, 1861-10-10
FROM FORT HATFERAS.


Correspondence Of the PAilade!phia Iaquirer,1
Fort HATrERAs, Oct. 8, 1851.
Al expedition was fitted out a. this placa
under the direction Of Col. Hawkins, on the
1st Inst, and started FOR Chicimaccmie or
Logserhead lalst, which Is about twenty
maes IRON here, aid short distance below
Oregon Inlet.
About seven hundred soldiers from the
heT York and Indiana volunteers, who a-l;y.
ed on the 6pauldi1g last Fr;d.y, w.rs en-
camPed en- shore, and the expedition VS. 10
reinforce item, and carry provisions aad tents
TO tatm: Accordingly the steamer Gen. Put
ram and the tug Fanny were detailed for tbs
service.
Arriving there abou: / O'Clock, they an
chored 2bo1t TIVE miles from ehore, aud
awaited come time for l;g1iers to ca!rg the
stores away ct last enc came, Was loaded and
jrHt showed of, when one OF the en4ay's
vessels appeared, cn,ting off the retrest Of
the Fanry. Che Gercrsi utrea2 h ID so1e to
HatteEas for coal
Two others tcon hove il sight, and now
EcsIe Of confusion eusuea, ali hands Hara
siolmed and the officers Lost coHtrol cf them
telyts ard then men.
Capt. Morrison, In the meantime, lowered
enc Of his beats, and Started OF Eaora With
bis Eon, for tie purpose Of consulting Col.
broHL! (sboat carrying off the stores fnster.)
Capt. H:Et wanted to run up white Tag,
t eat - Enc. Il. 1rem the enemy aoon brought nim
R,dsely, the mate, Hhat he should 1o7 to
which he replied he would obey his orders,
aEd 90 anything to secure the safely Of the
vessel aud stores.
IRE, bnt as Lone Of the officers or men under
stood WORKING the guns, tkey coaId not get
the I2EGe, Sill niGe Slots in I'll were fred
Capt. Hart noF ordered the mate to slip the
anchor asd run her ashore, which xas done
In me midst OF all the excitement nothing
8 h7,f{ {Hr,r,
| the arHs, ammunition and stores. No caa
seemed to know enongh to save his Own Life,
| The mate ordered the scldiers 70 throw their
| muskets and cartridges over, wnes Sergeant
Ma)of Peacock countermanued the order, tell
| lHg the soldiers it would 60 harder with them
TIE engineer, James Westcott, told all hands
7c jump overheard aud swim for their lives,
| IS he Tas going to pull the burning Goals out
Ct the furnace and set the vessel on fire. soon-
ef than let it fall into the hands Of the enemy,
| work nor run.
! Finding 1otking could be done either to
| save the vessel or those on board, the sinai!
crew Of tie Fanny took to their boats Just as
fhe enemy were ready to board them. A shot
Hom one OF the enemy, which Vas intended
70 of.n5 them TO, mlss ID them, and they pulled
! down 10 Fort Hatter.,s, where they arrived
| the next morning.
MEN ASD PROVISIONS CAPTURED.
The Fanny had On board about thirty or
thirty live soldiers, eleven Of which belonged
! te Colonel HaTkiDs' regiment, the rest wsr.
| ct the New York aud 1pdix1a Volunteers, 70
| rifed howitzeTs and about 5000 worth of
| provisions, besides the arms and ammunition
Khlch the soldiers had with than.
There was no judgment used in fitting out
the expedition. Those sent to fire the howit-
| z:7s we're infantry, and consequently wsre i:,,-
| rorant of field pieces, and the boat itself Was
rot prepared With any means Of safety for
! such emergencies.
| 1t is said Captain Rowan Of the PaInes Of
| tered to render Colonel Hawkins anE assist
snce, with men and boats, that he might re-
| qu:re il fitting ont the expedition, but he %
iltely declined the offer, IS he thought his
own men were equal to the undertaking.
Had one good and efficient officer been on
toa1d the Fanny, We woald have avoided both
tie loss Of so much aud the honil!at!on a.
| ttndirg it.
On nearing Of the disaster, Capt. Lardnsr,
o1 the SusqueGanna, immediately sent Lisut.
| Ba1E head, with his launches and men, well
armed, to the scene Of action, to prevent any
! fItf'5er attempts on the part Of the enemY;
Ire small steamers Putnam and Ceres accorn-
| painted them.
The Fanny belonged to Messrs, Lopsr. St
Walnut street wharf, Philadelphia, and Was
| chartered as transport. Her crew have por,e
to Fort Monroe In the PAWnee.