The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1911-09-19

the IUEt Tie ~ "e>''
said that some Of the officers OF the
little fotila wished to put troops
ashore to recover Fort Clark and bold
it at the point of the bayonet if need
be, but their counsel was overruled.
Twenty-eight Shells a Minute.
Very early on the 10Th the large
ships Of Stringham's fleet moved up
and were saluted by the stars and
stripes on Fort Clark. About s O'Clock
a. No. the Wabash opened fire, accord
ing to the Confederate narrative, and
Immediately a rain of shells began
dropping in and around the fort The
combined armament of the fleet was
seventy-three guns. Confederate
counted twenty eight shells falling in
one minute. A rifle battery in the sand
ON the shore as well as the guns or
Fort Morgan added to the fire. The
guns of Hatteras started in bravely to
respond, but soon found that it was
useless. Their shots could not reach
the ships.
The Confederates on the warships
were amazed at seeing the shots from
Hatteras fall short of the Yankee
ships. Sometimes the fort would cease
firing and then open with round or
two simply to show fight The guns OF
the fleet sometimes dropped shot
among the Confederate ships. but none
Of them was struck.
Finally the Confederate gunners
| abandoned their stations and took
refuge In the bombproof. When this
was packed with about 800 men a
Yankee shell went in through the
ventilator and landed in the crowd.
Fortunately the shell didn't explode.
but 1t resulted in a terrible panic.
which fastened the fall of the fort
The nen rushed from the place and
found cover elsewhere. The magazine
Law next to the bombproof. and the
thought of what might have happened
had the shell travelled through the thin
partition separating the compartments
or even exploded in the bombDroof
was too much for green fighting men
to endure The fuse of this shell went
out, but soon another exploded directly
over the magazine. Fortunately this
shell did not set fire to the roof. but 1t
was clear that the enemy had the
range Of the vitals of the work. and
enough to land single shot In the
feet.
Confederates Surrender.
!, Captain Barron called a council Of
! than
hours after the firing of the first shot.
) Hatteras was flying the white flag.
and the first naval battle of the war
was ended.
, This was not alone the first naval
battle and naval victory of the war,
but the first unequivocal victory on
: land or sea. The surrender was uncon
> ditional and more than 600 soldiers
] with their officers. and the armament
t of two forts fell into Stringham's
D hands. The Confederate warships
: sailed away into the sound for briei
e respite of liberty.
t The Hatteras victory was the begin
D ming of the conquest of all the Nortl
l. Carolina coast and was blow tt
o blockade running from that region
The Confederates fought tenaciousl.
for the control of those waters even t.
:. the end of the war. but with the fal
= Of Hatteras went the key to the re
gion. Stringham's work was quick.
q and thoroughly done.
:. Beginning Of War Navy.
(. On Aug. %. the day on which thi
d action closed. the New York Tribun
L announced that the United States the
u had a naval force of fifty nine vessels
II 697 guns and 9212 men in the A
&c lantic and gulf squadrons; twenty-fv
|. vessels in the Potomac and eight o
IL the Pacific coast; twelve ordered hom
ie from abroad. thirty-one buildin;
L. thirty-five fitting out and more tina
Ct seventy five purchased. This was til
: beginning of the navy that played S
IL great a part in winning the war fG
:. the north. The south had fewer We
- sells, and her navy remained numer
NC cally inferior throughout the struggl
, Many of the naval battles were fougl
~ between the Union gunboats and Co
:. federate Notifications. as was the CA
at Hatteras.
There were but few other stirrir
~ events during the week ending Ser
!" 2. On Aug. % General Fremont a
- signed General Ulysses S. Grant
40 command in southeastern Missou
:. McClellan's outposts about Washin
!. ton had a few skirmishes during t
= week, but none of them of momel
- On the 10th large Confederate for
:. attacked about 400 home guards al
- United States regular troops at LIE
- ington. No.. but were beaten off wi
-. considerable loss. 1t was this acti
~ which caused Fremont TO send Co
= mel Mulligan to Lexington. who aft
80 ward immortalized himself in the sic
nj Of that city.
Thara ware TWO rather stirring