e Confederate
fleet endeavored to escape by running up the Pasquotank river to
Elizabeth City, Commodore Lynch thinking no doubt that he would there
find re-enforcements, which could easily have been sent from Portsmouth;
but if they were there they did not do him any good, for Captain Rowan
followed him into the river the next day, and destroyed his entire
squadron with the exception of one boat which was captured and
transferred to the Union fleet. After demolishing a portion of the
Dismal Swamp canal, Captain Rowan went to Edenton, Winton, and Plymouth,
all of which were captured without resistance that amounted to anything,
and garrisoned by troops from Burnside's army.

The historian says that the results of this expedition "in a military
point of view, were considerable; but those of a political character did
not answer the expectations of the Federal government." It was believed
that the occupation of these points would not only be the means of
stopping the contraband trade, which was kept up in spite of the
blockading fleet, but that it would also "keep in countenance the
partisans of the Union, who were thought to be numerous in North
Carolina." When the capture of Newbern, Beaufort, and forts Macon and
Pulaski, which followed close on the heels of the reduction of Roanoke
Island, put all the coast north of Wilmington into the hands of the
Federals, blockade running indeed became a dangerous and uncertain
business; but Marcy Gray could not see that the native Unionists were in
any way benefited. To begin with, General Burnside released all his
prisoners after compelling them to take oath that they would never again
serve against the United States. Does any one suppose that the prisoners
had any intention of keeping that promise, or that the Confederate
government would have permitted them to keep it if they had been so
disposed? It is true that some of these rebel soldiers had had quite
enough of the army, and vowed that they would take to the swamps before
they would enter it again; but it is also true that the most of them,
when they returned to their homes, became determined and relentless foes
of all Union men. So the conquest of Roanoke Island gave Marcy Gray more
enemies to stand in fear of than he had before; but it had a still worse
effect upon his affairs.

It was night when the soldiers that were to take possession of Plymouth
and garrison the place were sent ashore from the transports. Marcy stood