The Sun.
London, England, 1861-09-17 00:00:00

THE 7j7SUNI, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, S PTE 'AMER 17, 1861.:

ducted with great care and tenderness from a tem-
porary wharf erected for the purpose, took so long
that night came on, and it was so dark that it was
impossible for the pilots to take the Adelaide over
the bar, thereby causing delay.
"I may mention in this connexion that the Ade-
-1 laide, in carrying in the troops at the moment that
my terms of capitulation were under consideration
by the enemy, had grounded upon the bar; but by
the active and judicious exertions of Commander
Stellwagen after some delay was got off. At the
same time the Harriet Lane, in attempting to enter
over the bar, had grounded and remained fast. Both
were under the guns of the fort. This to me was a
moment of the greatest anxiety. By these accidents
a valuable ship of war and a transport steamer,
with a large portion of my troops, were within the
powe,r of the enemy.
" I ,had demanded the strongest terms, which he
was coilsidering. He might refuse, and, seeing our
disadvantage, renew the action. But I determined
to abate n,
It a tittle of what I believed to be due to
the dignity
of the Government, nor even to give an
official title tt.
1 the officer in command of the rebels.
Besides, my tT ‘g was in the inlet, and at least I
could carry on the engagement with my two rifled
six pounders, we1,.1
supplied with Sawyer's shells.
" Upon taking poL isession of Fort Hatteras, I found
that it mounted 10 ouns, with four yet unmanned,
and one large 10-incsh columbiad, all ready for
mounting. I append ti:ve official muster-roll of Col.
Martin, furnished by him', of the officers and men
captured by us.
"The position of the fort ie an exceedingly strong
one, nearly surrounded on au' sides by water, and
only to be approached by a march of 500 yards cir-
cuitously over a long neck of. land, within half
musket range, and over a causeway a few feet
only in width, and which was commanded
by two 32 pounder guns, loaded with grape and
canister, which were expended in our salute. It
has a well-protected magazine and bomb-proof,
capable of sheltering some 300 or 400 men. The
parapet was nearly of octagon form, inclosing
about two-thirds of an acre Df ground, well covered
with sufficient traverses and ramparts and para-
pets, upon which our shells had made but little im-
pression. The larger work nearer the inlet was
known as Fort Hatteras. Fort Clark, which was
about 700 yards northerly, is a square redoubt,
mounting five guns and two six-pounders. The
enemy bad spiked these guns, but in a very ineffi-
cient manner, upon abandoning the fort the day
before.

" I had all the troops on shore at the time of the
surrender of the forts, but re-embarked the regu-
lars and the marines. Finding it impossible with-
out a delay of the fleet, which could not be justi-
fied under the state of things at Fortress Monroe,
and owing to the threatening appearance of the
weather, I disembarked the provisions, making
with the provisions Captured about five days' ra-
tions for the use of the troops.

" On consultation with Flag-officer Stringham
and Commodore Steliwagen, I determined to leave
the troops and hold the fort, because of the strength
of the fortification, its importance, and because, if
again in possession of the enemy with a sufficient
armament, of the very great difficulty of its cap-
ture, until I could get some further instructions
from the Government.

" Commodore Stringham directs the steamers
Monticello and Pawnee to remain inside, and these,
with the men in the forts, are sufficient to hold the
position against any force which is likely, or indeed
possible, to be sent against it. The importance of
the point cannot be overrated. When the channel
is buoyed out any vessel may carry 15 feet of water
over it with ease. Once inside, there is a safe har-
bour and anchorage in all weathers. From there the
whole coast of Virginia and North Carolina, from
Norfolk to Cape Lookout, is within our reach by
light-draught vessels, which cannot possibly live at
sea during the winter months. From it offensive ope-
rations may be made upon the whole coast of North
Carolina to Bogue Inlet, extending many miles in-
land to Washington, Newbern, and Beaufort. In
the language of the Chief Engineer of the rebels,
Colonel Thompson, in an official report, it is the key
of Albemarle. In my judgment it is a station
second in importance only to Fortress Monroe on
this coast. As a depot for coaling and supplies for
the blockading squadron it is invaluable. As a
harbour for our coasting trade, or inlet from the
winter's storm or from pirates, it is of the first im-
portance. By holding it, Hatteras light may again
send forth its cheering ray to the storm-beaten
mariner, of which the worse than Vandalisin of the
rebels deprives him. It has but one drawback—a
want of water; but that a condenser like the one
in operation at Fortress Monroe, at a cost of a few
hundred dollars, will relieve ln fine,

General, I may congratulate you and the country
upon a glorious victory in your department, in
which we captured more than 700 prisoners, 25
pieces of artillery, 1,000 stand of arms, a large
quantity of ordnance stores, provisions, three valu-
able prizes, two lightboats, and four stands of
colours, one of which had been presented within a
week by the ladies of Newbern, North Carolina, to
the North Carolina defenders.

" By the goodness of that Providence which
watches over our nation, no one either of that fleet
or army was in the least degree injured. The
enemy's loss was not officially reported to us, but was
ascertained to be 12 or 15 killed and died of wounds
and 35 wounded.

" I also enclose herewith the official report of the
rebel wounded, by Dr. Wm. M. King, of the United
States' storeship Supply.
" I have the honour to be, very respectfully, your
obedient servant,

" BENJ. F. BUTLER,
" Major• General United States' Army,
Commanding Volunteers.
"To Major-General John E. Wool; Commanding
Department of Virginia."

General Butler, on his arrival in Washington from
Cape Hatteras, received an ovation, and made the
following speech :
" Fellow Citizens,—l am by far too much compli-
mented by this expression of your kind regards, and
I take it to be a compliment to the cause which we
all love, and for which any of us are ready at this
hour to lay down our lives. It can be no mere per-
sonal congratulation, no mere regard for one whom
accident made a participator in an event which I
hope will have some effect on the future of our
country's history ; but it is the result of the love
you feel to the Union we cherish and the constitu-
tion we defend. (Cheers.) Were it any degree
personal it would not belong to me, it would belong
to the gallant navy under the command of Commo-
dore Stringham, whose hands were mainly success-
ful in achieving the result which you seem so much
to welcome. Oh ! it was glorious to see that arm
of the Union stretched out against its rebellious
children. Would that you could have stood as I
did, on the deck of one of the smaller vessels, and
seen the Wabash, the Minnesota, and the Cumber
land go into action, and then, looking afar off on
the deep blue sea and observed the Susquehanna,
which, by accident hearing :the firing, came up to
have her share in what resulted in a glorious
victory—(cheers)—and as the cannon roared out,
one after another a rebuke to treason, it was music
such as would lengthen a man's life long years to
hear. (Cheers.) It came out that on the first day's
cannonade the forts, which seemed from the dis-
tance in the cloud of smoke to be but one, were
silenced, and the rag of Secession came down.
We had supposed there had been a surrender,
and measures were taker. to ascertain that fact.
The Monticello stood in, with the Harriett
Lane, for the purpose of making it certain, when
treacherously the larger fort opened upon her,
and succeeded in inflicting some injury, striking the
vessel in eight places. The threatening aspect of
I the weather made it necessary for us to draw off,
leaving upon the land, under the command of
Colonel Weber, of the New York 20th—who fought
forthe tohle
dlandfatherland
of
fGpetrio n a
ma
n ys he
le woulda ving , I fight
say,for3ls
of the United States' troops upon the rebel shore,
with 700 and over of the enemy entrenched within
500 yards of them, there to bivouac under a cloudy
sky, without tents, without provisions, and without
any of the appliances necessary for safety or com-
fort save strong hands and brave hearts (cheers) ;
and, my friends, it was an anxious night for those