Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1861-11-13
INTERESTING FROM HATTERAs
GREAT Storm and Flood ~
DwioreJie Condition Of our Tioop,iiii

We take the following graphic descrir-
ton Of affairs at lIattcras Inlet from the
special Of The New York Tribune of the 7th
instant;
The land forces at this point are now in
the midst Of anotl"y engagement, which
Is of more serious character than any of
the conflicts that have yet taken place on
this coas', 1t is contest with the ele>
men,s. a great deluge is upon US. Las.
evening gale sr:ang up, which cnntinu-
ed 10 increase III fairy every iuoment until
morning, when il assumed the form of II
pei fec: whirlwind, accompanied with rain,
which at times fell in torrents. About 5
o'clock tins morning, the waves from the
ocean began to sweep over the island (hall
4 mile wide into the Sound, and before
daylight th,se two bodies OF water were
united. Not n spot of land was to be seen
All the lower portion of the island, where
Forts Iiatteras and Clark are situated
was under water, and so sudden WAS the
npheaying and 70 violent the storm, that
all chances of escape were cot of before
the morning light came. 1t was utterly
impossible for any assistance to reach
them from our fleet, so terrible was this
llatterR stSrN. And il was not until q
breaker swept across the islrnd. carry ing
men, sh0ntes, tents, and ever creeping
thing with il, that the soldiers weie aw are
Of great flood. Men were washed out of
their beds and found all their clothes
,That few had marci5ed) borne Ly the
water to the Sound. Live stock, such u,
pigs, chickens, horses, cattle, dogs, cats,
and cooking utensils, Lumber, driltwood,
boxes, barrels, trunks shaHlics, we've car
lied forward, together with men on them
and in them, some jumping out Of the
windows, some cutting their way through
the roof others jumping of into the water
which, in many places was over their
heads in depth, end making for box OF
barrel in order to reach the roof Of shan.
~ still standing. Officers on horses were
riding or swimming through this moving
mass. giving orders to this floating army
Of men, who, with gun in one hand and
with tho o.her hanging on to some Kind
of an object, kept themselves above water
/ The most mourntul sight Of all, however
was to witness the moving of the sick
some OF whom were in Il dying condition
before the stern came. They were car
iried on cots f;om place TO place on the
shoulders of men who were wading thro
water neck deep. II was also a sad sight
to witness the destruction CT property
At the wharf where all the government
property is stored, wholesale destruction
took place. Provisions oftvery kind were
soon ahoa barrels Of crackers, bread, SUI
gar. pork, beef, molasseS, beans, potatoes
fish boxes o! candles, sopc, clothing, and
in fact everything required for All army
was seen to 50 with the flood with The
buildings containing them in very dj.
,apidated con lilion. Tn. steamer Spaul,
ding arrived the evening before with a
large load Of pro }isiOns, clothing, lumber
&c and as good luck would have il, she
uW unable TO land bu. q small portion oi
her cargo the night she came in unfor
tunately there was, however 9ome cInth-
ing landed for the 20lh Indiana Regiment
| Nearly half of this much ncedal freight
was placed on the pier, and went with th,
waves Of the ocean within view Of The sol
diers, who, with fearful eyes and shivrrine
forms, beAeld this, to them, tho mos
mcla :cho'y sight OF all. About 6 o'clock
this morning the llol was at its hcighth
and for two hours Col. Brown Of the 20ln
I Indiana Regiment and officers we're il
great suspense. 1t was very evident that
new inlet below Fort Clark had Lesi
made during the night, which entirely cut
off their escape; and as the waves were
rushing into Fort Clark 10y e in the NOR
ming, it was apparent that all must NEE,
with "a watery grave il tue water cun.nu.
ed to rise at the same rate for two hours
10 come. Fortunately, the country was
spared from hearing Of such horrible It'd.
ings as was momenlatily threatening the
lives Of these loyal soldiers. rne storm
began to ,bate by seven am, this morn.
ing, and by o'clock narrow strip o
samdbeach was discovered above Fort
Clark. which was hailed with wild dcligh,
/ by the Goth Indiana Regiment, who, bun a
tcw minutes before wero making prep,rs,
! tions 10 save themselves, if po,s BILE, from
fearful fate. BY noon ths Ii lc had gone
down, and left quite little spot for the
| half drowned and exhausted men TO walk
upon and build some anr fires, which
enabled them to cook Il sclntY meal from
what few Fragments ofprovisions had been
rescued from the water. What a sight to
/ behold All was devastation and rain =
the entire camp WAS made dasolatc. Sew
ernl feet of sand were taken from the sur,
face Of the island, leaving it in such CON
dition that it is sure to be under water a,
often rs the tide comes up,
Between Fort Clark and llastcras, A
new inlet, some six feet deep, vas formed
during the night, and now it is a vast
sheet of water between the two forts
Fort llattcras now stands insulated from
the lanI, and will be swept entirely away
in the next severe storm, its sandy walt.
having already commenced TO crumble
In fact tits thought that thcnc great
storm (which is liable to visit this region
anv day J, will level both forts. Clark AID
lIatteras. | understand that the Conlcd
dcrates only built them for summer use
expecting they would be swept away he.
fore Spring, which accounts for using the
cheap material (sand and turf with which
these forts are constructed. This sweep.
ing food makes good the predictions OF
the Conftderates when we took possession
Of this treachtrous and mysterious PENN