouth of Roanoke river. The Valley City and Otsego soon fell into line, and arrived at the mouth of Roanoke river. By this time the ram had returned up the river. The fleet remained reconnoitering at the mouth of the river till 6 p.m., when it returned to its old anchorage. The appearance of the ram at the mouth of Roanoke river caused some excitement aboard the fleet, for we were anxious to have the ram come out into Albemarle Sound, so as to have a chance, if possible, to sink her. On the 27th, at 11½ a.m., the Valley City steamed down to Edenton, and remained there two hours, and came back to our old anchorage.

On the 29th, at 3½ o'clock a.m., the Valley City weighed anchor, and proceeded to and up Scuppernong river. At 11½ o'clock a.m. we got aground in a position transversely across the river, with the stern of the vessel towards the left bank. About seven hundred yards distant on the left bank of the river, in the bushes and wood, a concealed Confederate battery was situated. In making an effort to get afloat, the guns of the Valley City were run out of position, the decks were crowded with hawsers and ropes, and the propeller had a hawser tangled in it; so that the steamer was in a very helpless and dangerous position. We were not aware that this battery was situated in the place named till at 3½ p.m. they opened fire on the Valley City, and continued firing till half past 5 o'clock p.m. It was some time before the Valley City could clear her decks and get into position to bring the guns to bear on the enemy. In the meantime Commodore W. H. Macomb sent orders to Captain J. A. J. Brooks to blow the Valley City up and leave her as best we could; but when the Valley City got her guns to bear on the enemy's battery, they were silenced at 5½ p.m. The shells and bullets from the Confederate batteries ashore fell around us fast and thick, but fortunately nobody aboard was seriously injured, notwithstanding the vessel was struck several times by shell, and also by a number of bullets. At 9:20 o'clock p.m., after throwing coal overboard, emptying the boiler, and with the assistance of the tug Belle, which came up, we got afloat, and were towed by the tug Belle down into Albemarle Sound, along side of the Otsego. On the 30th the hawser was taken out of the propeller. At 1:15 p.m. the Valley City got under weigh, and steamed alongside of the Tacony for coal.

I append an extract from the North Carolina Confederate, published at Raleigh, N.C., bearing on the brush up the Scuppernong river: