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

dent, after a few experiments, that our shot fell short, and increased length of fuse was telegraphed, and firing commenced, with shells of fifteen seconds' fuse.

I had sent Mr. Fiske, acting aide-de-camp, on shore, for the purpose of gaining intelligence of the movements of the troops and of the enemy. I then went with the Fanny, for the purpose of effecting a landing of the remainder of the troops, when a white flag was run up from the fort. I then went with the Fanny over the bar into the inlet. At the same time the troops under Colonel Weber marched up the beach, and signal was made from the flag-ship of to cease firing.

As the Fanny rounded in over the bar, the rebel steamer Winslow went up the channel, having a large number of secession troops on board, which she had not landed. We threw a shot at her from the Fanny, but she proved to be out of range. I then sent Lieutenant Crosby on shore to demand the meaning of the white flag. The boat soon returned, bringing Mr. Wiegel, with the following written communication from Samuel Barron, late captain in the U. S. Navy:

FORT HATTERAS, August 29, 1861.

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

S. BARRON, Commanding Naval Defenses Virginia and North Carolina.

And also a verbal communication, stating that he had in the fort 615 men and 1,000 more within an hour's call, but that he was anxious to spare the effusion of blood.

To both the written and verbal communications I made the reply which follows, and sent it by Lieutenant Crosby:

AUGUST 29, 1861.

Benj. F. Butler, major-general, U. S. Army, commanding, in reply to the communication of Samuel Barron, commanding forces at Fort Hatteras, cannot admit the terms proposed. The terms offered are these: Full capitulation; the officers and men to be treated as prisoners of war. No other terms admissible. Commanding officers to meet on board flag-ship Minnesota to arrange details.

After waiting three-quarters of an hour, Lieutenant Crosby returned, bringing with him Captain Barron, Major Andrews, and Colonel Martin, of the rebel forces, who, on being received on board the tug Fanny, informed me that they had accepted the terms proposed in my memorandum, and had come to surrender themselves and their command as prisoners of war. I informed them that as the expedition was a combined one from the Army and Navy, the surrender must be made on board to flag-ship to Flag-Officer Stringham as well as to myself. We went on board the Minnesota for that purpose. On arriving there, the following articles of capitulation were signed, which I hope will meet your approval. [See Appendix A.] I then landed, and took a formal surrender of the forts, with all the men and munitions of war, inspected the troops to see that the arms had been properly surrendered, marched them out, and embarked them on board the Adelaide, and marched my own troops into the fort, and raised our flag upon it, amid the cheers of our men and salute of 13 guns, which had been shotted by the enemy.

The embarkation of the wounded, which was conducted with great care and tenderness from a temporary wharf erected for the purpose, took so long that night came on so dark that it was impossible for the pilots to take the Adelaide over the bar, thereby causing delay.

I may mention in this connection that the Adelaide, in carrying in the troops, at the moment that my terms of capitulation were under