Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1861-11-20

we should retake Fort Clark during thepight, and
several OF the officers we're tofe than anxious 10 at
tempt It But as tia carnon sin tie fort tsd been
imperfectly spiked t wse now forinid bis Hstery
for the enemy's dssncE AsFined eaEnon baktcry I
had also been erected oHthe ridge bey6nd the Tort
and, more than all we had no means Of ascertaining
whether all of the Ave thousand seen landing up the
beach had succeeded in doing or not. Our scouts,
however, said they had Thus, from our best infor-
nation, We must storms and take Fort Clark, and
also battery of two r. fed cannon and five Thousand
men, and only four or 6ve hundred men could be
sent from our fort against them. have mentioned
these particulars in answer to the question so ire
euently asked, why we did not attack the three
hundred men on the shore? ~
Commodore Barron came in some time during
the night of the 2sth August, to whom the whole
command was Immediately delivered But so soon
as ne had an opportunity of inspecting the fort and
lis prospects of Defence said that We would be un-
able to hold the fcrt 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 platforms.
The morning of the 18th came and with it also the
preparations of heavy bombardment The 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
elevation they opened and kept up bombardment
OF thirty bombs per five minutes. After this had
continued for some hours shell entirely dislodged
the only gun that would reach, and this, too, was
our only hope of defence. One gun of heavy cali
bre had been sent to this point and was lying on
the beach unnounted. 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 unable to say who is re-
sponsibe. Com. Baron, Who learn is severely
censured could not at least be responsible for this
neglected and defenceess condition of the fort, as
his arrival was sometime during the previous night
Our hope Of defence now being gone, we looked on
ly to preservation. While two or three hun
dred were protected by the bomb!proof the remain
der of sought shelter from each broadside behind
the parapcts and walls of the fort This we sue
ceeded in doing until about 10 o'clock, at which
time bomb entered the ventillator of the proof and
came in contact with the magazine, setting some OF
its timbers on fire. There was Immediately ter
rOr stricken rush into the open fort and no longer
could our be constrained to be still or remain
in security behind the walls and parapets Now
nearly six hundred men were scattered over the
fort, which was only two hundred feet square, with
scarcely she'll falling out of their midst. 1t was
then that men began to fall thick and fast. 1t
was then, and not until then, amid the unceasing
expressions Of these messengers of DEATH that the
convection Of utter helples>ness fully real
lied and the final conSummation of Indifferent neg
lect the part of officials no had been frequently
apprized of condition, and the threatenings OF
the enemy was fast closing the dranea with dsre-
pute to themselves and destruction to us. Thus,
when madness alone would have attempted longer
to hold resistess fort. and nothing could be gain
ed by dying amid its shattered wallis our colors
were struck.
But let US ask whether We loose or gain by the
surrender The first gain is is that Old RIP is some
what awakened from her lethargy by the loss of the
post, whether she cares for the loss of her or
not Blu, whether this severe crash upon her corns,
By the Yankees, will prove radically beneficial OF
not remains as yet to be SEEM II is my special
purpose in this connection to speak of the service
of our worthy Commodore, who, it may be seen
from these facts is free from any blame that may
be attached to him. He could not have been re
s2onsibe for the disasters of the previous day, be-
cause he was not there. Nor for those of the sec
ond day. because of helpless condition. rendered
so by the neglect Of others. and was then beyonc
redress. Now, il in the time, manner or terms o
captulaton, gain an advantage, we are indebted
| to him for it. The surrender made in time tC
save live, and in manner to secure the prope,
terms Of captuaton, and those terms secured to u:
the treatment due to prisoners of war, and to thu
Southern Confederacy the first. and yet the only
! claim to recognition belligerent power, upor
| the Federal government. Such was the loss of di
| pomacy to them and gain to US, that for these as
| surances Commodore Stringham was forced to re
sign his position, and with him also seven OF tn
| naval officers under his command.
Yours, most respectfully,
JOSEPH d. BARNES,
Released Prisoner.
| *Not positive that this was the regiment but tn
! fart waS stated Inv them of some regiment