The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1861-12-03
THE BATTLE OF FORT HATrERAs.

returned n. G. prisoners ..-..at s....
The first day of the bombardment, the line of
battle ships were engaged with Fort Clark, and
this little battery of six guns, located near the
edge of the surf, would have succeeded in keep
ing our enemy's ships beyond anchorage, and in
the situation they could have done US 10 material
damage, if the guns had been in proper trim and
the fort supplied with shot and shell. But | will
mention here that there has come under my own
observation but one gun with proper attachments
for regulating its elevation and sighting, in all my
STAY on the coast And through the neglect of
some one our cannon had not been furnished with
sights, the simple invention of the war Of 1872
that rendered our cannon so effective during that
struggle.
At o'clock the gunners of this little fort
had discharged their last cartrid ge, and ceased
firing. So soon as this was discovered by the
enemy. they hove to and fred in shower of shot
and she'll too great for men in defenceles con-
dition to withstand After spiking their cannon
they retreated to Fort Hatteras. A portion of the
feet then went up the beach, and prepared to land
five thousand men, which expected had been
safely accomplished, nor had we any means Of
ascertaining what was actually done as their occu-
patton Of Fort Clark rendered communication
with the island impossible. The Monticello
deavored to run through the inlet and cut off our
Portsmouth Teinforcements which were then COM
ing up. AS soon as she entered the inlet, she
within range of the short thirty-twos of
Fort Hatteras for the first time and fred into
with such rapdty that, besides the damage of
her upper decks, killing several, seven shots en-
tered below water line before she could haul off
So soon as we had landed. which done under
heavy fire, boats left for Washington and
Newbern for other recruits, thus rendering a
timely retreat impossible It was suggested that
we should retake Fort Clark during the night
and several of the officers were more than anxious
to attempt it. But the cannon in the fort had
been inperfectly spiked, it was now formidable
battery for the enenIy's defence. 4 rifcd cannon
battery had also been erected on the ridge beyond
the fort; and, more than all. we had no means of
ascertanng whether all of the five thousand seen
landing up the beach had succeeded in doing so
or not. Our scouts, however, said they had.
Thus, from our best information, we must storm
and take Fort Clark, and also battery of two
riaed cannon, and five thousand men could be sent
against u.s. | have mentioned these particulars
in answer to the question frequently asked,
why We did not attack the three hundred men on
the shore?
Commodore Barron came in some time during
the night Of the 28th August, to whom the Whole
command was Immediately delivered But so
soon as he had an opportunity of inspecting the
fort and its prospects Of defence, said that he
would be unable to hold the fort an hour 1t was
then too late to retreat, and by far too late to
mount the cannon, which had been lying for
months on the platform. The morning of the
10Th came, and with it the preparation for heavy
bonbardment J he loss of Fort Clark then
enabled their line Of ships to be planted in good
anchoring ground But such was their distance,
that we could reach them with only one gun Of
the three that could be brought to bear upon
them. After the enemy had ascertained our ee-
vation, they opened and kept up bombardmeut
of thirty bombs per five minutes. After this had
continued for some hours, shell entirely dis
lodged the only gun that would reach, and this
too, was our only hope of defence. One gun of
heavy calibre had been sent to this point and was
lying on the beach unmounted. Shot and shell
for it, have learned, had not been sent This
gun would have done effective service had it been
in position For this positive neglect, | am una
bic to say who is responsible. Com. Barron, who,
| learn is severely censured, could not at least be
for this neglect and defenceless con
ditlon of the fort, as his arrival was sometime
during the previous night Our hope OF defence
now being gone we looked only to pre2erva-
ton While two or three hundred were protected
by the bomb proof the remainder Of US sought
shelter from each broadside behind the parapets
and walls of the fort This we succeeded in
doing until about 10 o'clock. at which time
bomb entered ventiator of the proof and came
IN contact with the magazine, setting some OF Its
timhers on fire. There was Immediately terror
stricken rush into the open fort, and no longer
could our men be constrained to be still or remain
in security behind the walls and parapcts. Now
nearly six hundred men were scattered the
fort, which was only two hundred feet square,
with scarcely shell falling out Of their midst.
1t was then .that our men began to fall thick and
fast. 1t was then, and not till then, amid the
unceasing explosions of these messengers Of death,
that the conviction Of utter bel plessness was
fully realized, and the final consummation of
Indifference and neglect the part Of officials /
who had been frequently apprized of our con-
dtion and the threatcnings Of the enemy was fast
closing the drama with disrepute to themselves
and destruction to us. Thus, when madness alone I
would have attempted longer to hold defenceless
fort, and nothing could be gained by dying amid
its shattered walls our colors struck. 4
But let US ask whether lose gain by the I
surrender The first gain is that Old Rip is some
What awakened from her lcthargy by the loss of
he post, whether she for the loss of her
sons or not But whether this severe crash upon
her corns. by the Yankees, will prove radically .
beneficial or not remains as yet to be seen. 1t is
nv special purnose In this connection, to speak Of
he service of our worthy Commodore, who, it 3
nav be seen from these facts, is free from any
,lame that may be attached to him. He could
lot have been responsible for the disasters of the
previous day, because he was not there. Nor for I
hose of the second day, because of our hopeless
condition, rendered so by the neglect of others,
md then beyond redress. Now, if in the time,