The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-09-09

| Their guns had moving targets and
seldom landed shot. while shells
from the ships speedily made the fort
too hot for the Confederate gunners
Soon past noon a shot carried away
the flag on the fort. and nfterward the
| garrison left the works. some taking
flight in boats and others running
along shore toward Fort Hatteras.
Seeing the 0ight of the Confederates
from Fort Clark. the detachment Of
Buffers soldiers on the beach moved
down and took possession. but the
shells of the feet aimed at Fort Hat.
teras passed over that work into Fort
| Clark. Driven from shelter by their
own fire. the troops returned to the
beach and passed the night in rain
on the wet beach. with no food but
what they picked up on their march
to the fort During the night Con.
federnte regiment from Newbern came
TO the beach to help the garrison beat
off the enemy. but they were too
busy repairing the paranets and cham.
| bcrs injured by the bomburdment TO
/, look for outside trouble.
Barron Takes Command.
Seeing great confusion on land after
the Confederate flag fell from Fort
Clark, Flag officer Stringham suppos-
ed that both forts had given up the
fight. Fort Hattcras ceased firing
The former commander of Fort Clark.
Colonel w. +. Martin OF the Seventh
North Carolina. went into Fort Hat.
tcras. reporting his little garrison Of
100 men worn out by fighting. About
that time Flag Officer Barron of the
Confederate navy entered the fort
and ut the request of the commandant
took charge of the defense. All the
guns in the fort were Of naval pattern.
and It was thought that u naval officer
could handle the force with best ex-
ecuton. There were three guns IN
Fort Hattens hearing upon Fort
Clark. and another was PUT In posi-
tion TO keep the enemy out OF the
abandoned work,
Meanwhile the steamer Monticello
had an exciting time trying 10 run
through The inlet. When 1t seemed evi-
dent that the Confederates had aban-
doned both forts the Monticello made
her way with difficulty In the shallow
water to the mouth OF the inlet She
often grounded. and IIatteras guns
paid no attention, but finally when she
was caught In shallow water the guns
opened. landing FIVE shells in her with.
In a few minutes. One shot went com.
pletely through the ship from starboard
to port and landed In n coal bunker
Under cover OF the fleet the steamer
got oui from under the Confederate
guns. and the ships soon anchored for
the night During this days tight the
Confederate war steamers lay idle In
the sound. After the abandonment OF
Fort Clark the El's curred troops and
ammunition to Fort Hatteras. passing
and requesting under fire. She took
Flag Officer Barron and others into
the fort during the afternoon. It was
said that some of the officers of the
little fotilla wished to put troops
ashore to recover Fort Clark and hold
1t at the point OF the bayonet IL need
be- bnt their counsel was overruled
Twenty-eight Shells Minute.
Very early on the Goth the large
ships OF Strngham's fleet moved up
and were salutcd by the stars and
stripes on Fort Clark. About S o'clock
n. m. the Wabash opened fire. accord
ing to the Confederate narrative. and
Immediately rain OF shells began
a A, Ia, ln f,.p .a
combined armament OF the aect was
seventy-three guns. A Confederate
counted twenty.eight shells falling in
one minute a rifle battery in the sand
on the shore as well as the guns of
Fort Morgan added TO the fire The
guns of Hatterns started In bravely TO
respond. but soon found that 1t was
useless. Their shots could not reach
the ships.
The Confedcrates on the warShips |
were amazed at seeing the shots from
Hatteras fall short of the Yankee !
,hlps. Sometimes the fort would cease
krinG and then open with II round or
two simply to show fight The guns of
the feet sometimes dropped shot |
among the Confederate ships. but none |
of them was struck
Finally the Confederate gunncrs |
abandoned their stations and took |
refuge in the bombpronf When this |
was packed with abour 800 men
Yankee shell went In through the
ventllator ANA landed In the crowd
Fortunately the shell didn't explode, |
but II resulted In terrible pnnic, |
which hastrned the fall of ihe fort
The men rushed from the plnre and |
found cover elsewhere The magazine
lay next 10 the bombpr0of. and the
thought OF what might have happened
had the shell Travelled through the thin
partition separating the compartments
or even exploded In the bonIhproor
was too much for green Sighting men
TO endure. The fuse of this shell went |
out. but soon anothl'r exploded directly |
over the magazine. Fortunately this
shell did not set fire TO The roof. but It |
was clear that the enemy had the
range OF the vitals of the work. and |
there wasn't n gun on hand strong
enough TO land single shot In the