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CHAPTER XVI.

OFFENSIVE OPERATIONS OF THE UNION FLEETCAPTURE OF FORTS HATTERAS AND CLARKCAPTURE OF PORT ROYAL-MASON AND SLIDELL. Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds-Expedition to Hatteras-Attack Upon, and Capture of the Forts-Fruits of the Victory-Fort Morgan AbandonedExpedition of Col. Hawkins-Perilous Position, and Rescue of the 20th Indiana-The Assailants Punished-Great Southern Expedition-Its ForceArrival at Port Royal-Dispositions for Attack-The Reconnoissance- The Bombardment-Capture of the Forts-Trophies of the Victory.

Until the last of August, the Union fleet had been chiefly occupied in blockading the long line of the Southern coast, and preparations to render that blockade efficient, had largely engrossed its time and means. But preparations for other service were not neglected.

The necessity of possessing the important inland communications on the coast of North Carolina, afforded by the Pamlico and Albemarle sounds, with the numerous rivers flowing into them, was early apparent to the Government.

To possess those points, a combined naval and military expedition was projected from Fortress Monroe. The former, under Com. Stringham, and the latter under Gen. Butler.

The fleet left for its destination on the 26th of August. It consisted of the Frigates Minnesota, Wabash, and Monticello, and the gun-boats Pawnee, Adelaide, Geo. Peabody, and Harriet Lane; the Susquehannah and the Cumberland were also ordered to join the expedition. It carried a small force of about nine hundred men. It arrived off Hatteras Inlet, the

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ATTACK UPON THE FORTS.

next day after its departure. The entrance to the Inlet was defended by two forts- Hatteras and Clark-works of recent erection. The special object of the expedition, was to capture and occupy those two forts, and thus prevent the egress and ingress of privateers, for which these capacious inland waters had furnished admirable haunts.

On the morning of the 28th, the whole fleet having arrived, preparations were made for the attack, by landing three hundred men about two miles above the forts, the landing of a greater force having been prevented by the swamping of the surf-boats. At 10 o'clock, the vessels opened fire on Fort Clark, and the bombardment was vigorously continued until 2 o'clock in the afternoon, when the garrison retreated to Fort Hatteras, a stronger work in the rear of the former, mounting ten thirty-two pounders, and two ten-inch guns. This fort opened on the Monticello, which came in range while covering the advance of the troops on shore. She unfortunately grounded, but still opened fire upon the fort with such spirit, that, aided by the Wabash, Susquehannah, and Minnesota, in fifty minutes she had nearly silenced its fire. At this time she succeeded in getting off, and moved out of range. She received seven eight-inch shot in her hull, but not a man on board of her was either killed or wounded.

Night came on dark and stormy, and prevented farther operations upon the fort, and also the furnishing to the men on shore either re-enforcements or provisions; and who, in consequence, passed a night of great peril and discomfort. It was feared they would be attacked and overborne by superior forces of the enemy; but they were unmolested.

On the following morning, the land force returned to the ships; and at a quarter past eight, the attack upon the fort was renewed, in which the entire fleet participated. The firing was rapid and accurate, and for a time, the fort replied with spirit; but the eight-inch shells of the Harriet Lane,

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bursting in the battery, soon drove into the casemates all that could get into them. At eleven o'clock, an eleven-inch shell burst in the bomb-proof, with terrific effect, having entered through the ventilator. This produced a sudden panic, the white flag was at once displayed, and the fort was unconditionally surrendered, with seven hundred and fifteen officers and men, including Com. Barron, late in command of the Wabash.

This important victory was obtained, at a singularly small sacrifice of life, on the part of the victors. We lost but one man killed, and two slightly wounded; the enemy, forty-nine killed and fifty-one wounded. We captured in Fort Hatteras twenty thirty-two pounders, and one ten-inch columbiad; and in Fort Clark, five thirty-two pounders, and three six-pounder field guns; also one thousand stand of arms, six hundred knapsacks, ten tents, ten drums, and a large quantity of ammunition.

A few days later, Fort Morgan, on Ocrakoke Inlet, mounting six guns, was abandoned by the enemy, and occupied by our troops, without resistance.

This victory was a great relief and joy to the people of that region, relieving them from the oppressive and despotic rule of the "Confederacy," and giving them an opportunity to manifest their long-stifled Union sentiments. Large numbers of the population came forward with alacrity, and voluntarily took the oath of allegiance.

The following is a description of the final bombardment and surrender :

"In the morning, at early day-light, we were again astir. Again, we (the Wabash) led the attack, and fired the first gun upon the fort at a long range. For three hours, the firing was incessant from the heavy guns; the practice was perfect. The range was fully two miles-just the range of the fifteensecond fuse. The immense shells could be traced away in air,

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PARTICULAR DESCRIPTION.

and falling, plunged into the fort, would create fearful havoc as they exploded. Houses were torn to the ground; the embrasures were knocked out of all recognition. A legion of fiends could not have withstood such a storm of shells, much less the necessarily raw artillerists who occupied the fort.

"Nothing but a surrender was left for them. At about seven bells in the forenoon, a man stationed aloft shouted out that the enemy were deserting the fort and taking to the boats. A large fleet of mongrel craft were in the Sound, and began to move about uneasily. At the same time, with our glasses, we perceived a man rush upon the ramparts with the secession flag, wave it frantically, and then toss it over the parapet, and then he ducked into the bomb-proof to escape a shell. Then, after the explosion, he rushed up, ran along the parapet with a staff in his hand, stuck it in the ground, and from it was displayed a white flag, and the surrender was announced. Cheer upon cheer rose from the vessels. 'Cease firing!' passed from ship to ship, and to us a bloodless victory was again the result of a forty-eight hours' bombardment. "Commodore Barron refused to surrender to the troops, but expressed his desire to deliver his sword to Commodore Stringham. He was, together with Major Andrews, put on board the Cadwallader, and taken on board the flag-ship, where he formally surrendered to his old friend and former brother offcer. He says that the fire upon him was terrific. His magazine was on fire twice. The bursting of the shells completely demoralized his men, who fled whenever the smoke puffed from our guns. For the last hour and a half the shells burst constantly in the centre of the fort-sometimes three at a time. His best guna large rifled gun-was dismounted and rendered unserviceable by a shell striking it and blowing the carriage into splinters."

Major Gen. Wool thus reports the capture of those forts: "The Commanding General has great satisfaction in an

THE 20TH INDIANA.

453

nouncing that a glorious victory has been achieved from the combined operations of the army and navy at Hatteras Inlet, North Carolina, under the command of Commodore Stringham and Major-General Butler.

"The result of this gallant enterprise was the capture of seven hundred and fifteen men, including Commodore Barron and one of the North Carolina cabinet, one thousand stand of arms, seventy-five kegs of powder, five stand of colors, thirtyone pieces of cannon, including a ten-inch columbiad, a brig loaded with cotton, a sloop laden with provisions and stores, two light boats, besides taking fifty bags of coffee, etc., all of which was achieved by the army and navy, and six hundred volunteers and sixty regular artillery of the army."

On the 29th of September, Col. Hawkins, in command at Fort Hatteras, ordered the 20th Indiana regiment, to Chicamacomico, distant about forty miles. That place is on Hatteras Island, a long and narrow strip of land extending southerly from Hatteras inlet, of the average breadth of about one mile.

The regiment was scantily supplied with provisions and equipments, which, with intrenching tools, were to be conveyed to them the next day, by the steamer Fanny. This steamer, while doing so, was overhauled by three rebel steamers, and her crew and passengers, consisting of thirty-one persons, and her valuable cargo, estimated to be worth one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, were captured. This left the regiment without supplies, tools, or tents, and stimulated the rebels to attempt their capture. They had been very imprudently advanced, without support, to an extremely exposed position. The enemy accordingly embarked between two and three thousand men, on six steamers, on the fourth of October, intending to divide the force, and land both above and below the camp of the 20th Indiana, and secure, as they believed, its certain capture. Their purpose was, however, dis

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