New-York daily tribune., 1861-11-07
TIE ISLAND SUBMERGED
Tents, ShantieS and PrOviS' .ons Swept OFF,
GREAT DISTRESS iAND PRIVATION.
peulorabls Conditi on of the Goth Indiana.
From Our syeC'4l Co respondent.

character taan any OF lne cOhulOs tndV nave !ct
taken place on this coast. 1t is a contest with the
elements. A great deluge is upon us. Las. even
ing gale sprang up, which continued to increase in
fury every moment until morning, when it assumed
tie form Of perfect wbrlwind, accompanied with
rain which at times fell in torrents. About o'clock
this morning, the waves from the ocean began to
sweep over the island half mile wide into the
Sound, and before daylight these two bodies OF
wster were united. Not a spot Of land was TO be
seen. All the lower portion of the island, where
Forts Hat,eras and Clark are situated was under
water and 60 sudden was the upheaving and so vio-
lent the storm that all chances of escape were cut
oil before the morning light came. 1t was utterly
impossible for any assistance to reach them from our
feet so terrible was this Hatteras storm. And II
WIS not until breaker swept across the island, car
rying men, tents shanties and every creeping thing
with it, that the soldiers Of the presence
of great food. Men were suddenly washed out Of
their beds and found sn their clothes what few had
undressed) borne by the water to the Sound Live
stock such as pigs chickens horses, cattle, dogs, cats
and cooking utensils lumber, dfiitwood, boxes bar
rels trunks shanes were carried forward, together
with men on flem and in them, some jumping out Of
windows, some cutting their way through the root,
others jumping of into the water, which, in many
pisces. was over their heads in depth, and making
for box or barrel in order to reach the roof of
shanty 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 the other hanging on TO some
kind of an object kept themselves above water.
The most mournful sight of all, however, was to
witness the moving Of the sick, some of whom'were
in dying condition before the storm came. They
were carried on cots from place TO place on the
shoulders of men who were wading through water
nearly neck deep. 1t also sad sight to witness
such destruction of property. AT the wharf where
al the Government property Is stored, wholesale
destruction took place. Provisions Of every kind
were soon ahoat-barcels Of crackers, bread, sugar,
pork beef m.lasses, beans, potatoes, fish, boxes OF
candles soap, clothing, and in fact every thing
required for army seen to 60 with the food,
with the buildings containing them in a very
diIspidaed condition. The steamer Spauldng arrived
the evening before with large load OF provisions,
clothing, lumber, &C., and as good luck would have
1t, she was unable to land but small portion Of her
cargo the night she came in. Unfortunately there
was, however, come clothing landed for the naked
10th Indiana Regiment. Nearly half of this much
needed freight placed the pier and went with
the waves Of the ocean within view Of the soldiers,
VINO, Win tedfIul eyes anu Dentlu
- this, to them the most melancholy sight of all.
About o'clock this morning the flood was at its
hight, and for two hours Col Brown of the Goth
Indiana Regiment and officers were in great sus-
pence 1t was very evident that q new inlet
below For; CLARK had been made during the night,
which entirely cat off their escape and as the waves
were rushing into Fort Clark by 6 in the morning,
ii was apparent that all must meet with watery
he mad IN of fha
for Two hours to come. Fortunately the country
was spared from hearing of such horrible tidngs as
was momentarily threatening the lives of these loyal
soldiers. The storm began to abate by a. m. this
morning. and by O'Clock narrow ridge of sand
beach was discovered above Fort Clark, which was
hailed with wild delight by the Goth Indiana Regi-
ment, who, but few minutes before, were making
preparations to save themselves if possible, from
fearful fate. BY noon the tide had gone down, and
left quite little spot for the hafdrowned and
bausted men TO walk upon and build some camp
fires, which enabled them TO cook a scanty meal from
what few fragments of provisions had been rescued
from the water What sight to behold All was
devastation and ruin; the entire camp was made
desolate. Several feet Of sand are taken from the
surface Of the Island, leaving it in such condition
that it is cure to be under water as often ss the tide
comes up.
Between Fort Clark and Hatteras, a new inlet
come six feet deep formed during the night and
now it Is a vast sheet Of water between the two
forts. Fort Hatteras now stands isolated from ito
land, and will be swept entirely away in the next
severe Storm its sandy walls having already con-
menced to crumble. In fact it is thought that the
next great storm (which is liable TO visit this region
any day, will level both forts, Clark and Hateras.
understand that the Confederates only built them
for summer use, expecting they would beswept away
before Spring, which accounts for using the cheap
material sand and turf with which these forts ore
constructed. This sweeping food makes good the
predictions of the Confederates when we took posses
sion Of this treacheIous and mysterious peninsula.
They said we would DO glad TO abandon Hatteras
Island when the winter storms came. 1t has been
sad all along BY most experienced military men,
that land force on Hat,eras Island was entirely
unnecessary that small fleet would efectually guard
the inlet.
Camp Wool (where the 9th N. ". are quar-.
tered, some three miles above Fort Hstteras was
also much damaged by this Storm Their large hos
pital, some sixty by forty feet, was carried away;
the sick however, were saved They lost nearly all
their provisions and many other stores. Camp Bal
ley, miles up the island, where CAPT. Bailey.
with portion Of the Indiana Regiment, is stationed
has leaSn, escaped with but little oss they being
ON higher point of land, which ia strongly fortified
Six companies of this regiment left Fort Clark oday
for Camp Bailey, leaving only three companies at
Fort Clark, who learn, will also abandon this di.
Ianidatcd and crvulb!ing forRcation On the morrow