The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1911-09-01

glone"
The frlgates and sloops, four in num-
ber. opened fire on Fort Clark about
the middle Of the forenoon. using new
and bold tactics to avoid direct shots
from the fort. The vessels moved
steadily on, passing and repassIng the
guns at varying distances so that the
southerners could not fix the range.
Their guns had moving targets and
seldom landed a 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 afterward the
garrison left the works, some taking
fight in boats and others runnlng
along shore toward Fort Hatteras.
Seeing the flight Of the Confederates
from Fort Clark, the detachment Of
Buffers soldiers on the beach moved
down and took possession. but the
shells Of the fleet 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 a rain
on the wet beach. with no food but
what they picked up on their march
to the fort During the night a Con
federate regiment from Newbern came
to the beach to help the garrison beat
off the enemy, but they were too
busy repairing the parapets and cham
bers injured by the oombardment 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 Hatteras ceased firing
The former commander of Fort Clark,
Colonel W. f. Martin Of the Seventh
North Carolina, went into Fort Hat
teras, 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 at the request of the commandant
took charge of the defense. All the
guns III Alt lOA / NEA VI AAtt tll lffAtANA H.
and it was thought that a naval officer
could handle the force with best eX-
ecution There were three guns in
Fort. Hatteras bearing upon Fort
Clark. and another was put in posi-
ton to keep the enemy out of the
abandoned work.
Meanwhile the steamer Monticello
had an exciting time trying to run
through the inlet. When it seemed eyi-
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 Hatteras 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
Dletely through the ship from starboard
to port and landed in a coal bunker
Under cover Of the fleet the steamer
got out from under the Confederate
guns, and the ships soon anchored for
the night During this days fight the
war steamers lay idle iE
the sound. After the Abandonment Of
Fort Clark the El''' carried troops and
to Fort Hatteras, passing /
and repasslng under fire, She took |
Flag Officer Barron and others into |
the fort during the afternoon. 1t was |
said that some Of the officers Of the
little dotilla wished to put troops |
ashore to recover Fort Clark and hold |
it at the poiat of the bayonet if need |
be, but their counsel was oyerruled
Twenty-eight Shells a Minute. I
Very early on the Doth the. large |
ships of Stringham's fleet moved up
and were saluted by the stars and
stripes on Fort Clark About o'clock
a. m, the Wabash opened llre, accord
ing to the Confederate narrative. and |
n rain Of shells began
dropping in and around the fort The
combined armament Of the feet was
guns a Confederate
counted twenty-eight shells falling in
1ne minute A rifle battery in the sand
IN the shore as well as the guns Of
Fort Morgan added to the fire The
runs of Hatteras started in bravely to
respond. but soon found that it was
useless. Their shots could not reach
he ships.
The Confederates on the warships
we're amazed at seeing the shots from
Iatteras fall short of the Yankee
hips. Sometimes the fort would cease
iring and then open with round or
wo simply to show fight The guns of
he feet sometimes dropped shot
lmong the Confederate ships. but none
If them was struck
Finally the Confederate guners
abandoned their stations and took
efuge in the bombproof When this
vas packed with about 300 men a
Yankee shell went in through the
,entilator and landed in the crowd
fortunately the shell didn't explode.
,ut it resulted in a terrible panic
which fastened the fall Of the fort
rhe men rushed from the place and
ound cover elsewhere. The magazine
ly next to the bombproof, and the
bought OF what might have happened
Iad the shell travelled through the thin
artition separating the compartments
. even exploded IN the bombproof