Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1861-09-11
CAPTURE OF THE FORTS AND BAT.
TERIES IN HATTERAS INLET.
OFFICIAL REPORTS OF GEN. BUTLER
AND COMMODORE STRINGHAM.
Is KILLED; 80 WOUNDED.
46 officers and 7l5 Nom Commissioned
officers and PriVate5 Taken
Prisoners.

THE ASSISTANT .SECRETAR
or THE REBEL NAVY A.
MONG THE PRISONERS.
1000 STAND OF ARMS, "a CAN
NON, AND A LARGE AMOUN,
OFAMMUNITION AND STORES
/ TAKEN, &c, &c, &c,
Tie Naval expedition which left For
treSs Monroe on Monday, Goth ultimo, OF
secret service, under command Of Major
General Butler and Commodore String
ham, has achieved splendid success
The rebel Notifications at Hatteras Inlet
which were of vast importance in mill,
tary point of view, have fallen beneath ar
attack of our intrepid navy, and the oc
cupants of the forts, among whom there
were several distinguished officers, have
been taken prisoners. The rebels, who
were commanded by Commodore Samuel
Barron, late OF the United States Navy
fought with much spirit, but our navy
carried too many guns for them, and they
were Obliged to surrender unconditional
ly. Forty six rebel officers, seven hun
dred and fifteen non commissioned Off
GERS and privates, one thousand stand OF
arms, thirty five cannon, a large amount
OF ammunition and stores, and several
small vessels, laden with cotton and to-
bacco. we're captured through the bravery
of our men. Olr special correspondent,
who has arrived from the scene of the
contest, which he left Friday afternoon,
with Gen. Butler and staff in the steamer
Adelaide, under command of Commander
II. :. SteIlwagen, U. S. N, touching for a
short time at Fortress Monroe thence to
Annapolis and Washington, gives .ho
following account of the brilliant affair:
The expedition, consisting Of the frig.
ates Minnesota, Commodore Stringham ;
Wabash, Captain Mercer; the gunboats,
Pawnee, Captain Rowan Monticello,
Commander Stills; and the Harriet Lane,
Captain Faunce with the transports, Adj
elaide and George Peabody, conveying
troops 10 the number of about thousand,
left Fortress Monroe last Monday, ard
reached the rendezvous off Hatteras In
let, fifteen miles below Cape Hatteras, on
Tuesday morning, the Minnesota coming
and Wabash joi, cd the fleet the same
day.
Preparations were Immediately made to
land the troops the following morning, at
which time the transports ran near the
beach, two miles north Of the inlet and,
covered by the Monticello, Harriet Lane
and Pawnee, about three hundred men
were landed thro' heavy surf, the force
consisting of Capt Larned's company of
regular artillery, Capt. Jardine's company
Ninth New York. two companies Of the
Twentieth New York, with Colonel We
Der ard Lieut.. Col IIeiss detachment
of marines from the frigates, under cons
mand oc Majors Doughty and Shuttle
worth, and detachment Of sailors from
the Pawnee, under Lieuts. Crosby and
Blue, with Drs. King and Jones.
The gunboats swept the beach and
neirhboring copse of scrub oaks. All the
boats icing swamped and bilged in the
surf. no more men could be thrown ashore
Meanwhile, the Minnesota and Wabash
the latter with the Cumberland in tow
steamed up to the front of one of the reb>
el batteries and took their position at
.ong range.
At ten o'clock the Wabash fired the
first gun, the eleven inch shell striking
near the battery and bursting with tre-
mendous force. The battery which was
of sand, covered with turf and mounting
five long thirty two's, instantly returned
the fire, .he shot falling short. The
Minnesota and Cumberland Immediately
opened fire and rained nine and eleven
inch shells INTO and about. The fire was
terrific, and soon the batteries responses
were few and far between, save when the
frigates suspended fire for a while to get a
new position, when the enemy's fire was
most spirited
No damage was sustained by our ships,
ard when they again took their position
the cannonading was intensely hot, the
shells dropping on the enemy's ramparts
or falling in their works, explo ding in
death dealing fragments, and carrying
death and destruction with them. The
small wooden structures about the fort
were torn and perforated with the flying
shells but the enemy did not return the
fire with any regularity. At eleven o.
clock the immense flag staff was shot 40
way and the rebel flag came down, but
the fire was still continued by them. At
twelve o'clock the Susquehanna steamed
in, and dropping her boats astern, opened
an effective fire. The cannonading on
our part was incessant, and the air was
alive from the hum and explosion of hy-
ing shells; from the explosion of shells
that dropped in at the rate of about a
half dozen minute.
The enemy ceased firinga little before
two, and after few more shells had been
thrown in the Commodore signalized to
cease firing.
The troops had meanwhile advanced to
within a short distance of the fort, and
Lefore we ceased firing some Of our men