Rufus E. Lester claimed that his regiment, the 25th Georgia Infantry, participated in the battle over the USS Columbia. The January 17, 1863, Wilmington Daily Journal reported that Col. Lamb at Fort Fisher had sent a Whitworth rifled cannon with a range of four miles along with a detachment of cavalry to assist.
As a result of this battle between the USS Cambridge and USS Penobscot and the Confederates, the Columbia received considerable damage from the crossfire during the morning of January 16. Between the firing and heavy seas, rescue operations for the Columbia's crew were halted. Seeing the inevitable, Lt. Couthouy threw most of his cannons overboard.and then hoisted a white flag of surrender.
Lifeboats began moving the remaining crew ashore around noon. Twelve officers, including Couthouy and 28 sailors became prisoners of war. After a brief stay in Wilmington, the officers were moved to a prison camp in Salisbury, N.C., and the sailors to Richmond, Virginia.
--Old B-Runner
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