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Cu. VI]

REDUCTION OF FORTS HATTERAS AND CLARK.

the secret of the expedition been kept, that, for several days thereafter, blockade runners from various quarters came into the Inlet, and were readily taken by our vessels.

The success of this expedition was cheering in the extreme to the friends of the Union. The secretary of the navy, under date of September 2d, congratulated the officers and men on their gallantry; and it was universally felt that the naval arm of the service was about to be, as it proved to be, of the utmost importance and efficiency in putting an end to the rebellion.

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The government speedily sent 500 additional troops to Hatteras, under Gen. Mansfield, who, soon after, was succeeded by Gen. Thomas Williams. Excellent services were rendered to the blockading squadron; the illicit commerce of the enemy was checked, and an occasional prize taken. But the most prominent, if not the most important event at Hatteras, was the political assembly of the loyal inhabitants of the island. Though necessarily but a limited demonstration, and quite insignificant as an encroachment upon the vast area which secession had gotten The forts were held and garrisoned hold of, yet it attracted attention, and by our troops, the steamer Monticello was the means of arousing the symand the steam-tug Fanny being retained pathies of the North. We may menat the Inlet to keep off the rebel gun- tion, that a convention of delegates asboats, and capture vessels attempting sembled and proclaimed their loyalty to run the blockade. Fort Ocracoke, to the Union; and some 4,000 of the on Beacon Island, having been abandoned by the rebels, was destroyed entirely by our men, September 16th. Colonel Hawkins, then in command, having been reinforced, sent a body of men to break up the works of the enemy at a point about twenty miles northeast of the Inlet, and to afford protection to the professed Unionists in that The importance of Fort Pickens to quarter. The Fanny, on her way with the cause of the Union, and the gallansupplies, was attacked and taken by try by which it had been preserved from rebel vessels, October 2d. It was then falling into rebel hands, we have already determined to try and capture the noted. (See vol. iii., p. 563.) Colonel troops under Colonel Brown, who made Harvey Brown, an excellent and exa hasty retreat, losing some fifty strag-perienced officer, arrived, April 16th, glers on the road. This was on the with reinforcements, and by the close 4th of October; but the next day the of the month, the fort was garrisoned Monticello came upon the rebels, who with about 900 men. Diligent and were severely punished by the shells persevering labor was bestowed upon thrown among them and into their ves- strengthening the works in every respect sels for several hours in succession. possible. New reinforcements arrived

poorer people, mostly fishermen, on the narrow strip of land on the coast, claimed the aid and comfort of Union men at the North. In November, a provisional government was formed, and a representative to Congress elected. That body, however, did not see fit to admit him among its members.

at the end of June, consisting of "Billy Wilson's" Zouaves; so that, with several vessels of the blockading squadron at hand, the fort was in such a state of readiness as to meet any attack the rebels might venture upon. They had gathered a formidable force of some eight thousand men at Pensacola, under Gen. B. Bragg, and apparently, were only waiting an opportunity to drive out or capture our troops. Weeks and months, however, slipped by, and entertaining a salutary apprehension of the ability of Fort Pickens, the rebels undertook almost nothing offensive; and, in due time, abandoned Pensacola entirely.

something at least. Accordingly, on the night of the 8th of October, they started with 1,200 men to make an attack on the camp of Wilson's Zouaves, situate about two miles from Fort Pickens. The attack was well planned, and they came upon the camp long be fore daylight, and roused the sleeping Zouaves out of their apparent security. The rebel force succeeded in burning nearly all the tents; but the Zouaves speedily rallied, and with the aid of some companies from the fort, soon drove the rebels back in great confusion. At daylight, the pursuit was continued, and the invading force, in fearful disorder and consequent loss from the well-directed attacks of our men, skillfully taking advantage of the protecting sand hills, and familiar inequalities of the ground, was driven off to their landing place, where, embarking in their boats they were further pursued by the rifle shots of the regu. lars, thrown among their solid masses. The enemy's loss was severe, a hundred

our side, the loss was about fifty, 14 being killed and the rest wounded.

On the part of our officers and men, there was a strong desire to do something more than merely act on the defensive, which latter was ordered by the government. Early in September, the dry dock, which had been placed by the rébels so as to obstruct the channel, was set fire to by a small but resolute force and completely destroyed. Soon after, Lieutenant Russell with aor more being killed and wounded; on picked force of a hundred men, at half past three A.M., made an attack upon the Judah which lay off the navy yard and was being fitted out as a privateer. Proceeding in four boats, they boarded the schooner, set her on fire, and escaped with a loss of three killed and twelve wounded. This successful feat, occupying only a quarter of an hour, was pronounced by the rebels themselves, a thousand of whom were quartered at the navy yard, as the most daring and well-executed achievement of the year. The gallantry of our men seems to have stirred up the rebels to attempt

Colonel Brown, indignant at the attack recently made, and feeling assured of his ability to assault the enemy to good purpose, called upon Flag-Officer McKean to co-operate, and determined to open fire on the 22d of November. The flag-ship Niagara and the sloop of war Richmond took part in the bom bardment, although owing to want of sufficient depth of water they were not able to render all the service otherwise in their power. A few minutes before ten, on the day appointed, Col. Brown

CH. VI.]

OPERATIONS AT PENSACOLA.

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fired his first gun, a signal for the ships to be impracticable with my present to come into action. They quickly means, I do not deem it advisable furobeyed the summons, and in a short ther to continue it, unless the enemy time the engagement was general. think proper to do so, when I shall The line of forts and batteries, to which meet him with alacrity. . Our loss Fort Pickens and the ships were now would have been heavy but for the opposed, extended four miles round the foresight which, with great labor, caused bay from the navy yard, on the north- us to erect elaborate means of protec east, to Fort McRae on the south-west. tion, and which saved many lives. I Besides the old works of Forts Barrancas lost one private killed, one sergeant, and McRae, there were now erected no one corporal and four men (privates) less than fourteen separate batteries, wounded, only one severely." mounting from one to four guns each, The blockade of the mouths of the many of them ten-inch columbiads, and Mississippi was, from the nature of the some twelve and thirteen-inch sea coast case, very difficult, and for a considermortars. These powerful fortifications able time it was evaded with more were defended by some eight thousand or less success. On the 1st of July,, men, while Col. Brown had under his the famous privateer Sumter, 1861. command at Fort Pickens but one-sixth Raphael Semmes commander,

of that number. The bombardment continued till night, and, resumed again the next morning, was very effective, and silenced fort McRae and the navy yard, and very materially lessened the firing of Fort Barrancas and other batteries. The village of Warrington took fire, and both in it and the navy yard a large number of buildings was destroyed; a rebel steamer at the wharf was also abandoned. The firing was continued till dark, and occasionally during the night with mortars, when the combat ceased. Fort Pickens, as Colonel Brown stated in his official report, "though it has received a great A steam ram was constructed during the many shot and shell, is in every res- summer for this purpose, at Algiers, pect, save the disabling of one gun opposite New Orleans. Taking a carriage and the loss of service of six strong, old tow-boat as a foundation, men, as efficient as it was at the com- iron plating was put on the vessel, and mencement of the combat; but the a prow of timbers and iron, very ends I proposed in commencing having strong, projected about ten feet, and been attained, except one, which I find was calculated to produce a terrible

passed out, made a dozen or more captures of merchantmen, and ran into Nassau, where British sympathy and aid were freely extended. Sometime after, Semmes, continuing his devastating course, brought the Sumter into Gibral tar, where the Tuscarora found him and kept him in durance, till the privateer captain and company were tired out, and sold their vessel to escape capture. But the blockade, though by no means perfect or complete, was suf ficiently so to be very vexatious to the rebels in New Orleans, and roused them to make efforts to break it if possible.

blow on the side of any vessel against Richmond was repaired, temporarily which it might strike.

and the army transport, McClellan, coming up early in the afternoon, assist ed in getting the Richmond off the bar. This was successfully accomplished on the morning of the 13th, and the afternoon of the same day the Vincennes was also got afloat, when the entire fleet was carried without further injury down the pass. Not a single life was lost from the rebel attack.

Confident of the destructive power of the ram, Manassas, it was determined to attack the blockading fleet which, early in October, was stationed at the head of the Passes, protecting our men, who were engaged in erecting fortifications at the point where the Mississippi diverges into five mouths, and where a well arranged fort would command the entire navigation of the river. As communications were not very Late on the night of the 11th of Octo- frequent with our squadron, the first ber, as the steamer Richmond was lying news of this matter at the North was at the south-west pass receiving coal through the high sounding telegram of from a schooner, suddenly the Manas- Capt. Hollins, the commander of the sas was discovered in close proximity, expedition and formerly of the U. S. attended by gun boats and barges laden navy: "Fort Jackson, Oct. 12th, 1861: with combustibles. A tremendous Last night I attacked the blockaders blow was inflicted on the fore part of with my little fleet. I succeeded, after the Richmond, tearing the schooner a very short struggle, in driving them from her fasts, and forcing a hole all aground on the South-west Pass bar, through the ship's side. The ram except the Preble, which I sunk. I passed aft, and tried to breach the captured a prize from them, and after stern of the Richmond, but her works they were fast in the sand, I peppered getting deranged she failed in this, and them well. There were no casualties having received the fire of the steamer's on our side. It was a complete success." port battery, she was glad to draw off. In a few minutes, the Preble, Vincennes and Water Witch having slipped their cables passed down with the current, the Richmond following and a safe distance and with very indiffercovering their retreat. The Vincennes ent results,) was found to be rather and Richmond grounded on the bar, poetical and extravagant than worthy the others passing over free; and the of any credit. fire rafts were entirely avoided. This was about 8 o'clock in the morning of the 12th, and the enemy's five gun boats opened fire, which was continued for two hours without any particular effect, when they sailed back up the river. The damage to the side of the

It was some satisfaction, soon after, to get at the truth, as above narrated, and Capt. Hollins' "peppered them well," (which, by the way, was done at

In carrying out the policy of the gov. ernment with respect to points of importance on the southern coast, the navy department appointed, in June, a special board of army and navy officers to consider and report upon the whole subject. The commission gave full and careful

Cn. VI.]

SUCCESSFUL ATTACK AT HILTON HEAD.

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attention to the matter, and made vari- through the channel, and all the arrangeous recommendations in regard to future ments having been effected, on Thursoperations in behalf of the Union, and day, Nov. 7th, the weather proving fafor cutting off the means derived by the vorable and perfectly clear, the armed rebels from running the blockade. Ac vessels of the fleet advanced over the cordingly, an expedition on a larger tranquil waters to the deadly encounter. scale than heretofore attempted was The transports, freighted with thous fitted out, the destination of which was ands of soldiers, remained behind, yet kept secret up to the last moment. within sight of the grand movement. Gen. Thomas W. Sherman, a brave and The loss of the ferry boats, which had accomplished officer, was placed in com- been provided to transport the troops mand of the land forces, numbering over the shallow waters to the shore in about 15,000 men; while the naval the rear of the forts, had compelled a portion of the expedition, consist- change of plan, by which the co-operaing of the steam frigate Wabash, twenty-two first-class and twelve smaller steamers, and twenty-six sailing vessels, was commanded by Commodore S. F. Dupont, one of the ablest officers ir the service.

The expedition sailed on the 29th of October, from Hampton Roads, and met with very stormy weather. Several transports were disabled and four lost

tion of the military was abandoned, and the whole responsibility of the attack was thrown upon the navy.

It had been ascertained by the reconnaissance, that Fort Walker, on Hilton Head, was the most powerfully armed of the defences, that the greater part of its guns were presented on two water fronts, and that the flanks were but slightly guarded, especially on the entirely, and it was not till the north, where an attack was less to be 1861. night of Nov. 3d, that the expe- expected. The "mosquito fleet," under dition arrived off Port Royal, South Tatnall, formerly of the U. S. navy, Carolina. Soundings were carefully consisting of seven small steamers, made, it being found that the rebels had removed the buoys marking out the pathway; the next day, a reconnaissance in force was made to gain information respecting the batteries on shore, their strength, position, etc. It was ascertained, that, at the south-easterly point of Hilton Head Island, stood Fort Walker, and on the opposite land of Bay southwardly, they passed nearer the Point or Phillip's Island, was Fort Beauregard, both being works of scientific construction and mounting some 20 guns each.

kept at a very safe distance in the northern part of the harbor. Under these circumstances our fleet made its advance.

The Wabash led the way, the gun boats following, steaming slowly up the bay, and receiving and returning the fire of the rebel forts; then, turning

stronger work, and delivered fire with fearful effect. By this arrangement, no vessel became stationary, and the rebels could not gain by experiment and prac Th flag ship having passed safely tice anything like a perfect aim. Not

VOL. IV.-11.

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