The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1958-04-18
BY JOHN I. WATSON

While World War II is still
fresh in the minds of this genera
ton, another war is but a vague
memory to our oldest citizens, and
most of the natives of Hyde and
Dare Counties think of that war
as something occurring at Gettys-
burg, or Richmond, or Atlanta, or
some of those other acres of land
marked with marble and granite.
Unfortunately, most of the i'm
portant backgrounds are perpetu-
ated in our memories by the grave
stones of those men who made
them important. Yet, the War Be-
tween States was not fought en-
tirely away from home.
The Washington Dispatch, Of
Washington, N. c., for 1 October,
1861, is taken up almost complete
~ with news of the Civil War.
Outstanding, moreover, is an arti-
Gle entitled "The Disaster at Hat
teras-Commodore Barron, Etc..
It is two columns long and in very
fine print. It's author merely
signed w. T. M. He gives an ae-
count of the Yankee attack and
attempts to defend the name of
Flag Officer Barron, whom some
thought had surrendered Fort Hat
teras too easily.
To greatly shorten very long
story, the following is the history
of one phase of the Civil War:
On the 9th of August, 1861, the
Privateer Gordon steamed up to
the entrance of Wallace's Channel
with the news that Federal fleet
had arrived off Hatteras with the
purpose of bombarding the fort.
This attack had been anticipated
by Senator Wilson, as well as by
the newspapers and members of
the military, but it was not ex-
pected so soon. Commodore Barron,
who was evidently in command of
the coastal waters of North Caro-
lima, had only been in that posi-
ton a few days and had not had
time to adequately prepare solid
defenses. A courtmartial was in
session at Portsmouth, with Capts.
Lamb and Clements attending.
They received word and procured
boats to get back across to join
their companies at the mud fort,
named Fort Hatteras. The navy
cooperated to transport four COM
panies from Portsmouth to assist
in defending Hatteras. Sparrow's,
Sharpe's, Gilliams', and Johnson's
companies, mastering about so
men each, were sent. These men
boarded the schooner Ellis and an
other schooner lowed by the Ellis.
About halfway to Hatteras, the
propeller Downing, (probably a
steam driven vessel, came along
side the Ellis. She was headed for
Portsmouth for ammunition, and
gave word that heavy firing had
been underway at Hatteras all day
with no effect.
just inside the bulkhead, or
breakwater, some soldiers from
Fort Clark, came alongside the Ell
lis. They report that Fort Clark
had fired its last round of ammuni-
ton and evacuated. In short order
thereafter, the federal flag was
hoisted over that Fort.
Arriving at Fort Hatteras the
Ellis and the unnamed ship it tow
ed ran aground. The firing was
continuing at a heavy pace. But,
says the witness: eve noticed the
shells frequently burst beyond the
little fort, and the firing was poor;
otherwise that little mud toy of a
fort would have been demolished"
The two ships We're as near the
fort as they could get, and were
already aground. Theyy dispatched
Sharpe's and Sparrow's troops into
the small boats. The witness con-
tinues: "Let me remark here to
the credit of the men, that they
had to pull a half mile to the fort
in two crowded little boats, the
shells bursting over and around
them, without the slightest exhibit
ton of fear, with GOODNESS and
eagerness to engage in the con-
flict."
About this time Commodore
Barron arrived with Col. Bradford;
Major Andrews, and several other
officers, aboard the steamer Wins
low. The Ellis went alongside the
Winslow and took two more COM
panies of men and ammunition to
be transported to the Fort.
The Yankees had initiated the
attack against Fort Hatteras at
eight o'clock Wednesday morning,
and continued the bombardment all
that day without inflicting damage
to the fort or casualties to the
men. However, Fort Clark had
been taken. The soldiers who evac-
uated that fort told Commodore