The New York herald., 1861-10-11
THE BATTLE At HATTkRAS.
OUR HATTERAs INLET CORRESPONDENCE.


trsa.-The Destruction Of ths Rebel Vesse-T'e Uner
tessness Of fhe Rebe, Soliies-Appoi''nsm Gnerul
MaisfeLl--Styusgic Points in North Cdrotind--stas
me,t Of prrde Hatvs-Sce,es aud Iacidens Related
by Him-7e Loss Of tie Rebeis Supposed to Be 0vsr Fsrs
Hiadrei, &c, ~.
On the morning u tho 4th inst, about daylight, the
iockouts of Colonel Browns cscampmcr, consisting of
about eight hundred OF The Twentieth Indiana regi
men located thirty miles above This place, report
ed SIX rebel steamers, With schoouers and laboats IN
tow all loaded with troops, coming out of Croatan sount
and steering straight Fsr the ercamrment There ~as
time 10 pc lost or 1t evident their numbers were
TOO greet TO resis. without artillery, supported as
they wcad be by tbe guns the The Colonel
immediately despched courier 10 inform Colonel Haw
kns Al Fort Hatcras Of tis situation stating that he
would retreat to the lighthouse on the Cape and there
make n stand.
The steamer landed soout fifteen hunered three
miles above Colonel Brown and thon came down,
throwing shells into tho tents destroying thcEl, also
house which had beer used as hospital, killing what
sick remaired therein. They then passed down and
commenced landing sroops below intending to cut OF all
retreat having them between their forces make
sure, no Goubt OF 'oaggng Colonel Brown and his men
Al their leisure 8ut they lot quick enough for
Colonel b. hastily destroyed what he could carry
off with him and left tho double quick ard succeeded
Y,
having periorrged rapid march through the heavy
sand
Colonel Hawkins upon receiving the Information from
Colonel b. despatched Captain Iardncr of the
SusqLehanna informing him Of the condition Of affairs
and thcn started the double quick, ~h six
Of his Zouavss reinforce t,e retreatg troops CAPTAIN
L. immediately got the Susquehanna under way, the
time ordering the Monticello to do the same, and
proceeded up and anchored in Lighthouse cove, about
eight O'Clock in tho evening, within half gunh)t OF the
light When day light broke the trooIs shore and the
sailors within speaking distance of each other
Colonel Browns troops had anything since the
previous morning, VIII ch fact being made known %
Captain Lardncr, he Immediately supplied them with pro
visions. At the request Of Colonel Hawkins Captain
l.. remained ut anchor protect the troops against
such superior nabers supposed to be in pursuit
of them. He at tho same time ordered the Monticello
TO double Cape Hateras, and proceed close along the
shore and II he could discover any traces OF the
enemy. He had proceeded but slort distance when
the rebels discovered in full plume within half
gunshot; the Monticello opened fire at once with
shells that exploded with the utmost precision scattering
them in all directions, killing and woundng them by hun
drcds The enemy consisted Of regiment Of vgnans
the Seventh Georgia and about twelve hundred North
Carolina militia, making total Of about three thousand
men, under the command Of General Huger who it is
sa was killed at the OF the sle,ng pro-
cess Lieutenant commanding Braine says that he OK
pended to their hundred and eighteen Shells
every one OF which did good service. Two schooncrs
and two hatboats loaded with troops which had not yet
landed, or else had just recmbarked for their return
were entirely destroyed by the explosion the shells
thrown into them, killing and wounding all on board
she entered the eide Of one Of the schooners and then
exploded, filling the air with fragments Of the wreck ami
lmbs OF human behgs 1t is considered as being within
bounds TO say that Vt least 1--WE hundred were either killed
or wounded Hundseds Of the rebels were seen to wade
ont into the sound up their necs and when they voud
hear shell coming they woull crouch down un or
the water and remaia long they could and thcu
poke up taeir heads and listen for the approach Of tue
next mesa engar Of death and repeat the opera ou A
more perfect trap could Dot well have been arranged for
their destrction The belt OF land where they were dis
covered Is not more than third OF mile wide and
separates faElleo Sound from the Their steamers
attempted To come in close enough to take item or but
sheii sent poughng aier them induced thcm IL
keep at safe dist nce and their troops were m to their
fate As night set in the Monticello ccased Airing
During the night the! must have embarked, IS The fol
lowing morning discovered traces OF their p sencc
IL rey unfortunate that Colonel Haw did not march
up the beach under OF the guns Of the Mlcello
the Sus johanna would also have along iii ha, case
50 as 70 have been on band and either captured cut
tIcn 70 pieces after they had been scattered aud dis
pclscd by the shells frem the ships
We III much pleased the arrival Of General Mans
fell, who has taken command, ard out dctaeh-
met Of trooTs to protect the lighthouse, the rebels
having threatened 10 blow mp. If there is any depart
ment where regular bred United States army officer is
required TO manage affairs, this is the place, and
1.neia d. was NOT appointed moment too
We learn by the arrival Of the Spauldng this morning
from Fort Monroe that the parties who recently visited
tna locality under flag OF truce stated that b Saturday
night last (Which would be the 4th ls they would bag
Colonel Brown and his command The Georgia and VIZ
ga regiments were sent from Norfolk to do the Job but
Ia y m me. much warmer rseeton than they expected,
and did not bag their intended game either.
Every day shows the increasing Importance OF this
place as basis Of military Operations, and the govern
ment can only concentrate some eight suitable
steamers to cope successfully with the number Of steamers
cwnedby the rebels in these island waters and send down
troops enable us cipture Roanoke Island
(Which they constantly fortyng owing TO the fact
that 1t comina ands the passage from Panpco into Abe
marie sound), will venture the assertion that in less
than three months from this date North Carolina would
be back In the Union safe aud sound. There is quite
number Of schoones lying here for protection loaded with
We would control the entire inland gaton Of North
Carolina, and capture all the steamers aud every thing
else that floats in their waters.
The following narrative is given by Private Uayer
Company H. Of Colonel Browns regiment He was cap
turei by the rebels, but finally escaped:-
He says that Pryates Bsnet White and himself we're
.bisy engaged destroying whatever they cond 10 pre
vent the enemy from getting any punder but remained
rather TOO long, ard captured by the Gcorgians
Bennett was shot dead in his attempt to escape White
and Hlver were tied and put under charge of Capt viii
SON. Of the Georgia Seventh. Towards slndown Captain
some ducks they had captured rather stolen from the
poor people residing there and beng himself very hn
y he ventured TO ask them i they woudgive him some
aiter they were done One Of the party looked him.
calling him "a damned back republican son of a b-h y
and said I'VE don't eat with niggers.n little before
daylight the following morning he succeeded in getting
his hands clear, then released his companion
White, and drew small revolver that had
remained secreted between his shirts when he was
dsarme and shot Captain W., and then they both lied
Into p &c OF marsh, bog, that short distance
oil They were pursued, but unsuccossfuly they buried
themselves in the soft bog with their heads only above
the surface and concealed by the thick rushs Several
times the feet Of their pursuers heard rus,lng
among the rushes and high grass causing their hearts 10
beat with increased rapdy; for had they been caught
they would have been shot AZ once.
Fortunately for them the Monticello commenced firing
hef shells INTO the enemy, which gave them something
else TO do besides hunting up their escaped prisoners
Fef says ha', Notwithstanding the uncomfortable
position they in he could help but laugh to SEQ
the ing made among them by the explosion OF the
shells Hs says that Colonel Barlow was Knocked or
A1rse by tie bursting OF shell, and he did not see
MN hgail-nA doubt he kled--and also SAYS the
ehreRs ma ainetitions OF the rebels heartrepd-
bog some wouid eNcnm:-''My God we will all be Killed.,
AM one co-e by HIM, shell exploded eyclailnel:-
"Oh, my God, there's George; he Is killed Snch
were the scenes That were pa sing around them I'LL
sCong favorable ONO tufity, th left their MACE ~
concealm mt aud pushed for the beach hopiuy n "a ,,n
of by the No tiCelo. They pursued ~, nri,, rr
a short distance As soon they reached ~ h,sach
Ca Bfaine sent boat for them although he snrg 80 60
very heavy AT the time They were SO eager - " -,
among their friends that before the boat was near
70 take them they both plunged into the surf and ha
the boat was picking Hayer out of the water Chsrlss
White was drowned. Although good swimmer he WAS
a, I'd for ~