CHAP.XIII.] CAPTURE OF BATTERIES AT HATTERAS INLET, N. C.

ton, and ascertain whether it was to be held and occupied with troops. I have received by telegraph from Washington to Baltimore information that the Government intend to hold it. We have of the army at that place 812 non-commissioned officers and privates, besides officers. I am preparing to send to-morrow for the post provisions and ordnance stores.

The Sixteenth Massachusetts Regiment, 840 strong, has just arrived. I am informed that two other regiments will be forwarded very soon.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN E. WOOL, Major-General.

Lieutenant General WINFIELD SCOTT, General-in-Chief of the Army.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF VIRGINIA, Fort Monroe, September 9, 1861.

GENERAL: I have received the Special Order, Numbers 157, directing Brigadier General John F. Reynolds to report to me for assignment to the command at Hatteras Inlet, North Carolina. It will be highly conducive to the public interest to have such an able and experienced officer in charge of this position. I have made all the arrangements in respect to men and materials to strengthen that post, and am only waiting for proper transports to forward them. There are none here as yet, though I have made every effort in my power to obtain them. I am informed that the Spaulding will arrive to-morrow. I shall detail a company of regulars, and send forward the balance, seven companies, of Hawkins' regiment, recalling Colonel Max Weber's German regiment, much complained of by the inhabitants for depredations and various outrages upon them. I inclose a report of Commander Gillis, U. S. Navy, and Lieutenant Farquhar, U. S. Engineers, describing the forts, their strength, &c. [Nos. 5 and 6.] On Brigadier-General Reynolds' arrival I propose, with your concurrence, to take possession of Ocracoke Inlet.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN E. WOOL, Major-General.

Lieutenant General WINFIELD SCOTT, Commanding the Army.

Numbers 3. Report of Major General Benj. F. Butler, U. S. Army, commanding expedition.

U. S. FLAG-SHIP MINNESOTA, August 30, 1861.

GENERAL: Agreeably to your orders, I embarked on the transport steamers Adelaide and George Peabody 500 of the Twentieth Regiment New York Volunteers, Colonel Weber commanding; 220 of the Ninth Regiment New York Volunteers, Colonel Hawkins commanding; 100 of the Union Coast Guard, Captain Nixon commanding, and 60 of the Second U. S. Artillery, Lieutenant Larned commanding, as a force to operate in a conjunction with the fleet, under command of Flag-Officer Stringham, against the rebel forts at Hatteras Inlet.

We left Fort Monroe on Monday, at 1 o'clock p. m. The last ship of