Here we struck the Atlantic and North Carolina Railroad, and encamped. A large hotel, turpentine works, and a few other buildings composing this city were destroyed by the rebels shortly before our arrival, and all that remained of them were black, smoking ruins.

A mile or two further on lay another small collection of houses and a large railway station and wharves, the railroad terminating at this point. This place was called Morehead City. Being situated on an inlet from the sea, it was a fine resort for blockade runners, communicating as it did with the interior of the Confederacy by a direct line of railway, and protected by the guns of Fort Macon, just at the entrance of the harbor.

At the wharf, in front of the railroad station, lay a large bark, just unloading, while out in the harbor another bark was discovered at anchor, both flying the English colors, having successfully run the blockade of our fleet outside, with large and valuable cargoes; but had now, to use a homely expression, "jumped out of the frying-pan into the fire."

The night before our arrival here, our advance guard reached the place and quietly took possession of this vessel at the wharf. As for the other, it lay beyond our reach. The night after our arrival, the crew of the latter vessel finding their consort captured, and themselves in rather a tight place, deemed "discretion better than valor," and just after dark set their ship on fire as she lay at her anchorage, and escaped to the fort in their boats.

We watched the burning ship with much interest, and as the flames grew brighter and flashed aloft among her rigging, throwing a bright reflection over the waters, suddenly there came a low rumbling explosion, as the flames reached her magazine, a bright glare, a lifting high up in the air of her decks and spars, a falling of the debris, and all

became once more dark and still, and the shattered hulk sank to the bottom.

Directly opposite, and easterly from our camp, lay a long strip of sand and woods called Bogue Banks. On the northeast end of this strip was located a large government fort of the first class, called Fort Macon. It was taken possession of in the early part of the war by a body of rebels, and where the Stars and Stripes had floated for so many years, could now be seen the rebel colors waving defiance in the morning breeze. The fort mounted sixtyseven guns of large calibre, and was garrisoned by 500 men under command of Col. Moses J. White.

It was evident that this fort was the objective point of Burnside's movement in this direction, and that sooner or later that hated flag must come down. General Parke immediately demanded the surrender of the fort. It was refused; and operations against it by siege lines at once commenced.

In a northwesterly direction, and across the bay, about two miles distant, was situated the town of Beaufort, once famous as a watering-place for the aristocracy of the South, and now under the ban of Confederate rule. Between the fort and the town lay a long and narrow marshy island, composed mostly of mud, sea grass, and oysters, but from its peculiar situation, in the middle of the harbor, it created. a channel flowing from Bogue Banks to the town. The eastern point of this marshy island was within 300 yards of the fort, thus preventing any approach to Beaufort by water from Morehead City, except it be directly under the guns of the fort. At flood-tide a passage could be made past the western end of this island, but then within easy range of the enemy's guns. But once the other side of this

mud bank, it was good water wharves of the city.

and clear sailing up to the

In order to regain possession of the fort it was necessary

to first take possession of Beaufort, as well to have a base of operations as to cut off the enemy's retreat, and also to stop communication between the fort and their friends on shore. This was rather a difficult and dangerous operation, and required much skill and cool courage in the undertaking.

A dark, wet, and foggy night was selected for this expedition, as it was obliged to pass by the fort in boats, directly under its guns, and two companies, A and B, of our regiment, together with two companies of the Eighth Connecticut, were detailed to accomplish this perilous job. Of course, no other than row-boats could be used and these were prepared and moored close under the wharves at Morehead City.

At midnight of March 21st, these four companies were quietly drawn up in line, and as silently as possible proceeded down the railroad to the wharves, where the boats. lay, and embarked on their perilous enterprise. All being ready, we noiselessly cast loose from the wharf and moved out in the channel, the boats being manned by colored fishermen, who were thoroughly conversant with these waters, and were faithful guides. Drifting with the current, now setting out to sea, we sailed directly down towards the fort.

The time was most propitious, for the night being dark and misty, and a thick fog settled around us, we were effectually screened from the watchful eyes of our enemies.

As we slowly sailed along, each boat following the leader, in which was our pilot, we almost held our breath, and, lying low in the boats, preserved the utmost silence, as the gray walls and dark bank of the fort loomed up through the fog, on our starboard side.

The least noise-a cough, the splash of an oar - would have discovered us to the sentry on the parapet, not a hundred yards from us, and would have been the signal for

our destruction under the merciless fire of those huge, black dogs of war, that now we could just see, looking grimly forth from their embrasures.

We heard the sentry on the parapet pacing to and fro, dreaming, perhaps, of home and loved ones, or speculating on the unrequitted hardships and dangers of a soldier's life, yet in blissful ignorance of the near presence of us, his deadly enemies.

But our hearts leaped to our throats and we grasped our arms more firmly as we heard the sentry's voice in a sharp, quick tone, cry, "Halt! who comes there?"

Were we discovered at last? Hush, lie still; not a sound, not a breath - but in the next instant we heard the sound of many feet, and the answer to the sentry's challenge, “Relief," in the voice of the rebel corporal, as he was at that moment passing around to relieve his guard.

We were not discovered, thanks to our Protector above, and to the thick, dark fog around us, which, had it lifted then would have betrayed us to the enemy. In a few moments more we had drifted past the fort, and soon the muffled oars were put to work. The colored oarsmen pulled for all they were worth, and we drew a long breath of relief as we rounded the eastern end of the island and moved swiftly over the waters toward the city.

It was near two o'clock when we reached the wharves of Beaufort, and landing as silently as possible, advanced through the dark and deserted streets.

Guards were posted on all the wharves, and in rear of the town a line of pickets was established, and the remainder of our little expedition that had so narrowly escaped destruction, took up their quarters in some of the deserted houses,-of which there were many in the place,and tried to get a little sleep after our exciting, dangerous, but successful adventure.

March, 1862.

CHAPTER VII.

F

FORT MACON.

ANCY the surprise of the inhabitants as they arose

the next morning to find the town in full possession

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of the United States forces. Although they had retired to rest the night before with the knowledge that the enemy were but two miles away, yet they had full confidence in Colonel White and his rebel troops at the fort to defend them against the approach of the Northern hirelings," and knowing there was no other way to reach the town but by passing under his guns, they had slept in blissful consciousness that the " cowardly mudsills" would never dare attempt such a feat.

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But alas for human calculation, and especially that part pertaining to Beaufort's inhabitants. Here they were, those hated bluebellies," about one hundred or more, stalking about the town as if they owned the whole place and had always lived here. Little knots of people assembled at the street corners and discussed the situation. The women folks, who had been instructed by the rebel authorities that the most outrageous and barbarous conduct would be observed upon the occupation of the town by these Yankee troops, kept themselves well in doors, only now and then yielding to woman's curiosity, and peering through the blinds or doors to see where and when the devastation commenced.