The New York herald. [volume], May 04, 1862, Image 1

About The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920

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THE NEW YORK HERALD.
WHOLE NO. 0308. NEW YORK, SUNDAY. MAY 4, 1802. PRICE THREE CENTS.
IMPORTANT FROU SOUTH CAROLINA.
Til? Great Success of Major-General
Burnside's Expedition.
THE FALL OF FORT MACON.
INTERESTING DETAILS OF THAT EVENT.
Tfee Wills Pierced by the Parrot!
Rifled Thirty-Pounders.
Fifteen Guns Dismounted or
Disabled on the Fort
NAMES OF THE KILLED AND WOUNDED.
Operations of tlic Blockading
Fleet.
The Final Demand for the
Surrender.
TERMS OF CAPITULATION.
Appearance of the Fort After
the Fight.
INCIDENTS, HAIRBREADTH ESCAPES, GLORY,
Ac., ftc., dee.
Oir SpwUl Army Corrcapoadcne*.
Bkactort, N. 0., Apr 11.37,IMS.
fort Macon la "r?po?itae*dl" From th* window* of
room in which I writ* th* Stars and Strip** ar* to b*
?Ma waving proudly on th* Aagataff wbleh for otw a
year ha* born* th* trt harrad *mMim of th* molting
But**. CaloMt Whit*, th* offlc*/ commanding th* garri'
*ou,r*fttatogth* final d*mand t* *nrr*nd*r, Mr latt*ri*?
op*n*d tr* M th* following morning, th* 36th, and aft*r I
? bombardment KmrtMkwn Ftrl Ham h*i*tM th*
whit* flag.
THE PRELIMINARY PREPARATIONS.
The necessity of maintaining seereay Id retard to da.
tails of our operations for tbe reduction or Fort Macon*
bu prevented me from giving you art this any account
of what baa bean done to that end In tbe vray or batterlea
on tbe ieland in tbe rear or tbe fori Now that tbe
obligation of concealment la removed, a brief deacrlp
lion of the works erected by our foreea may not be In
appropriate aa a preface to the story of the fall of fert
Macon.
My previous letters have told you of tbe landing of
oar troops on Bogue Banks for tbe " spit"), tbe oceupa
ttnn by them, some four weeks ago, of a point about tire
miles In tba roar of tbe fort, and tbe gradual advance of
our pickets and the retreat of tboae or the enomy to
within a limit of less than a mile from its walla. Tbe
rebels were thus held in cheek while, under tbe cover o
tbe sand hills which dot tbe " spit," gradually the work
of constructing the batteries went forward. Tbe men
worked by day. wblle teams and wagon* at night drew
the materials four miles.by a moat circuitous route, In
the heavy sand. The operations wore eonduoted by
Oeneral Parke, and to him and the forces composing his
command are duo tbo successful carrying out of tbe
plane for the reduction of the stronghold in which the
rebels had thought to withstand the march of our vic
torious arms in North Carolina.
Ac soon aa the ground selected for thi erection of the
batteries had been cleared front tho Intrusion of tbe
enemy, by the unremitting and laborious picket duty of
the I'oarth Rhode Island, Fifth Rbodo Island arid Eighth
Connecticut regiments,Captain Williamson,topographi
cal c-glneer of Oeijeral Burneide's etatT, survyed the
vicinity for the purpose of ascertaining the most desira
ble piacoe for the location of tbe batteries. In this duty
be wee assisted by Lieutenant Flagler, ordnance officer
of General Burnside'a staff) Captain tlorris, Company C.,
first I ted States Artillery (regulars); Lleutensnt
Prouty, Twenty flfth Massachusetts Volunteers (acting
nssistant ordnance officer), and Captain Ammon,of bat
tery L, Third New York Artillery.
The site for the first battery (of four ten Inch mertars)
was c bee en under the cover of a large sand hill, near the
edge of the marshes which line tbe northern side of the
" spit," distant 1,400 yards from the fcrt. Tbe working
?f tbls battery was particularly allotted to Lieutenant
F'arler, by whose name It was known during the siege,
though be dovoted himself generally to the erection aud
working of all three. This battery was manned by n
portion of battery I, Third New Tork Artillery.
Tbe nest'battery was placed one hundred yards In ad
vance, and nearly in the centre of the Island. It waa
bui'.t and worked by Captain Lewis O. Morris,
ably assisted by Lieutenants Cowan and Pol
|?ak. Ha armament waa three long thirty pound
an'ge Parroit guns, rilled. Tba shot used in
tli:a battery waa of a novel character. Each projectile
Wu m<wla ef aolid cant iron, conicalty shaped, with a
blunt point aoma three Inchea In diameter, and the more
?tpccial object of the btttery waa to dismount Uie guns
oathdfort. For till* object the flat Impinging surface
?f the ahot waa peculiarly adapted. *? It waa (exit liab'.e
to glance, a fault comnon with sharp pointed shot.
The next aad laat battery was that of four eight inch
Bortari. H waa locate! one hundred yarda further on,
or twelve hundred yard* from the fort, under a sand
bill near the beacu. It was In charge of l.leuteuant
Prouty. and manned by a detachment of Battery I, Third
Haw York artillery.
In addition te the above, rifla pita had bean dug In va*
tIons parts of lh? "spit," on tho flank* and la front u<
the battery. In wfeieh our picket* were posted to repel
?ny aortla waich the enemy might make. The batteries
Again were conuocted with each other by trenches aunk
In the find an I aklrting the hill*. Communication waa
thuskept open between the various positions by thla
Bisans, while they alao served aa a protoction to the
pickets and reliefa aent from (one .paint to another
luring the progress of tba bombardment.
The alege train employed for the reduction of the fert,
it will be *ean, embraced only eler.en piecea?four ten
inch mortars, foiir eight-inch mnrtari and three aiage
4una la view of the work accomplished, the fact* them
?elves will tall how admirably and effectively the batte
ries ware managed. It entered into the plan originally
j to have bolterlea at the weaUrljr aide of Beaufort and
( Shackleford bank*, on the opposite shore of the inlet,
)?? that the fort would be eurroynded Id a semicircle.
(ViUh their flra and that of th? ganboats an I blockading
the fort would have b*eu a target for (hot and
,%t?eh Item all pt lats of the compass. .Hut tluij- were not
ataci#d, aa the la vestment waa deoined ^nfflcietlly com
p'.SMfor the opening of the bombardment. Had tb? fort
nude a protracted resistance their conatructIon rould
bi\? been occasioned *? t meana to lu speedier reduc
tion
Justice to the men wbe have performed Ihis yrork so
^obly Impel* me te presevt, in a little table, the names
ft iiia prinoi|>al offle?rs, aad the designations of the regl
B>'u's, l> ill i lone aad oop\p *at?a engngivi _
I'fandn'r Cwnnral J' hn (5. Park*. commanding.
Ordinance Oflieer, Lieutenant T. W. Plageier.
Acting ^tslitaat Ordna km< Officer, LUutenaut Prouty
flift r'fini9ul lulled 8t?tea nntliery'
THE CAPTURE OF FORT MACON.
SUA CKLFEORD ii SAN KS
OlD TOPSAIL INLET
T MACON
A 1 i AN TIC
ocean
qemsbcog
? STATE flp
CEOR C.IS
DAY CIOfSt
chipewa
BLOCKADING
water? r son.
Captain Morrif bnuf? of three liege thtrtypounder Purott gnu. thirteen hundred yerde front the fori.
B?Lieutenant Flagler'a baitery of feur ten-ineb mertara, row-teen hundred yerde from the fert.
C? Lieutenant Prouty'e battery of four eight-Inch tnortara, twelve hundred yarde from the fbrt.
Captain Lewis 0. Morris, Lieutenants Qowaa and Pollock.
Battery I, Third regiment New York artillery. Captain
Annum Lieutenants Thomas and Relsey.
Eighth Connecticut Volunteer*, Major ApplemtQ com
manding.
Fourth Rhede Islani Volunteers, Colonel Rodman.
Fifth Rhode Itlaad Volunteers (battalion), Major
Wright.
These troops made application to take the fert by
Mora.
THE FINAL DEMAND FOR THE SURRENDER
OF THE FORT.
General fturnqile arrived hereon Wodueadajr laat, with
the flagship Alice Prioe and the floating batteries
Rocket, Grenade and Shrapnel. The latter were armed
with long thirty-pound Parrolt siege guns, and are pro
wled with cotton and bay balei. With the gunboat
KlIis, whtuh la arrood with a hundred pounder, and under
the con.mend of Captain Fratiklia, they constituted the
bombarding vessels, from the direction of Core Sound,
l'bey were in the North river, a small stream to the
eastward of Beaufort, and distant about two miles from
the fort.
A. FLAO OF Tltrci.
In the afternoon General Burnside sent the gunboat
Ellis, with'a white f.sg at ber fore and the Stare ar.d
Stripes at her stern, for the purpoee of communicating
with the fort. Leaving ber anchorage she glided out
into the channel which runs along by Shackleford Banks,
to the northeast of the inlet, and there camo to anchor.
A small boat was lowered away, and Captain Biggs,
Quartet master on General Burnslde'e staff, after the
hoisting of a white flag in the bow, proceeded on, and
was met halt way by a sail boat, which came from the
fort under a similar lUg. The meeting was watched
with the greatest interest, and the inhabitants of
Beaufort thronged the wharves and windows to view
the proceedings. With our glusaes we could perceive
that the garrison was as fully interested. Ihe an Idlers
crowded the rampart" and the slope and beach around
the fort.
THE SrMMONS TO SritHEWDF.lt.
The rebel officer aent out to meet the flat of truce was
Captain Stephen I). Pool. He was accompanied by Home
half dosen others, officers and privates. After the greet
ing, which waa of a moat courteous nature, Captain Riggs
tommunicalod the summons from General Purnside to
Colonel White, demanding the surrender of the fort, ou
the same terms granted subsequent to its voluntary ca
pitulation. Captain Pool returned wiih the message, and
from the lengthy peri'?d of his absence at the fort it waa
evident that the summons to surrender was under con
siderable deliberation. Towards nightfall the sailboat
agaiu put off and returned to where Captain Riggs await,
ed it. The reply waa ttmt Colonel White bad refused to
suri under, and intemlod dofending the fort as best ho
oould. Before the parties separatod, however, an under
standing wax had tliat the opposing commanders would
have a personal interview with each other in the morn
ing. The Kllis Hun roturned to her anchorage in the
river and the sailboat went b:*>Jc to the fort. The inter
view bad lasted until after dark.
INTERN IKW BKTWKKN OKNSHAL Bl'KNSIDE AND COLO
NKt. Will IB.
Accordingly, at an o;irly hour on the,followlng (Thurs
day) morning, the Alice Trice, under a flag of truoe. pro
ceeded to the spot where the Kill* bad Inaugurated tho
meeting of the day before. General Burnside descended
into his gig, and reaching the half-way ground in the
ch'inuel, landed and went ashore. Tho sailboat again
left tha fort, and he waa soon joined upon the beach by
Colonel White. The moetlng was, of course, militarily
ceurteoue. The subjeot of the summons to surrender
coming up, the latter said that he had been placed in
command of the fort ror the purpose of holding it, and
intended defending it to tha best of his ability. He
promised that he would not Are on this town?a piece of
information which, when subsequently made known
here, quieted the fears of ite Inhabitants?and asks 1 aa
a favor that the garrison might be allowed to send lettera
to their friends and faasillee in Beaufort. General Burn
aide granted the request?en tha eoudition, of course,
that such lettere would be unsealed and subject
to tiie supervision of Major Alien, Military Q*y.
eruor. The previous attempte to hold a corras
pondenee by means of litUe boats, shingles, boards
and lbs like, were without tho consent or
knowledge of Colonel White, aad General Burnatde as
sured him that had the gtrrieoa deslrod at any time to
send letters thoy mi^ht have done so upon the conditions
aW-sady uieulioned. But lug ttte interview Captain
Biggs, who accompanied Goueral Burnside, was warmly
greeted by Uie Colonel. They were claspinatea at West
Point not many jrsars ago. Lieut. Flagler, the ordaance
olllcer of General IlummdVs staff, is also a slastmuie of
Colonel White. The recent stirring uo<vs froui the Nortfi,
of the battle at Cormlb, the surrender of Fort I'ula>iu
0i<i tho operations or tinaeval McCleilaa, was ma 'e known
tf Mm, much to his surpntt. With Its ronsoIaUiry in
fluene.eA ii|?>n his mind, (lie mtvnluw terminated, and
the stipulating pnrt<es sejwatrij f<, ifturn to tlidr re
inactive poSili< ns.
THB SIGNAL TO OPBW FIRB.
Lieutenants Smith and Schlachtar, tbe Signal offlcsr
od board the Alice Prifl?, under tbe orders or General
BumslJa, immediately triusmittod word to " "pan
lira at one*." The message wn received by
the officer hare, Lieutenant Walt, telegraphed to
Morehead City, thence to Carolina City, end
thence aorose Bogue Souud to General Parke, who, from
bis headquarters, Rent the orders down to the bat'srles.
I wai 10 the tea-iocb mortar bsttery (Lieutenant Flug
ler t) whon tue erder eame, and a thrill of excitement
ran through all. The troops were disposed a? sa.ely as
possible under the corcr of the sand hills; the gunners
took their places, the magazines were opened, and we
awaitod with anxiety the commencement of the bom
bardment. But ?ve were doomed to disappointment for
that afternoon. The si??gin battery of raptain Morris
was t.ot quite realy. The earth before the embrasures
was to be cut away, and such an undertaking could only
he accomplished under the cover of darkne*H. is it was
deemed be*t to hare all tha batteries open Ore together,
tbe beginning ?f the bombardment was postponed until
the followiog morning.
A IIAIL FROM THB FOHT.
During the afternoon the sailboat was again observed
to leave tbe Sort, with a while flag flying. It steered to
wards Beaufort, and when half way was met by another
sent from hore containing Major Allen, Captain Neill,of
General Reno's staff, l ieutenant Fricker, Commandant
of the signal corps, and other officers Its object Wis the
delivery of a mail in accordance with tho permission of
General Burnside. The letters were taken charge of by
Major Allen, and bv him examined at his headquarters.
Accompanying was the following ?
LETTER ritOM COLONEL WJTIT*.
Fort Macon, April 24,1862.
Om'IR COMMASDIWI FORCCS At BtAI'TOST.?
Xia?Accompanying this I send a number of communica
tions from various persons belonging to the garrison to
their families and friend.* in this vicinity. Also one dl
reeled to Newborn, which, if you think proper, and find
an opportunity, would place me under many obligations
ir you will deliver aud forward. Very respectfully, your
obedient servant,
M. J. WHITE, Colonel Commanding.
Captain S. D. Pool wiU bear this note.
The letters were addressed to wires, brothers,sisters,
and other relatives and friends, and were superscribed
with tbe words "Per flag of truce." Their tone gavea
clue to the feelings of the garrison. Some were hopeful,
other* despondent, and many a farewell was couched
in language which showed that the writer thought
he wa< taking a final leave of his friends. All uuited in
thanks to Ceneral Rurnslde for bis kindnnes in permit
ting the corrospondcnce. The style of stationery used
gave evidence that thefort wan somewhat destituteol the
better class of writing appliances. Tho envoi' pes wero
mostly of brown ( 'er, and the letters of loaves from
notebooks, flyleaves, kc. Pome old envelopes of an
academy here, with a picture of the building and a I 'nion
flag on top, were employed; but, of course tbe flag was
scratched over or erased. The letters, after exanuna.
tion, wore distributed, and permission wss given to reply
to them by a flag of trnce.
THE BOMBARDMENT.
At fifteen minutes before six o'clock on the following
morning our batteries opened Ore, and the thunder of the
stage guns and mortars woke tho drowsy denizens of
Heaufort from their slumbers. The inmates of the fort,
loo, seemed heavy with sleep, and for half an hour eur
I tileries kept firing without a response. The startled
aentries on its ramparts quickly communicated the alarm
when the first shot whistled over their heads, (tbe attack
had not been looked for at so eariy an hour), the corpora)
of the guard rapidly aroused the sleeping garrison, and in
a short Mine the parapets, sallyport and terrapleius be
came alivo with human beings. Springing to their places
In the requisite detachments, they manned the cumbrous
guns and the fort began to return tbe fire.
Tbe atmosphere was clear,the morning beautiful, tbe
breeze from tho southeast stiff and fresh, all conspiring
to enhance the grandeur of ibe scene. The noiee of the
explosions was terrific. Window framee shook, houses
trembled, aud even the waters of tbe Sound seemed to
raffle with each shock.
Tbe firing on either side was for some time wild and In
effective. The bursting shells OUari the air with wroaths
er einoke, or tossed the sand and water In fountain like
?oliman*. The solid shot from our batteries rlcocbetted
along the surface of the water beyond the fort?those
from th" enemy glanced harmlessly from one sand hill
to another. Hut gradually tbe range on either side was
ailclned with Increasing accuracy, and tbe dwwlly mis
silos b-'gun to strike frequently ami more frequently in
the vicinity of the hostile positions. So the work wunt
on until midday, when the ten ifin lire of eur batteries
became distinctly visible in its rt>sults
During the forenoon the eigM.itu U mortar battery of
Lieutenant l'ro* fy bore off il* palm of Riarkmnn*hip.
Its she*;* fell with regularity aim precision into the ftirt,
atiJ at eaCfc exuMion the ri??l Uih srd sand vl the g'v *>
slopes, rampart*, parapets ted t*rr*plelc* w*r? (tasked
inaeloul many real mto tb* air. Tbe fiagataff, with
ita defiant oolora floating at top, was at timei com^etoly
obscured to tbe smok* and dual which roaa with tbe
bursting of tbe mlwllss. Tbe ten-loch mortar battery
was not so succasaful In tbe morning. Tbe shells from
It buret beyond or b'gb iu air over tbe fort, scattering
tne fragments of Irou far and wide Into the water, splash
ing it wlib little fountains of fpray. This want of *uo
ce?? ?"< owing to the alight naturo of the timbers 1
ased In tbe t raver/el. Beams for eight-inch
mortar* had been supplied, and tli* concus
sion from tbe much weightier iretal of tbe
ton-inch mortars Brut started and then broko tho tim
bers, until the battery was almoptjuumnnigealilo. With
a moat creditable perseverance and euerpy, however,
the defect was ho rernodtod that lieutenant Magler was
enabled to continue the Urine without Interruption, aud
in Ihe afternoon the battery played with an effect that
was evidenced tn the Oecre^ed lire from the fort. The
gliells. too. had been purposely loaded with an unusual
quantity of powder, iu order to make their explosion all
the more terrifying to the doomed garrison, and the pris
oners suiisoqueutly Mated that it was impossible for them
to tell whether shells were exploding or their own guns
discharging, such was the loudness and shock of tbe re
port.
The battery of Parrott guns under command of Captain
Morris, in the mean time, waa koepir.g op an inco.staut
flre upon tho rampart*. The difficulty ot oi taming accu
rate rango was for some time experienced, and tbe shots
either went over tbe fort, ricocheting across tho water
toward.-" Shuckleford Ranks, or fell short and buried
tbomknves in tho aand aad glacia <n ita westerly aide.
But the range grew better with every shot, and from
twelve o'clock until the closo of the fight Captain Mor
ris seldom failed to plant those terrible conical balls
among the guns, on tbe edges of the ramparts and
against tbe walls. The latter were pierced In (wo places,
tbe balla passing through into tbe caatmates,from which
their unceremonious visit hastily expelled the occupants
Wherever these shots struck they tore through with a
force that burled fragments of iron, particles of brick,
stones, grass sods and sand bags about In every direc
tion Many of the rebels were knocked down senseless
by tbe flying eods. When It la considered that the wa'ls
of the fort were protected by the slopes of the glacis,
tbe accuracy of the flring frem tbe Parrott battery will
be perceived. That part of tbe walla Just protruding
above tbe rampart! of the glacis was the only target
presented whereet to ann for the purpose of penetrating
the casemate.c.
About two o'olock Major Allen went ont In a small
boat tinder a flag of truce to return the letters written In
reply to those received the day before. Tho men in the
fort teemed too busy to attend, and the boat, afurstand
ing on and off in Ihe vicinity of Shark Shoal Point, re
turned The boat subsequently wnnt out (at the time
that a signal for a cessation of hostilttisa was hoisted by
the fort) end delivered there. Many of the letters
contained exhortations and entreaties to oiHcers and sol
diers to prevail upon Colonol White to surretidor tho
plsce without resistance. Othera exhibited more pluck
on the part of the feminine correspondents. Thoy be
sought their friends to fight a little while and then stir
render, to show tlist they were nut cowards. It must i?e
said that the rebels exhibited considerable bravery.
They worked at the guna until tbe ouly available ones
were dismounted or disabled. A movement waa set on
foot among the ladies of Beaufort to have a petition
signed by them and sent to Colonel White, imploring him
to capitulate; but, owing to tbe brief time allowed for the
return ef tbe mall, It did not become general enough to
aecure anything like combined action. Several wanted
to send over flowers and bouquets, but all articlss wore
interdicted save letters.
The precision attaiued by the practice of the forenoon1
and the facility of loading and flring, which even tbe ex*
perieace of a few hours bad given, wars now evidenced
In tbe saccessful results of each shot from our bstteries
snd in tbe almost incessant nature of the discharges
The seene assumed its grandest aspect after two o'clock
A llaeh and a puff of smoke betokened a discharge; an la*
'erval elapsed, which terminated with the report of the
piece; then cam* the sonoroo* hum of the shell aa It lluw
through tke air another pulf of stnoke soon followed by
a second report, and tbe deadly missile had exploded.
Vtilh our glasses we could distinctly see sverv man<ru.
vr* Hi the fori. Their look-out was eaconced b iblnd a
pile of stud bags upon the raniparta, and we almost feu
ciod we c*t)ld hear him njaeulate the word " Down!" as he
marked Hie approach of every ahol. Its effect wan like
magic. Aa he himself dtasp|>eared. down out of *l,ht
wont tho erowd of men around the guna, t* reappear
agni i when tbe shot had stopped I's motion u?d accum
j plishcd Its errand. The msn were working like beavers,
ind one indivi hial in a white shirt attracted particular
attention on account of his industry. A number oi h r e?
and coa* that were browslug os ihe green t.ope of the
(oi t when tli* ti'itg conitti*tiieil, b cotni 'j tcniflolai
Ihe uais*, hud dalheU anay Uvvn tl o it.1' neoi
them crossed within oor lines and wsre captured, while
others continued to rush up and dews in the sand, scared
away alternately bjr the firing from tbe fort end tho flr
ing from our bat ter:??.
Llttls recualus to tell of ths bombardment. The gar
risen bad at flrnt responded with tome seven or eight
guns, exclusive of carronades, which were made to
?arve tba purpose of mortar*. Tbe aquaria of gunner*
could be observed passing about, altercating witb tbe
piece* a* they became hot under the discharge*.
Gradually their fire slsckened,to four, (hen to three, an J
then to two Kilt". Our *hot and ibell were doing their
duty, and Subsequent examination showed that fifteen
guns wore dismounted or disnbled on tbe fort.
And now, how fared It with our gallant fellows in tbe
bsttaries? To those who worked the mortars the mat
ter wag entirely new, and to Captain Amnion's men, of
tho Third New York artillory, tlu greatest pmlso is dtie
for their cool and uufllnchirg conduct in this tholr ftr-1
experience under flra. The exposed nature of Captain
Morria' battery of siege gup drew upon it almost the
entire tire of the furl, and shot and shell rained around
it. The only injury sustained by tbe battery waa the
temporary dismounting of one of the guns by a thirty
two pound aolid shot, which came through the em
brasure and carried o(T a wheel. Another carriage wad
In readiness, and the gun wm soon remounted. Another
of tho guna was slightly dented by a solid
shot, which struck tho rclnforce or baud aruund the
braeeh, and tbeu glanced oif. Tho sand l>aga in all the
batteries were disturbed mora or let* by the concus
sion*, and ibe embrasures of the threo-gun battery were
bogrimmed and black with powder. Eleven hundred
shots in all were flred on our side, and of those Ave bun
dled and sixty struck the fort. Liout. Gowns bad a nar
row eecape here. A pi? ce of shell tor* through th* flannel
of bis blouse uniform, almost grazing the fl?*b. Captain
1*11, Aid-de-Camp to General Burnside, who rendered
valuable assistance in th* working of tbe ten inch mor
tar battery, also narrowly e*cap*d death. While looking
over th* parapet b* perceived a shot coming, and imme
diately "ducked ' Into the pit. The sbot, ? thirty-two
pounder, struck and passed through the embankment
within thr*e inches of his head, burying him up with
sand
TBI SIGNAL coitrs.
Much pralss Is due to Lieutenant Fricker and his as
si-tent signal officer*, l.ieuteoanta Walt, Andrews,
Sclacbter, Smith, Ftarrett, I.yon, Bradley, l'elmer, l.ang
and Marsh, for their assiduity in keeping up communi
cation between tbe different positions of our forces and
fleet. From Reaufort the result of each shot from the
batteries was distinctly visible, and the signal oorps
with their telegraph of flag* guided tho firing, and by
their effort* contributed sot a little to the attainment of
accurate range.
A SINUCI.AH COINCIDENCE*
The bombardment of Fort Macon took place on Friday
The battles of Koanoke and Newborn also took place r>u
Friday. Friday Is considered by some an unlueky day,
and tin doubt tt is to th* rebels when Geusrai Burusida
encounters them.
A RKROIO BAILOR.
Conspicuous In the battle waa Jimmy Judge, a sailor
from 'hsfngate Koanoke, who was doing a little lighting
on his own hook. Ho took in cbargo a small howitzer
for th* protection of our flanks from any sortlo of the
enemy, but finding that th"y were not likely to mak*
any demonstration of that kind, abandoned it,and dnr
itig th* rost of tbe Ay avsistsd in the working of th*
mortare.
THE Slirx GONDAR AND ALLIANCE,
found hors upon th* arrival of our troops, with
clearances front Liverpool, and sines detained,
kept the English flag hoisted throughout the
fight. It was alleged that signals wsrs made
at night from these vesssls to ths fort ;
so, to prsvent any recurrence of such doings while tbe
bombardment was proceeding, both captains were ar
rested and kept under guard uatil assurances were re
ceived of fature neutrality of conduct.
TH* UNION LOME.
Happily, the carnage attendant upu* this victory Is not
extensive. Our loss Is as follows ?
RILIRP.
William Dart (of Cnneatoga, N. Y ), Battery I, Third
New York artillery. lis was upon ths parapet of the
teutneft mortar battery, driving h? me a pointing slake
when a ahsll burst near him, one of the fragments te?r
itig open hia brnnat, larcerating him in a horrible manner,
and expoaiug hia lungs, haert and entrail*.
wotnMn.
Kergeant nine*. Company C, First t'nited Suteeartil
lery. severely, but not dangerously, by a spent thlrty-tw*
pound aolid shot; and one prixateof the same com|>any
(Slightly), whose name I have not ascertained.
To accomplish this tho rebels tlre<l ESO thirty-two
pound fhslia, 300 ten ineh shells, Ibo eight inch shells,
f.iur lorc'isMon *b*l k (rifl'U), Itoi twenty-four pound
she)'*, MXj solid shot,and alwut K.000 pounds of pnvder.
A NIGHT t* TItK BAtTBfclKE AM> TRKNCMSS,
In their cagei uess to bi la nt the ?ks?-, the r?yort<ns
ha'1 .TOg'C'l over Be u'ort during the afternoon in a
ail bo.it, iiud i:?uding on tho " epll" went up in Ihe i?'!r
or lbe bAlteriea. Klgh'overtook ua Just as we reached
the ten-inch mortar b.itlo y; but it did not prevont ua
from extending our research * In pursuit of tii'iaa tenia
a > ueco h ary lo ihe welfara and hsppinesa of aim*
paper correspondent. a> d we steadily i >u*hod on lo tho
advanced pita ?nd trenches The place, the time, the
or' as ion, all conspired to Imbue feelings not precisely
describahle, yet partaking of a d< op ftwe. To your right
a stealthy sentinel woa lurking beneath thec verofa
sandhill: to your li ft a tl!e of the relieving guard woa
psssng noiselessly along through the trenches stationing
the i itketi; in frout rose the dark outlines of the fort,
and razing behind no stranger would imagine that those
undulating hills of sand and Ilttlo kn< 1 s of cedar and
brush teemed with mas-ea of soldiers, gleaming bayo
nets, bristling cannon and grim inortara. Tothoaouth
ward we could make out the forma of t'.io block
ading licet at anchor ; to the northward a chain
of brl'liant lights betokened thu the signal cores
were communicating with their torches between the
d.Merent stations. Satisfying o r appetite for informa
tlon, we returned to the ten-inch mortar battery, where
we were received by Captain Amnion, who kindly pro
Tided us with some udditi nil blankets, to make our
stay for tho night as comror'able aa possible. Selecting
then for our bed the top of the epaulement of the bat
tery?midway botween the grim mortar?a (which seemed
to us through the darkneta like monster black toadsi
and the remame of the gaJlact artilleryman who hail
fallen iu the fight, and whose form was laid gently down
in a hollow in the sand and covered with a blanket?the
reportorial corps stretched themselves lo sleop. At mi l
night a sense of cold and chilliness awoke us to the
reality that a drizzling rain was ixrnoirating our blanket*,
and would soon reach oursklna. Kocsingourselves, wo
started with astonishment at the flashiag of lanterns,
the muffled noise of spades digging the stud, and tbo
aight of men, teams and wagons. It was soon exp ained.
Iho disturbed sand bugs and sods were being replaced,
lho mortar traverses repaired and ammunition arriving.
1!,ey were getting the battery in readiness for the next
diy, should the bombardment recommence; but such
w is the silence with which the work was going on it
failed to disturb our slumbers, though it almost may bo
?lid that the sand beneath our couch bad been moved.
Constructing a temporary awnrog of boards, which
served to shed the rain off our heada and feet, we slept
again.
THE OPERATIONS OP THE NAVY.
At scarcely a tight or any Importance takes place with
mt tho aid of our naval veesels, so In this cave they
ihared tho honor of ro;akiug Kort Macon from the hands
)f the reboW, although, owing to the roughness of th*
weather on the afternoon of the engagement, and tho
Tact of the fort being reduced In on* day, or rather part
if a day, they were unable to do all the execution that
Ihey would have done had they the time. However,
they may rest satisQcd that whit they did do was well
done, and deserve* to bospokon of In the highest manner.
The firing from our batteries on the land was com
menced st about six o'clock in the morning, and for soma
time It waa thought 'that the blockading fleet would
sot eater inte the fight; bat at about eight o'clock there
was a etir observed ameug the v easels outs id*, and they
began to approach the fort. The excitement then be.
camo Intense, and all eyes w*r* turned on the ship* a*
they ran la nearer.
At nine o'clock a signal was mad* from the flagship of
Commander Samuel Lock wood, who had his headqiarters
on board th* steamor Daylight, for the vessels to open
Ore on th>> fort, and the signal was hardly given before
the steamers Stat* of Georgia, Chippewa, Daylight, and
the bark Gemsbok, formed a kind of a curve around the
fort, and In a few uilnu'os the whito smoko was percep
tible rising from their sides as they discharged their shot
towards the fort.
It wis a most beautiful tight to see th .so vessels
?hmging their positlous as thoj thundered away at tho
rebel stronghold, shot after shot was thrown inside the
wa.Is, and the splendid flrl: g of the lleet was fully ap
preciated by nil?the rebels themselves speaking or it
after they were released from the prison they bad
been couilus 1 In for so long. The bark Oemsbok was
particularly notioe.l for her graceful appearance as alio
manmuve ed with her sails all tet, depending upon
horown powers of locomotion, and leuving the stumors
!<erfectly free in their movements. Sbo delivered her
broadsides with regularity; but, preferring to be sta
tionary, she let her anchor go after a short time, and
thus l>eoame a fair target for the guns of tho fort. For
tunately, she received no Injury except some of her
light rigfciug being cut, although the enemy e balls were
flyiug about her pretty briak'.y. The steamers of
co'irse, were enabled to move quickly in every direction,
and as they came bnadslde to the rort, the smoke
curling up from their sides, followed by the report ef
ti.eir Runs, told how well they were exec itmg their
portion <f the work. As they continued flriug thry
increased rapidly in the uutubcr of good shots, and.after
the fight w*s all over, a walk through tho fort r.lly
item u.strated the fearful effect produced by tho slot
and shell from our lleet. The fort replied with e rne
spirit to tho firing of the navy, and so far succeeded r*
to send s ball through the flag?bip I>aylight, wound og
two el the engineers, but inflicting no lujury of any
o oseguence to the vessel. The gunuers of the fort wet*
very particular in watching for opportunities to get two
or more of our vessels lu hue, wbeu they would fir* very
I rapidly.
IViwutn eleven and twelve o'clock a southerly mnj
prevailed, and rendered the sea ao rough out- ide that it
waa utterly impossible for the vessels to k?ep up U>*ir
well directed Ore, m tbe puclimg and tossing r?nu> red
aucb a thing aa ao accurate aim out of tbe question.
Consequently, the vessel* put out further to tea and
?topped the firing, as lbey supposed, until tbe uoit day;
but their services were tlien unnecessary, aa Col. White
bad msde ? virtue of necessity and given up tbo fort to
ita rightful owner*.
One of tbe abut from our vmh^i, loatoad of enum^
tbe foil, a* was, no doubt, intended, struck on a marsh
or place called Bird l*h?nd Shoal, about midway between
Beiu.ort and tbe fort, and lie flying vteit so frightened
the Inhabitant* of lleaufort, who had filled every
piaco where tbey aould aee tbe fori, that many
of them deserted their posts, thinking tha'
an order bad been given to destroy tbe town, and it w.m
some time before confidence waa fully reatored, and tli?
people were ranch pleaeed when the fleet ceased liring.
In addition to tbe above named veeaels, we bail
the gunboat Kl'ia and tUee floating balltrias?
Urouade, Urapeahot and Shrapnel?that had bees
brought dowa from Newborn, and atationed la
the North river. The balteriea carried each twe
of the famous thirty-pound Farrott guna, aae
tlieae were protected by bundlea of wet bay and bales ol
cotton, ao arranged aa to catch tbe enemy'* bails before
they reached the gun*. Theee batterlea were towed
down the river shortly after the blockAdlng fleet bad
retired, and were lute.ided to take tbeir place, but owing
to the narrowneea of tbe channel, and tbe difficulty el
tbo rauge, they wore compelled to withdraw after
remaining there a abort time. Tbe BUraposl, Captain
Nlcholls, waa unable to do any eiecutien. and wlul
firing waa done waa by the Grenade, under tbe com
mand of Lieutenant Banter. She made eonie very good
ahota, but bad to ceaae for tbe reason given above. Tb?
gunboat Ell la waa of bo uae whatever, as ako carries on*
100 pounder, wbioh waa not considered by any means
safe, and aa sbe did not go within range, ah* wae act ua?>l
at all, and tbe land batleriea did the closing up portion tf
the fight.
Ihe injuries received by the fleet during tbe bombard
ment may be enumerated aa fellows ? The gunboat Hay
IlKht,as I before mentioned,received a shot from tbo
fort, which i>assed through her, entering the wardroom
and chief oillcer'c cabin, break lag tbe etepa and ladder and
lodging on Ihe port aide of Ihe steamer. It also broke ihe
blowing engine Kug?i e J. Ward, one of the assistant
engineers, had bte 'elt firm broken j ist above ike wrfel,
but It did not prevent him from paying a vialt to tha
fort after lie surrender. One of the splinters also struck
diaries I' Morgeu, another of the aee is t ant engineers,
t,,,t with- ut inflicting my aerioua injury.
One bsll passed through the flag of the steamer State
of Georgia, and the rigging of the bsrk Oemebok ?aa
somewhat cut *p. With these exceptions ths\eei?i*
i anie oil with Hying colors, sfler having infilclsd iwsuir
tlmea ins damage upva Ihe fort Ihst tkey themselves
aufleri U
Alter the surrender, and while Ihe Meraral sad
lih staff were testing thfmselrea, the A'its Trice
[CosriNUKi) o.l si urH i'jt'-rj