Major Frederick Mackenzie
31st May. Cloudy Day. Cold wind at S S. E. Some rain in the
evening.
The General and the Commodore having determined to attempt
destroying some Saw Mills and a quantity of Plank for
building boats, which they had upon Fall River; the Pigot
Galley, a Gun Boat, some Flat boats, and the boats of the
Flora, Juno, the Venus, Orpheus, and Kingsfisher, under the
direction of Capt. Christian of the Kingsfisher; with 100
men of the 54th Regiment under the command of Major Eyre of
the 54th Regiment; were ordered for this service. At 12:00
last night they passed through Bristol ferry, unperceived
by the Rebels and proceeded up Mount Hope Bay, except the
Pigot, which unfortunately run aground in the upper part of
the passage, which gave an alarm to the rebels, who
immediately communicated it by firing Signal Guns which
were repeated on both sides of the Bay. The boats waited
some time in hopes of being joined by the Pigot, but
finding the Alarm was given, they moved on to their
destination without her, and on approaching the shore near
Fall River, they were fired on by a guard of about 40 men;
but pushing directly in, the troops landed and dispersed
the enemy. They then proceeded to the First Mills, where
one Saw Mill, a Corn mill, 9 large boats, and about 15,000
ft. of Plank was burnt. On advancing a small distance
toward the other Mills, they found a considerable number of
the enemy posted at, and above them, from whom they
received a heavy fire by which 2 men were killed, and an
Officer and 4 men wounded. It being been judged imprudent
to attempt forcing the post, or to continue longer on
shore, the troops returned to the boats and re-embarked
without molestation. No other loss than that abovementioned
was sustained. The Boats then returned down the Bay, and
landed troops on the North Point of Commonfence Neck, and
went to the assistance of the Pigot, which had continued
all the time aground, and under the fire of the Rebel
battery at Bristol Ferry, by which she had suffered
considerably; but by the assistance of the boats and more
particularly the well directed fire of our two guns in
Bristol ferry Redoubt under the command of Capt. Brady of
the Royal Artillery, who twice dismounted one of the
Enemy's guns, and by a continual fire almost destroyed the
work and prevented them from firing so quick and so well as
they otherwise would have done, she was at last got off.
Lieut. Cougleton of the Flora lost an arm, and 3 Seamen
were killed by this unfortunate accident. The gallery
received several shot in her hull; and had her boom cut in
two and some of her Rigging much damaged by the Enemy shot.
160 shot was fired from the 2 guns in our Redoubt.