[pencil note]    John Dillingham Acting Master

Comd^g U.S.S. "Morning Light".         Report

 

Jan 20 1863. Being at anchor off Sabine Pass in company with prize schn^r "Velocity" on the blockade my attention was called about 4 PM to two Confederate steamers coming down Lake Sabine. At 8 PM I requested the "Velocity" to get underweigh & keep within hail of the "Morning Light" the wind being very light & calm at intervals. the schn^r was obliged to anchor during the night. At daylight we saw the two steamers coming down out the river. The schn^r got underweigh while we lay to until she came up with us—wind very light at the time from the S.E. and quite impossible to avoid an engagement with the steamers. As the sch^r came up I requested her to keep on our Port side, as our Starboard battery was only available in any case. we were steering at the time about S.W. & was obliged to keep off to the North of West to bring our battery to bear.

 

            The steamers approached us rapidly & commenced firing from a rifled 64 pdr which took effect in our rigging & hull at every discharge. As both steamers kept in a line, & both head on, it made the target very small for us, while we were obliged to give them every advantage by exposing our whole broadside. A rifled howitzer we had on the Poop burst at the first discharge. When within about a thousand yds distance the steamers commenced discharging musketry at our sharpshooters in the tops. at the same time the hindmost steamer the "Uncle Ben" hauled out of line to attack the "Velocity" Finding the foremost steamer "J H Bell" could not be effected by our shot or shell, we hauled to on the Port tack & gave the "Uncle Ben" two broadsides which took effect without / injury, both steamers being loaded with their guards to the water could not be hulled seriously, heavy & impregnable barricades of cotton & timber protected them otherwise above the water. as we hauled to the "J H Bell" opened a most galling fire of musketry on our decks at the same time using her rifled bow gun to our great disadvantage, while the Uncle Ben was firing on us with two 32 pdrs. We hauled two of the Port guns out of the battery & trained them aft to repel boarders, at the same time a shell struck one of the Port guns, ruined the gun & crippling the whole gunr crew more or less, our decks were showered with musketry of every possible description, the J H Bell had taken such a position on our quarter in boarding that our guns could not be trained on her, not a man was vissible on the steamers, but a perfect hail of lead came from the barricade. I felt obliged to make an unconditional surrender, which I did by hauling down the flag & requesting them to cease firing, all of which was attended with great personal risk & difficulty, amid the most infernal yells & howls that can be imagined. Our decks were immediately covered with boarders armed in the most formidable manner & it was with great difficulty the Confederate officers kept their men from continuing the fight, while we had no means of defence. Some little time elapsed before anything like order could be restored, after which both officers & men behaved in the most proper leinant & considerate manner allowing us every/ privilege consistent with our position & as far as in their power, gave due respect to private property. The ship was taken in tow by the J H Bell & anchored near our former anchorage off the buoy. The Velocity being boarded & overpowered surrendered at the same time of the "Morning Light" fortunately without casualities. We were all taken prisoners on board the J H Bell & landed at Sabine about 5 PM. We had one man killed, one fatally wounded & nine seriously wounded with perhaps fifteen slightly wounded with spinters & spent balls. The ship was severely cut up both by cannonading from the steamers & musketry. All of our officers & men conducted their whole duty in the most proper & fearless manner. The two steamers were manned by about 400 men, while we had but 110 in officers & men on both vessels. And can only say that if placed in a simular situation again I should endeavour to surrender before I was boarded.

 

[pencil] Account by H. W. Washburn Acting Master & Officer "Morning Light"

Jan 20^th 1863   Sabine Light 6 miles E.N.E. from the Ship

 

            At 4.15 PM I was informed that black smoke was seen on the Lake Sabine. I went on the M.T.G.Gard with my long spy glass and soon made out a steamer with a black hull coming down slowly towards the village. Soon after another hove in sight steaming much faster. I watched them till sundown, at which time they were near the town. when I came on deck I spoke to Acting Master Dillingham commanding the ship, giving it as my opinion that they were gun boats cotton clad. I received a very short answer. saying that "we were not allowed to suppose anything" he ordered the ship to be got underway, and ordered the prize schr "Velocity" to do the same & keep close to the ship. the wind was / light and died away calm before morning. I was called at 4 AM on the 21^st and took the deck, ship becalmed, head to the N.W. the sch^r some about 1 mile off. At daybreak light air from the E.N.E. which gradually freshened got ships head to the S.E. sunrise saw two steamers coming down towards the Bay. reported it to A. M. Dillingham who said if they come any farther "Let him know" they were about 6 miles off I soon called him again as they were in plain sight & one fired a gun. Mr. D. came up & after some ten minutes told me to have the watch clear away the battery, which was soon done; I asked permission to pipe to breakfast at 7 AM obtained it. At 7.45 obtained permission to pipe to quarters, was ordered to get up 3 5" shell for cach gun making 24 on deck at once. we had no shells fused with 10" or 15" although I had spoken of it several times; the small arms were by order of Mr D placed around on deck. we crossed Royal Gards & made all sail on a wind heading SE. breeze freshening at 9.15 AM. the enemy standing for us. We kept off took in mainsail M.T.M. Staysail and fired. Starboard battery shot fell far short, loaded & fired 3 rounds of 5" shell which exploded in the air (extreme deviation) about 1/5 the distance. hauled to the wind for 15 or 20 minutes kept off & fired 5 rounds of round shot all fell wide owing partly to the guns being trained sharp aft & partly to the fact that the wheel was either hard aport or starboard all the while, just keeping off enough to get a poor sight and aim. we then hauled on the wind for a short time, when we kept off again, the boats gaining on us & the wind freshening, as we fell off nearly enough to range good, were ordered to "Man the Port Battery" "Man the Stbd Battery"; "Man both Batteries" "Man the Port Battery". the wheel was put hard a starboard & ship hauled on the wind. I did not like the proceeding as the ship before the orders came in such rapid succession was falling off rapidly & the enemy was about 1500 yds distant and presenting a fair broadside as they tried to get under our stern. as we hauled to Mr. D. came down on the gun deck & assisted the crew of No 3 gunport in training their gun / on the steamer "Uncle Ben" there was one round fired from the Port battery & the guns of the 1^st Division under my command were loaded with shell 5" & run out I left No. 2 to assist the capt of No 1 as there was 60 fathoms chain in the rear of the gun I assisted one of No 2^s crew wounded by minie ball down on the birth deck and just as the 2 guns were run out, a shell struck No 2 port exploding & killed 1 man wounded several others. Capt Dillingham cried out to Acting Masters Mate G H Rice "haul down that flag" he ran up on the Poop as I came aft & inquired could I "call away the boarders". as I came abreast of No 3 only 2 men were visible, one the Capt P T L Pevost since dead & Henry Buck Sen. Buck was crying to see the colors come down no attention was paid to my wish to repel boarders but Capt D. called out several times I surrender taking off his cap and waving it. the Enemy were firing upon us with Enfield rifles & kept it up for some few minutes. the J H Bell ran up on our quarter & they came on board. I went into my room put my money in my pocket & came out. as I came I saw one man on the Poop ladder who proved to be a Lieut Millett CSA who demanded my sword as he had no uniform on I refused. he pointing to a strip of lace on his collar informed me he was the Senior Officer on board. I gave up my sword to him stipulating honorable treatment as a "Prisoner of War" & my private property to be respected, all of which he readily agreed to saying that the Texans had been misrepresented /

                                                                                               

9.40 AM

As we kept off the second time, a shell from their rifled 64 pdr struck the water & exploded within 20 feet of our side. as we hauled on the wind the last time 10.15 a round shot from the "Uncle Ben" struck the lower side of the main yard about 10 feet from the slings, Port yard arm, and soon after the shell struck No 2 gun. we were taken in tow by the J H Bell & towed up near the buoy where we were anchored we were called on board the J H Bell with our baggage where our swords (Mr. Dillingham's & myself being the only ones) were again delivered up to a Capt Odlum as Major Watkins the Commanding Officer expressed himself

We had fought bravely & should deliver our swords up to none but our Superior in rank. We were taken up to Sabine City where we arrived about 5 PM. We were about 30 miles from Sabine Light where we surrendered in a SSE direction 10.45

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