Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-11-09

lnlet 0reat Destruction OF Property
Dagger 60 the Forts.
Correspondence OF the n. Y Tribune,)
HATrEhAs MtET, Nov. 2, 1861.
The land forces at this point are now in
the midst Of another engagement which is
OF more serious character tLan any OF the
conflicts that have yet taken place on this
coast. It q contest with the elements. A
great deluRe is upon us. Last evening gale
sprang up, which continued to Increase In
fury every moment until morning, when IL
assumed the form OF perfect whIrlwind, &C
oompanied with rain, which at times fell in
torrents. About three o'clock this morning
the waves from the ocean began 10 sweep
over the island lhalt a mile wide) into the
Sound, and before daylight these two bodies
of water were united. Not q spot of land
was TO beseen. All the lower portion Of the
island, where Forts HAtterss and Clark are
situated, was under water, and SO sudden
was the upheaving and so violent the storm,
that all chances OF escape were cut of before
the morning light came. Il was utterly Inn
possible tor any assistance TO reach them
from our feet so terrible was this Hatteras
storm. And Il was not until breaker swept
across the island, carrying men, tents, shan
ties and every creeping thing with it that
The soldiers were aware OF the presence OF a
great food. Men wee suddenly washed out
Of their beds and found all their clothes (what
lew had undressed) borne by the water to the
Sound. Live stock, such % pigs, chickens,
horses, cattle, dogs, cats, and cooking uten-
sils, lumber, driitwood, boxes, barrels, trunks,
shanties, were carried seaward, together with
men on them and in them, some jumping out
of windows, some cutting their way through
the roof, others jumping Of into the water,
which, in many places, was over their heads
in depth, and making for box or barrel in
order 70 reach the roof of shsnty still stand
| ing. Officers on hsrses were riding or swim
ming through this moving mass, giving or
ders to this floating army of men, who, with
a gun in one hand and with the other hang
ing on to some kind Of an object, kept them
selves above water. The most mourniul
sight of all, however, was to witness the
moving of the sick, some OF whom were
/ in 3 dying condition before the storm came.
! They we're carried on cots from place to
place on the shoulders Of men who were
wading through water nearly neck deep
/ Il was also q sad sight TO witness such a de-
struction of property. At the wharf where
all the Government property is stored, a
wholesale destruction took place. Pro-
visions of every kind were soon ahoat-
barrels of crackers, bread, sugar, pork, beet
molasses, beans, potatoes, fish, boxes Of can
I dies soap, clothing, and in fact every thing
required for an army was seen to go with the
food, with the buildings containing them in
a very dilapidated condition. The steamer
Spaulding arrived the evening before with a
large load of provisions, clothing, lumber,
SC, and IS COED luck would have it, she
was unable to land but a small portion of
her cargo the night she came in. Unfortu-
| nately there was, however, some clothing
landed for the naked goth Indiana Regiment.
Nearly half OF this much-needed freight was
placed on the pier, and went with the
waves Of the ocean within view of the sol
diers who, with fearful eyes and shivering
forms, beheld this, to them, the most melan-
choly sight of all. About six o'clock this
morning the food was at its height, and for
TWO hours Col. Brown OF the goth Indiana
Regiment and officers were in great suspense.
It was very evident that new inlet below
Fort Clark had been made during the night,
| which entirely cut off their escape; and as
the waves were rushing into Fort Clark by
8 in the morning, it was apparent that all
would meet with watery grave if the water
continued to rise at the same rate for two
hours to come. Fortunately, the country
was spared from hearing of such horrible
tidings as was momentarily threatening the
lives of these loyal soldiers. The storm be-
gan to abate by A. N. this morning, and
by o'cloeS a narrow ridge of sandbesch
was discovered above Fort Clark, which was
hailed with delight by the goth Indiana Reg
tment, who, but few minutes before, were
making preparations to save themselves, if
/ possible, from fearful fate. By noon the
tide had gone down, ald left quite q little
spot for the hs!fdrowned and exhausted men
70 walk upon and build some camp fires,
which enabled them to cook q scanry meal
from what few fragments of provisions had
been rescued from the water. What sight
70 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 sure to be under water as often as the
tide comes up.
Between Fort Clark and Hatteras, a new
inlet, some six feet deep, was formed during
the night, and now it is a vast seat of water
between the two forts. Fort Hatteras now
stands isolated from the land, and will be
swept entirely away in the next severe storm,
its sandy walls having already commenced
to crumbls. In fact it is thought that the
next great storm (which is liable 70 visit this
region any day viii level both forts, Clark
and HaLterss. | understand that the Con-
federstes only built them fer summer use,
expecting they would oe swept away before
Spring, which accounts for using the cheap
material (ssnd and turf) with which these
forts are constructed. This sweeping food
makes good the predictions of the Confeder-
ateS when we took possession of this treach-
Gus and mysterious peninsula. They said we
would be glad to abandon Hatteras Island
when the winter storms came. 1t has been
said all along by our most experienced mill
itary men that land force on Hatteras Is
land was entirely unnecessary, that small
feet would efectually guard the inlet.