Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1861-10-17
From the State Jour- al.
The Capture of Fort HatteraS-Offieial Reports of
Captured Officers,
COLONEL MARTINS REPORT.

our Captured Officers.
COLONEL MARTINS REPORT.
FLAG SHIP MINNESOTA,
At sea Aug Slst, 1861
To the Ad;uant General of North Carolina, Raleigh ~ G..
SIR herewith report the fall of ForTs Clark aud Hat
teras at Haeras Inlet the 29h and 18th of this month";
and the surrender of all the officers and troops Their pre-
States GovsTnment commanded by Commodore Stripghsm
and Major Gen. Butler as prisoners OF war
di.covared LARGE feet in sight of Hatteas after an
hour or more, by the aid of the glass made ont what
considered seven large war steamers two Transports ap
pareny crowded with men, and two or !hfee than tug
Having at that post but acout three hundred
aud fifty men, and learning from the officers IN charge Of
Forts Clark Hateas that would require at least two
hundred and twenty-five men TO work the guns properly
give the necessary reies and knowing that win the
residue OF the men could lot successfully resS lAuIn
of the enemy troops determined to send to Portsmouth
cid There being steamboast hateras alter some
hour more succeeded IN getting plot ooat ana as
pa ched with orders to Lieut.. Tol Geo W Johnston at
Portsmouth bring my aid, from Portsmouth, all the
had hoped and expected would have reached him in few
hours re die get until some me in the morning OF me
next day. Immediately upon receiving my orte1s ltut
Col Johnston made every fort to cone to my aid and
succeeded in reaching Hatteras at dark on the 6t With
Major a. A. Gillian and portions of the following compa-
MES wit: Company E. 7th Regiment N. Volunteers,
George W. Crimes CommaT dirg, and sixty men and
two I'd lIeuts Company c., 7th Regiment Ieut M L
Moye commanding, with seventy three and End
Lieut.; Company K 18th Regiment N G. Volunteers, Capt
Thomas sharpe, commanding. with sixty-lour men and
End Lieuts Iompany of State Troops. Capt Thomas
Sparrow, commanding, it'll fifty and all bis ofice1s-
At the time Of the arrival of Lieut. Col Johnston Commo-
dore Barron Of he .. Navy and Major w. 5. G. An
drews commanding the Artillery detences at Forts CarE
| and Halteras, also arrived.
On the arrival Of commodore Barron and Major Andrews,
held consultation with the Major ard agreed that it
advisable surrender the command of de to
the Commodore having confidence in his skill,
perence and bravery if he would accept the same Inc
offer tie command made him and he consented TO
take charge The Report CT Commodore Barron and Maj
the action of The tn contain all that is
rial and therefore deem cessary say anything
relation the attack and surrender the 29h farther
than remark tat the officers ana behaved we'll
bibtng great ooness and bravery citing
armament to at all with the enemy and having
fortifcaon sufficiently well constructed to enable Us to
| remain and endure the fire of the enemy.
Had condition 10 either of these respects been what
ought have been Hatteras would still be in posses
| sion.
On the morning of the 23th, between eight and nine
sota Wabash susquebannah AID other vessels upon
Fort Clark and upon almost al parts of the Island par
cuarly he point where they intended landing troops
The continuous upon Fort Clark and upon all the
little ski is Of woods where troops might possibly be
well spoken flood OF shells The fire of tie
my was promptly returned by Capt John G. Lamb, Comp
and was Peculiarly kept up by him until every charge
powder and every primer exhausted 1t was while gal
knight, of comp D, 7lh Regiment N c. Volunteers re-
ceived wound in the arm from fragment a
she'll can't Lamb and his Lieutenant all of whom were
present. and the under their command display
and bravery. Their fire well objected guns
we'll managed and whilst Of their shot fell Short yet
reached the enemy, doing however, bute damage
| as they all round shot that were fred.
Our ammunition being entirely exhausted at Fort Clark,
|
together who at Fort Clark, and it unar
mously agreed that advisable render useless the
guns fall back upon Fort HateTas This being
to, orders the various bodies of whom had
stationed the skirts woods resist the of
enemy upon Fort Clark that Fort Clark could rot be held
and they must fall back upon Fort Hateras The guns
Fort Clark efectualy spiked possible to
do with nails having proper spikes everything taken
that could carry, and fe back under terrible
fire of shell upon Fort Haeras We reached there think
about O'Clock. l should have stated BEFORE that
Lieut. w. Ezzel Capt w. company of State
Troops had charge Of Of the guns Fort Clark ard
can wei say that he discharged his duty as man and
soldier.
regret state that while of the men were passing
from Camp Gwynn, which the sound shore, and
about two miles from Fort Hateras. and possibly
two killed by shells of the have not been
able to learn their names
Having collected troops Hateras deter
mined to make good eAistance as possible Consult
ing with Capt Cohoon OF company b. 9Th Regiment n. G.
Volunteers who had charge Fort Haeras with his
pany agreed that it useless eXpend shot
the enemy, were beyond reach, must endure
until they Fort Hatteras submitted the fire
for hours without returning shot At about p NJ.
Of the enemys steamers Undertook through the
Inlet when opened upon her, and drov her back put
Ting several ronnd shot INTO her, bat doing her,
| no material damage
firing Fort Ratteras and the enemy contn-
ued until night RAIL- rather the ire OF the enemy upon the
Fort continued for they kept well be ond the reach
them.
1t may be proper state that no f. was raised upon
Fort ha eTas during the day OF the 26h This fact
however that my attention, can sup
pose, only be accounted for the flag avng OIn
TO pieces y the w1s ard no new ones procured for when
the 29th the flag ordered to be hoisted, had
the bToUght from to
the ole belonging to Font Hatteras.
regret report that il addition the officers who had
their companies with fhem several other officers prs
who i'll he engagement and have shared
the fate of the command Of The Post enclose it of
all the officers not III armand who pri of
Among hese officers capt D. j. Jchnto and Lieut.
James l. Lasse these officers summoned there from
their command TO attend general Couft Martial
at tha pon BY Gen. Gwynn, 10 this way have fallen
Wit the command al hateIas. While legettiDg it much
their account but express qualification
having with me on the 2sth, Capt l. j. Johnston found
a n m
enclose also the of the Captains me of the
condition Of their commands numbers Of pr soners Killed
wounded Hhd miss ng am not Satisfied that is entire
correct but it IS nearly could be made send
also report Of Assistant Surgeon Dr. Poole who cane
with the troops from Portsmouth If h0se VINO
ly to require mtnt. The wounded require ea
all on board The Steamer Adelaide and have gone to
Old Point The surgeon of the Reg ment, pr Brown is
with them, and have received report from MIN. He
will probably report the on direct to Won
nation we bow bound to Fort Hamilton New ork
may be permitted to add that have treated most
kindly both officers and men, b. those il whose charge
are placed.
the parties as appears in the copy.
In speaking the action Fort Hatteras the after
managed by Capt Cohoons company and that he his
officers liedts Father by Hoy is first Lieutenant
being absent on sick leave) ard his behaved with
great bravery and ness, dscharging faithfully their
duty.
am much indebted to Lieutenant Colonel George w
Johnston and Major H. A. Gillian for valuable aid render
arranging guards, pckets &C., and in looking them
during the night.
Yours, &c,
WM. r, MARTIN
Col. 7th leg. Infantry, N. G. Vols.
MAJOR ANDREWS REPORT.
On BOARD U. S. SHIP Minnesota.
Sept lst, 1851
To the Adjutant General of North Carolina