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GEN. BUTLER'S EXPEDITION TO HATTERAS.

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was repeated, two months later, by the Petrel, formerly the U. S. revenue cutter Aiken, but turned over to South Carolina by her officers in the infancy of Secession. Running out of Charleston on a cruise, the Petrel soon encountered the St. Lawrence, gunboat, and, mistaking her for a merchantman, fired at her as a summons to surrender. The St. Lawrence at once returned the compliment with a broadside, sinking the Rebel craft off-hand, with five of her crew. The residue, thirty-six in number, were sent to Fort Mifflin, on the Delaware, as prisoners.

ran below. In a few moments, the two quarter-boats of the Perry were alongside, and their crews leaped upon the flyaway's deck; when all remaining mystery as to her character was thoroughly dispelled. Her men at once stepped forward and surrendered their side-arms; and, perceiving there was no bloodshed, the leaders soon emerged from the cabin, and did likewise. All were promptly transferred to the Perry, and returned in her to Charleston bar; whence they were dispatched, on the 7th, as prisoners, in what had been their own vessel, to New York, where they arrived, in charge of Midshipman McCook and a prize crew, on the 15th. They were arraigned and some of them tried as pirates, but not convicted-Mr. Jefferson Davis, by a letter to President Lincoln, dated Richmond, July 6th, declaring that he would retaliate on our prisoners in his hands any treatment that might be inflicted on them. No answer was returned to this letter; but the privateer's crew were ultimately exchanged, like other prisoners of

Gen. Benj. F. Butler sailed, August 26, 1861, from Fortress Monroe, as commander of a military and naval force whose destination was secret. It consisted of the fifty-gun frigates Minnesota, Wabash, and Cumberland, with four smaller national vessels and two steam transports, carrying 800 soldiers, with two tugs laden with supplies; the Naval force under the command of Com. Stringham. Arriving the second night off the entrance through Hatteras Inlet to The Savannah's rough experience Pamlico Sound, it was found defend

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Explanations to the plan of the Bombardment of Forts Hatteras and Clark.

A. United States troops and marines.

B. Masked Batteries.

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3. Minnesota.

4 and 5. Susquehanna and Monticello, during the afternoon of the bombardment.

6, 7, and 8. Steamers Pawnee, Harriet Lane, and Monticello, protecting the landing of troops,

ed by the new Forts Hatteras and Clark, mounting five and ten guns respectively, with five more ready for mounting on the more important work; the whole defended by 700 Confederates, under Com. S. Barron, late of the Federal Navy; the infantry consisting of the 7th North Carolina, Col. Martin.

The forts were found far less formidable than they doubtless would have been a few weeks later. The bombardment was commenced at 10 A. M., of the 28th; Fort Hatteras replying, with signal industry, to little purpose; its gunners being evidently inexperienced and unskilled. Fort Clark had little or nothing to say; and was next morning found to have been already abandoned.

The Sound being still open, a heavily laden transport reënforced Fort Hatteras during the night; but this did no good. The bombardment having been reöpened by our ships on the morning of the 29th, and it being evident that to continue the contest was simply to condemn his men to useless slaughter, Com. Barron, at 11 A. M., raised the white flag, and, on consultation, offered to surrender the fort with its contents, on condition that the garrison should be allowed to retire. Gen. Butler deGen. Butler declined the proffer; but proposed, in his turn, to guarantee to officers and men, on capitulation, the treatment of prisoners of war; and this was ul timately accepted. The spoils were 715 prisoners, 25 cannon, 1,000 stand of arms, and a considerable quantity of provisions and stores. Our loss was next to nothing. And the secret of the expedition had been so well kept that, for several days thereafter, blockade-runners from various

quarters ran into the inlet as a Confederate shelter, and fell an easy prey to our arms.

No effort being made by the Confederates to retake this important position, Gen. Butler, with most of our vessels, had departed on other service; when Col. Hawkins, commanding at Hatteras, dispatched, late in September, the 20th Indiana, Col. Brown, to the petty hamlet on the Hatteras Bank, known as Chicamicomico, near Cape Hatteras, and some fifteen or twenty miles north-east of the Inlet. The excuse for this perilous division of his forces was the protection of the native residents, who claimed to be Unionists. A few days thereafter (Sept. 29th), the propeller Fanny, which had transported the regiment to Chicamicomico, and was now proceeding through the Sound, carrying thither a full cargo of stores and 40 men, was pounced upon by three armed steamers from the main land, and easily captured; and, six days thereafter, Col. Brown discovered five Rebel steamers emerging from Croatan Sound, with evident intent to attack him. To this end, they landed a superior force above his position, and then proceeded to land a detachment further down, intending to cut off his retreat and compel his surrender. Col. Brown, however, destroyed his tents and stores, and made a rapid march to the Hatteras Lighthouse, with a loss of about 50 stragglers taken prisoners. Col. Hawkins, by this time fully apprised of the Rebel movement, soon started, with six companies, to the rescue; while the Susquehanna and Monticello, our only two fighting vessels at the Inlet, moved up to the vicinity of the Lighthouse, to take a

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THE U. S. FRIGATE ST. LAWRENCE SINKING THE PRIVATEER "PETREL,'' AUG. 1, 1861.

PENSACOLA HARBOR-CAPTURE OF THE JUDAH.

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all on board. Had our land forces efficiently coöperated, most of the Rebels might have been taken; as it was, Col. Brown returned unmolested to the fort.

hand in the business. Doubling Cape | tearing them to pieces and destroying Hatteras next morning, the Monticello, Lieut. Braine, came upon the main Rebel force at 14 P. M., and opened upon them with shells, putting them instantly to flight, with great slaughter. The bank or beach between the ocean and the Sound, being less than a mile wide, afforded little protection to the fugitives, who sustained an incessant fire from the Monticello for two hours; and two of our shells are said to have penetrated two Rebel sloops laden with men,

Fort Pickens, on the western extremity of Santa Rosa Island, commanding the main entrance to Pensacola harbor, was saved to the Union, as we have seen,' by the fidelity and prompt energy of Lieut. Slemmer. It was reënforced soon after the fall

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