HT don't feel bad. As a fellow CharGriller (CG) owner, I did the same thing on my first cook. :icon_blush:
But after trying to control the heat and smoke with the chimney and firebox vents, I gave up and found this site. The rest is history.
By the way, there are several mods you can make on the CG to make your cooks go better. The 1st thing I would do is make or have made a charcoal box for the firebox. With an expanded metal charcoal holder, you can get up to 6-7 hours of run time on the CG without adding charcoal.
Another area to look into is the heat distribution throughout the smoking chamber. Currently, I'm using some inexpensive aluminum pans with holes to help distribute the heat. There are better methods out there, just haven't taken the time to make a plate...
All these ideas came from other brethren on the site...
I'll attach some pictures in a little while, must attend to the grandkids right now...