, 1862-05-07
B0mbar{imentOf Fort Macon
Interesting Details Of the Affair.


borne the tIi-barred emblem Of the reYoltine
States. Col White, the of1c3r commanding
the garrison, refusing asing the final demand to
following morning, the 25th, and after a
bOnlba1dment of over ten hours Fort Nacou
hoisted the white flag,
The bombaFdment Of Fort Macon took place
Oh Friday. The battles Of Roanoke and New
bern also took place on Friday. Friday is
considered By some IN unlncky day, and no
doubt it is to the rebels when Gen. Burnside
encounters them.
At fifteen minutes before sig o'clock our
batteries opened fire, and the thunder of the
siege guns and mortars woke the drowsy den
izens Of Beaufort from their slumbers. The
inmates Of the fort, too, seemed heavy with
sleep, and for hall an hour our batteries kept
up firing without response. The startled
sentries Oh its ramparts quickly communicated
the alarm when the first shot Whistlsd oyer
their heads, (the attack had not been looked
for at so carly an hour,} the corporal Of the
guard rapidly aroused the sleeping garrison,
and IN short time the parapets, sailypo,1 and
terTarleins became alive with human beings
Spripging to their places in the requisite de-
:achnants, they manned the eumbrous gus
and the fort began to return the fire..
Ihe atmosphere was clear, the morning
beautiful, the breeze from the southeast sti1
and fresh, all conspiling to enhance the grall-
deur Of the scene. The noise Of the e1plo-
eions was terrific. Window fr1mes shook
houses trenlbled, and even the waters Of the
sound seemed to ruf1le with each shock.
Ihe hIlng on each side was for some time
Wild and Ineffective. The bursting shells
filled the air with wreaths Of smoke, or tossed
the sand and water in tountain-like columns.
Inc solid shot from our batteries ricochetted
along the sarface Of the water beyond the fort
lhose from the enemy glanced harmless:y
from one sand hlu-to another. But gradullly
the range On each side WAS attained with in
creasipg accuracy, and the deadly missiles be-
gan to strike frequently and more frequently
IN the vicinity Of the hostile positions s.
the work went on until midday, when the ter
rife fire Of our batteries became distinctly
visible in its results.
During thr forenoon the eight inch mortar
batter. OF Lieutenant Pronty bore of the
palm Of Workmanship. Its shells fell With
regularity and precision into the fort, a1d at
each explosion the red dirt and sand OF the
g1acis, slopes, rampasts, parapets and terre-
Metns were dashed IN cloud many feet into
the air. The flagstaff, with lis dedant colors
floating at the top, Was at times completely
ohscnred In the smoke and dust which rose
with the bursting of the missiles. The ten
inch mortar battery vas not so successful in
the morning. The shells from it burst beyond
er nigh IN air over the fort, scattering the
fragments Of iron far and wide into the water,
splastlng it up with little fountains Of SPRAY.
The want OF success was owing to the slight
nature OF the timbers used in the trhyerSes.
Beams for the eight-inch mortars had
been supplied and the'e concussio1
from The much Wcighticr metal Of the ten
luch -rt 1tars first started and then broke the
tlmners, until the battery was almost unmau-
agsable. With most creditab1e perseverance
aud energy, however, the defect was SO ren3e-
died that Lieut.. Flagler was enabled to com
tinue the firing without Interruption, aud in
1he afternoon the battery played With an ef-
feet that was evidenced in the decreased tare
from the fort. The shells, too, had been
purpo5ely loaded with an unusual quantity Of
POWDER IN order to make their explosion sill
the more terrifying to the doomed garrison,
aud the prisoners subsequently stated that it
Was impossible for them to tell whether shells
were exploding or their own guns dlscharr-
ing, such Has the loudness and shock Of the
report.
The battery OF Parrott guns under command
OF captain Morris, in the meantime, was keep
lng up an incessant fire upon the ranparts.
ine hculty IN obtalning accurate range was
for some time experienced, and the shots went
over the fort, ricochctlng across the water
towards ShacAleford Banks, or fell short and
buried themselves in the sand and glacis on
its westerly side. But the range grow better
with every shot, and from twelve o'clock ua-
IL H.. the eio5c OF the fight Captain Morris sel-
dom failed to plant those terrible couicsI
balf6 among the guns, on the edges
Of the ramparts snd against the walls.
The Latter were pierced in two places,t the halls
pas sing Though into the easements from which
1hcir unceremonious visit hastily expelled the
occupants. Wherever these shots struck they
tore through with force that hurled tia9-
nlents Of iron, particles of brick, stones.
grass sods and sand bags about in every diree.
ton. Many Of the rebels were knocked down
sensslcss By the flying sods. When it is con
sidered that the wallis of the fort were protect
the firing from the PaTrott battery viii be
perceived. That part Of tho walls lust mo-
truu1pg above the ramparts of the glacis WAS
the only target presented whereat to aim for
the purpose Of penetrating the case1nates.
About two o'clock Major Allen went nut in
a small boat under dag Of truce to retu1n m the he
letters written in reply to those received the
day before. The men iu the fort seemed too
busy to attend, and the boat, after s:aud:u.r
on and off the vicinity Of Stark Shoal Point
returned; The boat subsequently went out
{at the time that 8 signal for cessation Of
hostiities was hoisted by the fort} auI de- ~
ilvered them. Many of the letters contained
eShoEtations and entreatics to officers and
soldiers to prevail upon Col. White to sur
render the place without resistance,
Otlsrs exhibited more pluck on the part Of
the feminine CORES spondence. They besouyht
their friends fight little while and then sur
render, to show that they were not cowarus.
IL must be said that the rebels exhibited con.
siderable bravery, They worked at thu guns
until the only available ones were disnountcd |
~ N4EADAeN. u tE1HGut WIS SET loot
among the ladies at Beaufortto have petition
signed by them and sent to Col. White. i'm
p1oripg him to capitulate; but owing to the |
pIlGl time allowed for the return OF the mail,
U dld not become general enough to secure |
anything like combined action. Several |
santed to send over flowers and boquets, but I
III articles were interdicted save letters.
The precision attained by the practice of the !
forenoon, and the facility of loading and firing
which even the experience Of few hours had !
gwen, were now evidenced in the successful |
esults Of each shot from our batteries and in !
n A. almost lncessa9t nature Of the discharges
Lac scene assumed its grandest aspect after T
'To O'Clock. A fash and puff Of smoke be-
.oke1ed discharge; an interval elapsed, /
fhleh terminated with the report Of the piece: !
hen came the sonorous hum Of the shell as it |
lew through the air; another putt Of smoke |
,oon followed BY second report, and the |
1e2dly missile had exploded.
Win our glasses we could distinctly see |
;verE man9nVre in the fort. Their lookout |
sas esconced behind q pile Of sand bags upon |
he rampaEts, and We almost fancied We could |
lear him calculate the word "DoWn.'' as he |
marked ma 3 the approach Of every shot. It. effect
sas Ike magic As he himself disappeared. |
Eown out Of sight went the crowd 81 men
round the guns, to reappcar again when the
its Grand The % men m were m
working like beavers, and one individual I
Il HAlLe slufL attracted particular
ttention on account Of his industry, 4 num-
'er of horses and COWS that were browsing on !
he green slope Of the fort when the tiriuy
commenced, becoming terrified at the noise.
lad dashed away down the "spit." Some Of
htn crossed within our lines aud were cap
ursd, while others continued 10 rush 10 and
!o"n IN the sand, scared away alternately by
he firing from the fort and the firing from
,ur batteries. NAN
Little remains to tell Of the bombardment.
he garrison had at first responded With some
even or eight guns, exclusive of caronades.
'hlch Eere pade to serve the purpose Of NOR.
ars. The squad Of gunne1s could be obserF-
d passing about, alternating with the pieces
Is they became hot under the discharges,
! sradEal1y their fire slackened to four, then to
hree, and then to two guns. Our shot and
hell were doing their duty, and subsequent
examination showed that fifteen guns were
l1smounted or disabled on the fort
and now, how Jared it with our gallant fel-
ow In the batteries? To those who worked |
be moEta1s the matter was entirely new. and
9 Capt Ammon's men OF the Third New |
ORR artillery, the greatest praise fs int. fn,-
her cool and unfinching conduct. In th;s |
he1r first experience under fire. Tie eSnosrd
ature OF Captain Morris battery Of siege
uns drew upon it almost the entire fire of
be fort, aud shot and shell ralned around it.
he only injury sustained By the bat
cry cry vas aa the the temporary dismo1nting of
ound solid shell which CAME through tie en-.
rasure and carried off q wheel. Another car
lsge ~as In readiness, and the gun was soon
amounted. Another Of the guns was slightly |
enied by solid shot, which struck the rein
,rce or band around the brcech. and then !
tanced on Ihe sand bags In all the batte-