Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-09-03
BUTLER,s EXPEDITION.
Further Particulars of the Taking OF
the Forts and the Surrender OF the

the combined land and naval forces Of the
( Union, which surpasses in importance any
thing yet accomplished against the enemy.
/ A piratical nest, long tie terror of the
merchant, has been efeetualIy broken up
and destroyed. Victory has crowned our
Z flag. Your special correspondent has this
moment arrived from the scene of contest
/ at Hatteras Inlet, North Carolina, which be
leit on Friday afternoon, with Gen. Butler
and stat, in the steamer Adelaide, under
command Of Commander H. S. Stillwagen,
4 D. S. N, touching for a short time at
Fortress Monroe, thence to Annapolis and
Washington.
of the frigates Minnesota. Commo-
Edors Stringham in command of the
lexpedition; Wabash, Capt. Mercer the
gunboats Pawnee, Capt Rowan; Nonticel-
! 10, Commander Gillis, and the Harriet
1 Lane, Capt. Fauuce, with the transports
l Adelaide and Geo. Peabody, conveying
troops to the number of 1000, left For
tress Monroe last Monday, and reached the
/ rendezvous of Hatteras Inlet, Is miles be-
\ low Cape Hatteras, on Tuesday morning,
I the Minnesota and Wabash coming IN in
the afternoon, and the Cumberland Joined
the feet the same day.
Preparations were Immediately made to
land the troops the following morning, at
which time the transports ran near the
I beach, TWO miles north Of the Inlet, aud
covered by the Monticello, Harriet Lane
/ and Pawnee. About three hundred men
1 were landed through heavy surf, the
force consisting of Capt. Larnedis CONF
pany of regular artillery, Capt. Jardine's
company Ninth New York, two companies
/ of the Twentieth New York, with Col.
( Weber aud Lieut.. Col. Heiss, detaeh-
tment of marines from the frigates. under
command of Majors Doughty and Shuttle
worth, and detachment of sailors from
1.-THE Pawuee, under Lieuts. Crosby and
Blue, with Drs. King and Jones.
The gunboats swept the beach and
| neighboring copse Of scrub oaks. All the
boats being swamped and bilged in the
surf, no more men could be thrown ashore.
/ Meanwhile, the Minnesota and wabash
4 the latter with the Cumberland in tow
steamed up to the front of one of the reb-
ell batteries and took their position at long
range.
At ten o'clock the wabash fired the first
gun, the eleyen-inch she'll striking near
the battery and bursting with tremendous
force The battery, which was of sand,
covered with turf, aud mounting Eve long
| thirty-twO's, instantly returned the FIRE,
the shot falling short. The Minnesota and
Cumberland Immediately opened Ere and
rained nine and eleven inch shell into and
about it. The FIRE was terrific, and soon
the battery's responses were few and far
between, save when the frigates suspend
ed FIRE for a while to get n new position,
when the euemy's ERE was most spirited.
No damage was sustained by our chips,
and when they again took their position
the cannonading WAS intensely hot, the
shells dropping in the enemy's works or
falling ON the ramparts, exploding IN death
dealing fragments, and carrying death and
destruction with them. The small wood
en- structures about the fort were torn and
perforated with flying shells.
At eleven O'Clock the immense flagstaff
was shot away aud the rebel flag came
down, but the FIRE was still continued by
them.
AT twelve o'clock the Susquehanna
steamed in, and, dropping her boats astern,
opening an effective fire. The canuona-
ding on our part was incessant, and the
air was alive with the hum and explosion
of flying shell; but the enemy did not re
turn the FIRE with any regularity, the bat
terry being too hot for them, from the ex-
plosion Of shells that dropped in ut the
rate of about a half dozen minute.
The enemy ceased firing little before
two, and after few more shells had been
thrown in the Commodore signaliZed to
cease firing.
The troops had meantime advanced to
within a short distance of the fort, aud be-
fore we ceased firing some of our men got
in aud raised the Stars and Stripes. The
place WAS too hot for the men. but the flag
was left waving. Goxswain benjamin
Sweares, of the Pawnee's 6rst cutter, stood
for sometime on the ramparts waving the
flag amid flight of shells.
When the firing ceased the fort was oc-
eupied in force and held afterwards.
The Monticello had proceeded ahead of
the land force to protect them, aud had
reached the Inlet when a large fort, Of All
oCtaEon shape, TO the rear and right of the
small battery, mounting ten thirty-tWo's
and four eight-inch guns, which had till
then been silent, opened on her with eight
guns, at short range. At the same instant
She got aground, aud stuck fast, the enemy
pouring in FIRE, hot and heavy, which the
Monticello replied to with shell sharply.
For fifty minutes she held her own, and
finally getting OF the ground she came out,
having been shot through and through by
seven eight-inch shell, one going below
the water line. She fired ffty-6ye shell
in fifty minutes, and partially sileneed tue
battery. She Withdrew at dusk for re-
pairs, with one or two men slightly bruised,
and none killed or wounded.
The escape Of thevessel and crew was
miraculous. Until this time, we supposed
the day was ours; but the unexpected
opening of the large battery rather chang
ed the aspect of affairs. Things did not
look eheerful at dark We had men ashore
who were. probably in need of provisions,
and in case of q night attack no Assistance
could be cent them from the Harriet Lane.
As we lay close in shore We saw the
bright biyouac fires on the beech, with
groups OF men about them. The night
passed without an alarm, the enemy, as
we have since learned, lying on their arrus
all night, expecting an attack.
AT early daSbreak on Thursday the men
wentto quarters in the effect, AID at quar-