CHAP. LIX.] NORTH CAROLINA COAST EXPEDITIONS.

Sentiments of the
Floridians.

489*

Florida, out of a white population of 77,778, had furnished nearly 10,000 men to the Confederate army. Thus stripped, she was unable to make any resistance, or to protect the works and towns upon her coast. Commodore Dupont, referring in his report to the condition of St. Augustine, says: "I believe there are many citizens who are earnestly attached to the Union, a large number who are silently opposed to it, and a still larger number who care very little about the matter. There is much violent and pestilent feeling among the women. They have a theatrical desire to fig ure as heroines. Their minds have doubtless been filled with the falsehoods so industriously circulated in regard to the lust and hatred of our troops. On the night be fore our arrival, a party of them assembled in front of the barracks, and cut down the flag-staff, in order that it might not be used to support the old flag. The men seemed anxious to conciliate in every way.'

Objects of the North Carolina expeditions.

The operations on the coast of North Carolina were conducted by expeditions organized at Fortress Monroe. They were chiefly intended for the enforcement of the blockade and the stoppage of privateers going to sea. Subsequently the possession or destruction of the Weldon Railroad was contemplated, but not forcibly attempted. In fact, when the correct plan of the war came to be understood, it was perceived that these expeditions, except in so far as they aided the blockading fleet, were of no use. The forces of one of them (Burnside's) were eventually withdrawn, and brought on a more correct line of operations.

The expeditions now to be referred to are two: (1.) Butler's expedition to Hatteras; (2.) Burnside's Roanoke expedition.

The expedition to Hatteras.

The waters of Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds are connected with the interior of North Carolina by canal, rivers, and railroads, giving singu lar facilities to blockade runners to carry on their

opera

tions. Through these, muskets, cannon, and large quanti ties of munitions of war were introduced into the Con federacy, and cotton carried out. To guard the main channel of this commerce, two forts had been built on the

CHAP. LIX.]

THE HATTERAS EXPEDITION.

491

southwest point of Hatteras Island, which is between Oregon and Hatteras Inlets-Fort Clark, a small water battery, mounting five guns, and Fort Hatteras, a stronger work, covering about 14 acres, and having ten guns. The island itself is a mere sand-spit, on which here and there are scattered clumps of dwarf-oaks: the sea-spray dashes all over it. A miserable population of five hundred persons finds occupation in piloting, wrecking, fishing. In the salt marshes, concealed by a rank grass, are swarms of musquitoes.

Its naval and military force.

With a view of arresting the traffic through these sounds and enforcing the blockade, an expedition, under General Butler and Commodore Stringham, sailed from Fortress Monroe (August 26, 1861), its immediate object being the capture of the two forts. It consisted of three powerful frigates and half a dozen smaller vessels, carrying in the aggregate 158 guns and about 900 soldiers. It passed through Hatteras Inlet into Pamlico Sound. Much difficulty was experienced in landing the troops through the heavy surf rolling on the beach. One third of the force, 300 men, was, however, got on shore, but without either provisions, water, or ammunition. A bombardment was opened by the shipping upon the smaller work, which replied with but little ef fect, the vessels keeping in continual motion, each steaming round on a different circle, so that the range of none of them could be got. On their part, they threw their shells with so much accuracy as to compel its defenders to abandon Fort Clark in the course of a couple of hours. A rainy and tempestuous night set in, adding not a little to the discomfort of the troops which had been landed; but, as soon as it was day, fire was resumed on the larger fort, Hatteras, and it was speedily reduced. The Confederates, though re-enforced during the operations, found themselves completely over

Bombardment of the forts.

They are surrendered.

matched, and were compelled to surrender. Among those who were thus taken prisoners was Barron, who had, at Lincoln's accession, nearly been surreptitiously appointed to one of the most confidential posts in the United States Navy Department (p. 55). There were captured more than 700 prisoners, 25 cannon, and 1000 small-arms. The force left in charge of the posi tion subsequently undertook an expedition to Chickamicomico, about 20 miles distant, but was Chickamicomico compelled to retire, pursued by the Confedexpedition. erates: it destroyed its tents and stores, and lost about 50 prisoners. But one of the light-draught vessels, coming to the rescue, put the pursuers to flight with shells, inflicting on them a considerable loss as they passed along the flat sand-bank, which afforded them no cover or protection.

Failure of the

Results of these

The seizure of these forts was an important step in the enforcement of the blockade. It gave access operations. to all the North Carolina sounds, and threatened the power of the Confederates in these interior waters.

Roanoke Island, lying behind Bodie's Island, the sandBurnside's expedi- bar that shuts off Upper North Carolina tion to Roanoke, from the Atlantic Ocean, offers some of the most interesting souvenirs of early American history. It was (vol. i., p. 147) the scene of Sir Walter Raleigh's colonizing expedition.

As stated by General Wise, to whom its defense was Military value of intrusted by the Confederate government, it Roanoke Island. was the key to all the rear defenses of Norfolk. It unlocked two sounds, eight rivers, four canals, two railroads. It guarded more than four fifths of the supplies of Norfolk. The seizure of it endangered the subsistence of the Confederate army there, threatened the

CHAP. LIX.] EXPEDITION TO ROANOKE ISLAND.

493

navy yard, interrupted the communication between Norfolk and Richmond, and intervened between both and the South. "It lodges an enemy in a safe harbor from the storms of Hatteras, gives him a rendezvous, and a large, rich range of supplies. It commands the sea-board from Oregon Inlet to Cape Henry."

After the capture of Hatteras Inlet in August, 1861, light-draught steamers, armed with a rifle gun, often stealthily came out of these waters to prey upon commerce. In the interior, shipping, and even iron-clads, were building.

The expedition of General Butler, as has been stated (p. 491), had reduced the defensive works at Hatteras Inlet and opened Pamlico Sound. The Confederates had retired to Roanoke Island, which, intervening between Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds, commands the passage to the latter. The channel on the east of the island is shallow; that on the west, known as Croatan Sound, was defended by three earth-works

Defenses of the position.