OCTOBER 22ND, 1864: Even though he was busy drawing up plans for his upcoming attack on Fort Fisher in the Wilmington Campaign in two short months, Rear Admiral David Porter still had to concern himself with a reappearance of the Confederate ram CSS Albemarle in the Roanoke River as that was part of his command.
In a confidential letter to Commander Macomb, commanding naval forces in the Albemarle Sound, Porter set down instructions for engaging the Albemarle should it attack again: "There is but one chance for wooden vessels in attacking an ironclad. You will, in case she comes out, make a dash at her with every vessel you have, and 'lay her on board', using canister to fire to fire into her ports, while the ram strikes her steering apparatus and disables her."
The CSS Albemarle Still a Problem. --Old B-Runner
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