determined storming party of 1,000 men could carry it against any resistance I could make with my present force. Is hold ten retreat to fort Hatters, which, with the aide of the ships, could be defended against the assault of a very large force.

Should the Government send gunboats and 10,000 men, I would then recommend that Roanoke Island should be taken and held and that an advance should be made towards New Berne. Beaufort might be taken by storm, but Fort Macon would have to be taken by regular approaches; this, of curse, would take a larger number of men than could be sent here at present.

If it is decided to hold Fort Clark, a considerable amount of timber should be sent here to support the sides of a ditch, which should be made at once. A large amount of work should be done upon this fort, and I only await the arrival of material and your orders to commence. The store-houses and barracks to be built at Fort Hatters should be commenced at once. This will also take a large amount of timber, which should be sent immediately. With Roanoke Island in our possession, it will not be necessary to have any considerable force at this point. One vessel inside and another outside, with men enough to man the guns of the forts, will constitute a sufficient force to hold the fort against all comers the rebels can bring.

You can rest assured that no effort on my part will be neglected for our proper protection.

I am, most faithfully, your obedient servant,

RUSH C. HAWKINS, Colonel Ninth Regiment N. Y. Volunteers, Commanding Post.

[Inclosure Numbers 2.] HEADQUARTERS FORT CLARK, Hatters Inlet, North Carolina, September 21, 1861-12 m.

Major General JOHN E. WOOL, Commanding Dept's of Virginia, &c., Fortress Monroe, Va.:

SIR: Two very intelligent fugitive apprentices have just arrived from Roanoke Island, where they have lived for the last eight years with one Samuel Jarvis; they seem to be quite intelligent and honest, and are well known to some of the citizens here.

According to their account there are at this time 1,500 troops on the island: 1,400 Georgians and 100 North Carolinians. The latter were formerly at Oregon Inlet. One thousand more North Carolina troops were to land there yesterday from Norfolk, and more are expected every day, until their whole number will amount to 8,000; then they are to land, hang the people who have taken the oath of allegiance, blow up the light-house, and retake the forts.

General Smith, of Georgia, is in command of the post, and Colonel Wright, of the same State, in command of the largest battery. These officers have reqeunt intercourse with Mr. Jarvis, who is an ardent secessionist, and communicated his views freely to his family in the presence of his servants. The above is what he has been heard to say within the last three days.

The rebels have six or seven small tug-boats and about twenty barges or flats at the island. This would seem to indicated that they intend to effect a landing somewhere; and where can it be if not at the point designated in my report of yesterday?

To-night I shall start for Chicamacomico for the purpose of selecting a suitable ground for a camp, after which I shall return and send up