Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1861-09-11
Official Report Of Gen. Butler.
UNITED STATES FLAG Smlr MINNESOTA

August 81, 1851. I
GENERAL.-Ag greeable to your orders.
embai ked on the transport steamers Ade-
laide and George Peabody five hundred OF
the Twentieth regiment New York Vol.
unteors Col. Weber commanding: Cap.
tain Jardines company, Ninth regiment
New York Volunteers with one hundred
OF the Union Coast Guard, Capt Nixon
commanding, and sixty of the Second T.
nited States artillery, Lieut.. Larned com
mandng, as force to Operate in con.
junction with the fleet under command of
Flag Of officer Str:ngham, against the reb-
el forts at Ilatteas Inlet.
We left Fortress Monroe on Monday at
one o'clock 7. NJ, the last shin cf our
fleet arriving OIL Uatteras Inlet about four
o'clock on Tuesday afternoon. Such prep
arations as were possible for the landing
were made in the evening; and ut day :.
light next morning dispositions were
made for an attack upon the forts by a
feet and for the landing of the troops
Owing to the previous preyale nee Of south
west gales heavy surf was breaking on
the beach. Every effort was made TO land
the troops, and after about 3Ij men were
landed, including fifty five marines from
the fleet, and the regulars, both the iron
boats upon which we depended were
swamped in tie surf and both flat boats
were stove and brave attempt being
made by Lieutenant Crosby, United States
Navy, serving with the army ,ts post cap
! tain, ut Fortress Monroe, who had volun,
tsered to come down with the steamtug
Fanny, belonging TO the army, TO land in
q boat from the war steamer Pawuec, re.
SulteL in beaChIng the boat, so that she
could not be got oti.
1t was luplacticaUle to land more
troops because Of the rising wind and sea.
Fortunately Twelve pound rihed boat
gun loaned us by the flag ship, and
twelve pound howitzer were landed, the
last slightly damaged. Our landing was
completely covered by the shells of the
Monticello and TIE Harriet Lane. was on
board the Harriet Lane directing the dis
embarkation Of the troops by means Of
signals, and was about landing with them
at the time the boats were stove.
We were induced 20 desist any further
attempts at landing troops by the rising
OF the wind, and because in the mean
time the fleet had opened fire upon the
nearest fort, which VS. finally silenced
and its flag struck. No firing had been
opened upon our troops from the other
fort, and It's flag was also Struck. Sup.
posing this to he a signal OF surrender
Colonel Weber advanced his troops al
ready landed upon the beach.
The Harriet Lane Captain Faunce, by
my direction, tried to cross the bar to get
in the smooth water of the inlet, when
fire was opened upon the Monticel.
10, winch had proceeded in advance ofus,
from the other fort. Several shots struck
her, but without causing any casualties
as ! AN informed. So well convinced
were the officers Of both navy and army
that the forts had surrendered at this
timc that the Susquehanna had lowed the
frigate Cumberland to an ofiing. The
fire was then reopened, rs there was no
signal from either upon both forts. In
the meantime a few men from the Coast
Guard had advanced up the beach, with
Mr.. Wiegel, who was acting as volunteer
aid, and whose galIantry and services
wish to commend, and took po.cssion of
the smaller fort, which was found to have
been abandoned by the enomy, and rals>
ed the American flag thereon,
1t had become necessary, owing to the
threatening appearance OF the weather
that all the ships should make an oiliing,
which was done with reluctance, from
necessity thus leaving the trooys upon
shore, a pant in possession Of the small
fort about seven hundred yards from the
large one, und the rest bivouGcked upon
the beach near the place Of landing about
two miles north Of the forts.
Early the next morning the Harriet
Lane ran in shore for the purpose of coy
ering any attack upon the troops. At
the SAME time large steamer was obser.
we'd coming down the sound, inside the
land, With re:nlorcemcnts for the enemy;
but she was prevented from landing by
Captain : Johnson, of the Coast Guard who
had placed the two gdns from the ship
and six FOUNDER captured from the en-.
emy in "A small sand battery, and opened
fire upon the lebel steamer.
At eight o'clock the fleet opened fire
again, the flagship being anchored as near
as the water allowed, and the other ships
coming gallantly into action. IL was evie
dent, after few experiments, that our
shots fell short. An increased length of
fuse was telegraphed Land tireing commen>
ced with shells of fifteen seconds fuse.
had sent Mr.. Fiske, acting aid de camp,
on shore, for the purpose Of gaining intel,
ligence of the movements of the troops of
the enemy. then went with the Fanny
for the purpose Of etfecting landing of
the remainder of the troops, when n white
flag was run up from the fort.
then went with the Fanny over the
bar into the inlet. At the same time the
troops under Colonel Weber marched up
the beach, signal was ma de from the
flagship TO cease firing.
As the Fanny ronnded in over the bar,
the rebe! steamer Winslos went up tho
channel having a large number of rebel
troops on boardy which she had not land
cd. We threw shot at her from the