"History of the Confederate States Marine Corps" by Ralph W. Donnelly, page 88 states:

"One of the more interesting projects in which it was planned to use the Marines was a special expedition with the object of destroying the Federal monitors in Charleston harbor. On February 19, 1863 the Navy Department ordered Lieutenant William A. Webb, C.S.N., to prepare several boarding parties for attacking the Federal fleet. The somewhat fantastic plan called for the boarders to use iron wedges to be driven between the turret and the deck, jamming the revolving turret. A second man was to cover the pilothouse with wet blankets, while a third was to either cover the smoke stack or throw powder down it. Other men were to be provided with turpentine or camphine in glass vessels which were to be smashed over the turret, followed by an inextinguishable liquid fire while still others, watching every turret or deck opening, were provided with sulphuretted cartridges, etc., for smoking out the enemy.

One section of the special boarding group was composed of fifteen men (one captain, one sergeant, and 13 privates) from Marine Company C. Listed as stackmen were Captain Thomas S. Wilson and Sergent James A. Mercer. Bottle and Sulphur men were Hugh Aird, Patrick Hart, William Bell, and Stephen Caul. Blankets and Powder were assigned to henry Curran, James Grogan, Thomas Crilley, and Theodore Davis. Richard McGregor and John Barrett were assigned to the Bottles and Sulphur; ABRAHAM W. BESSANT and Anthony Cannon were the Axemen while S.C. Curtis was Plateman. However, in April 1863, the Navy Department ordered the officers and men of this expedition back to Richmond.

It does appear that a Marine battalion of 200 men under the command of Captain John D. Simms was sent to oppose the expected attempt by the Federal navy to force Charleston harbor in the spring of 1863. They are reported to have remained at Charleston about a month and then returned to their Drewry's Bluff camp....."

The ORN SII V1, muster roll of the CSS Virginia for November 1861 to May 1862 shows A.W. Bessant as a Marine private. He is listed as a private in Marine Company C, in November and December, 1864. He is not listed in the indexes for the OR, Confederate Veteran or the Southern Historical Society Papers.

Hope this helps,
Bob Birmingham