Fort Clark, and forming into line, with the old Stars and Stripes just in front of the "fallen secession flag." The victory was won.

The troops landed on the previous night had been active in various ways on shore, all the day of the battle on Thursday. On the appearance of the white flag, Captain Nixon, of the Union Coast Guard, entered the fort, and was joined by Lieutenant Wiegel, to whom Commodore Barron, late of the United States Navy, handed the following letter:

Flag-officer Samuel Barron, C. S. N., offers to surrender Fort Hatteras, with all the arms and munitions of war the officers to go out with side-arms, the men without arms to retire.

(Signed)

SAMUEL BARRON,

Commanding Naval Defences of Virginia and North Carolina.

To this communication Major-General Butler made the following reply:

Benjamin F. Butler, Major-General Commanding U. S. A., in reply to the communication of Samuel Barron, commanding forces at Fort Hatteras, cannot admit the terms proposed. The terms offered are the full capitulation, the officers and men to be treated as prisoners of war. No other terms admissible. Commanding officers to meet on board the flag-ship Minnesota, to arrange details.

(Signed)

BENJAMIN F. BUTLER, Major-General Commanding.

Commodore Barron, after having called a council of war, was authorized to proceed on board the Minnesota, in company with Colonel Martin and Major Andrews. These gentlemen were accompanied by Captain Crosby,

U. S. N., and Lieutenant Weigel, of General Butler's staff. On consultation on board the flag-ship, the terms of General Butler were acceded to by the secessionists.

General Butler and staff then came on shore, inspected the men and fortifications, and at 4 o'clock on Thursday P. M., the formal surrender took place. The Fanny, Adelaide, and Peabody passed within the inlet, and soon the Stars and Stripes waved in triumph at this important commercial post. Over seven hundred officers and men were captured as prisoners of war; thirty 32-pound cannon, and a large quantity of coffee, stores, and munitions of war, and several vessels.

The prisoners were embarked under the direction of General Butler, he having passed through their ranks, receiving the swords of the officers. He led the way to the shore, where the Adelaide received the entire command on board. Here they remained at rest during the night, having been supplied with refreshments such as the facilities of the ship allowed.

During all the afternoon of Thursday, Dr. Humphrey, of the Hawkins Zouaves, accompanied by Dr. C. W. Dennison, Chaplain of the United States Hospital at Fortress Monroe, did every thing in their power to soothe the wounded. Medical relief was afforded in

every case. Mr. Dennison offered a prayer, while the men of the fort gathered round at the tent where one of the wounded was supposed to be dying. There were at least forty wounded.

Eleven of the Confederate wounded were taken on board of the ship, and several made their escape. Their loss in killed is not exactly known, though according to Lieutenant Steelwagen's report, five were known to have been buried. None of the Union army were killed, but about thirty wounded.

On the morning of the 30th, the prisoners were all transferred to the Minnesota, where they were kindly

received by Commodore Stringham, and conveyed to Fortress Monroe, and from thence to New York.

A feeling of loyalty pervaded the masses of the people of North Carolina, and now, when the Federal flag floated over the forts, hundreds of men, women, and children came to Hatteras Inlet, by land and by boats, asking for protection, and taking the oath of allegiance.

August 30. Fort Morgan, at Ocracoke Inlet, twelve miles south of Hatteras, was evacuated by the Confederates, after they had spiked their guns and destroyed their munitions of war. The fort mounted six guns.

During the month of August privateering was carried on with an energy and determination worthy a better cause. The Sumter reports capturing fifteen prizes, and the privateer Echo reports eleven during the month, while the name, even, of the Jeff. Davis has become a word of terror to all northern seafaring men. Thus far the number of her prizes, and the amount of merchandise which she captured, has no parallel since the days of the "Saucy Jack," but with the characteristic sympathy of his prototype, her captain (Coxetter), released several vessels bound north, at the supplications of the wives of the masters, which proved conclusively that, though a "bold privateer," he was not encased in a coat of mail sufficient to "steel" his heart against all impressions.

CHAPTER XVI.

Methought

That standard still should sweep;

Pour on old lands a new-born day,

And freight with freedom all the deep.

SEPTEMBER 1. A skirmish took place at Boone Court. House, Va., which resulted in the total rout of the Confederates, with a loss in killed of thirty, and a large number wounded, besides forty taken prisoners. The Federals lost none in killed, and but six wounded. They took possession of the village and burnt it.

September 3. Terrible outrage on the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad; the Platte River Bridge burnt by secessionists.

The catastrophe occurred at little Platte River Bridge, nine miles east of St. Joseph. The bridge was a substantial work of one hundred feet span, and about thirty-five feet above the river. The timbers of the bridge had been burned underneath the track until they would sustain but little more than their own weight, and the fire was then extinguished, leaving the bridge a mere shell. The train, bringing eighty-five to one hundred passengers, including women and children, reached the river at eleven o'clock at night, and the bridge looking se- . cure, passed in; but no sooner had the locomotive measured its length upon the bridge, than some forty or fifty yards of the structure gave way, precipitating the entire train into the abyss below. All the seats in the passenger coaches were torn and shoved in front, carrying men, women, and children in a promiscuous heap down the declivity, and burying them beneath the crushed timber,

or throwing them out of the cars through the broken sides. Some were mangled by the machinery tearing through the timbers, several were caught between planks pressing together like a vice. Others were struck by parts of the roof as it came down with mighty force. Still others were cut with pieces of glass, while wounds, and blood, and agony prevailed all over the frightful scene, and shrieks of pain were mingled with cries of terror. In this the last two cars of the train went down, pitching the passengers into the wreck, or throwing them into the water, which at this point is about a foot and a half in depth. Only three persons were able to afford assistance to the suffering, the remainder of those who were not killed outright being so disabled as to be helpless.

Seventeen persons were killed. Two hundred yards west of the bridge a heavy oak railroad tie was strongly strapped across the track, and two miles further on, the trestle work over a small stream was on fire, which, however, had not become so badly burned that trains could not pass over, or that it could not be extinguished; and fifteen miles east of the Platte River, another bridge over Smith's Branch was almost entirely burned, and still burning, having been fired after the train passed west, to prevent assistance being sent from the east. Probably the perpetrators of this diabolical act expected soldiers would be passing over the road by that train, and resorted to this method to despatch them.

September 6. Occupation of Paducah, Ky. General Grant, with two regiments of infantry, one company of light artillery, and two gunboats took possession of Paducah, Ky. He found secession flags flying in different parts of the city, in expectation of greeting the arrival of the Southern army, which was reported three thousand eight hundred strong, sixteen miles distant. The loyal citizens tore down the secession flags on the arrival of our troops.