CAPTURE OF FORT MACON, N. C.
April 26, 1862.
The occupation of the town of Beaufort and Morehead City by the Federal troops, on the 24th of March, was followed by active preparations for the reduction of Fort Macon, which commanded the entrance to the harbor. It was anticipated that on the retreat of the rebel troops from Beaufort the overwhelming numbers and equipment of the national forces would demonstrate to the commander of the fort the hopelessness of any attempt to resist the armament that would be brought against him in the event of his refusal to surrender. This hope was not realized. Colonel M. J. White, the commander, resolved to meet the Union forces with every possible resistance, and if the fort was captured by the Federal arms, the doughty rebel determined that it should be purchased at no slight cost.
Fort Macon is situated on a bluff on Bogue’s Bank, nearly two miles from the town of Beaufort. It commands the entrance to the harbor, and no vessel can enter the main channel without coming within range of its guns. Opposite the fort, at the entrance of the harbor, is Shackelford Banks, distant about one mile and a half. Fort Macon is of a hexagonal form, and has two tiers of guns—one in casemated bomb-proof, and the other en barbette. Its armament consisted of twenty 32-pounders, thirty 24-pounders, two 18-pounders, three field pieces for flank defence, twelve flank howitzers, eight 8-inch howitzers (heavy), eight 8-inch howitzers (light), one 13-inch mortar, three 10-inch mortars, and two Cohorn mortars—total, 89 guns. The war garrison of the fort was 300 men. There are large furnaces in the fort for heating shot, and before the investment there was a considerable quantity of powder in the magazine. The construction of Fort Macon was commenced in 1826, by Captain Eliason, of the United States Engineer Corps, and was finished in 1860, by Captain, afterwards Brigadier-General John G. Foster.
This fort, like most others in the Southern States, at the opening of the rebellion, was in an almost defenceless condition. Ordnance Sergeant Alexander was the sole guardian of this important position in April, 1861.
In March, the vote on the question of calling a State Convention was taken in North Carolina, and a majority was given against the Convention. Governor Ellis assured the officer in command that the fort would not be taken from under the control of the government, but on the 11th of April, a citizen of Beaufort, in the interest of the secessionists, collected a body of fifty men, with whom he crossed over to the fort and demanded its surrender. Sergeant Alexander delivered up the keys, and the rebel flag was hoisted on its walls. Subsequently stores and supplies for a garrison of 500 men were collected and placed within it, and an efficient body of troops took possession, under Colonel White.
On March 25th, 1862, Morehead City, on the mainland, opposite Bogue Island, was occupied by a portion of General Parke’s division of Burnside’s army. A few days subsequently a landing had been effected on Bogue Island, and a camp established for the force selected to operate against Fort Macon. On the 11th of April the enemy’s pickets were driven in by the Fifth Rhode Island regiment and one company of the Fourth Rhode Island, and eligible localities for the batteries were selected by Captain Williamson, Topographical Engineer on General Burnside’s staff. On the next day a working party commenced the erection of the main battery, and from that time the labor proceeded night and day. The troops employed in this service were the Fourth and Fifth Rhode Island and the Eighth Connecticut regiments. The labor was most severe. The men were often on duty twenty-four hours at a time, and labored zealously to accomplish their task in the shortest possible period. What rest they got when on duty was obtained by sleeping on the sands, as no tents or barracks could be erected, since these would have informed the rebels of the location of the troops, and indicated the position of the batteries. The picket duty performed by the men was also very severe. All their work had to be done under a continuous and often severe fire from the fort. From this, however, they were protected by the peculiar formation of the ground, which consisted of a succession of sand-hills up to within about half a mile of the fort.
Previous to the bombardment the garrison were allowed to send letters to their friends at Beaufort.
Three batteries were erected for the reduction of the fort. The first was mounted with four ten-inch mortars, and was built under cover of a large sand-hill, near the edge of the marshes which line the northern shore of the island, at a distance of about 1,400 yards from the fort. This battery was allotted to Lieutenant Flagler, and manned by a portion of battery I, New York Third artillery. The second was in advance 100 yards, built and worked by Captain Lewis O. Morris, and Lieutenants Gowan and Pollock. Three long thirty-pound siege Parrott guns, rifled, composed its armament. The last battery consisted of four eight-inch mortars. It stood 100 yards in advance of the second battery, and was placed in charge of Lieutenant Prouty, and manned by a detachment of battery I, Third New York artillery. Rifle-pits and trenches were also excavated.
On the 24th of April, the preparations having been completed, General Burnside arrived from Newbern, on the steamer Alice Price, having in tow two barges, the Schrapnel and Grenade, fitted up as floating batteries, each armed with two thirty-pound Parrott guns. The Schrapnel had in addition a twelve-pounder rifled Ward gun. They anchored about three miles below the fort.
During the afternoon a flag of truce was sent to the fort, in charge of Captain Biggs, of General Burnside’s staff, with a demand for its surrender. Colonel White refused to yield to the demand, and announced his purpose to defend the fort to the last extremity. An understanding was obtained, however, that the commander should have a personal interview with General Burnside on the following morning.
Accordingly, at an early hour on the 25th, the steamer Alice Price, under a flag of truce, proceeded down the bay to a point previously indicated, where General Burnside was soon joined by Colonel White. The meeting was courteous. Colonel White said that he had been placed in command of the fort for the purpose of holding it, and should defend it to the best of his ability.
On the following morning, the 26th, the Federal forces took their respective posts at an early hour. The morning mists had not yet disappeared, when orders were given for the opening of the siege, and before six o’clock the loud thunder of the guns and the deep boom of the heavy mortars broke on the ears of the sleeping citizens of Beaufort, and roused the slumbering garrison of the belligerent fort. Booming loudly over the waters, and rolling away in the distance, the explosions followed in rapid succession for half an hour before the garrison was ready to respond. When prepared, the rebels bravely assumed their allotted positions, manned their guns, and Fort Macon opened upon the national flag.
During the forenoon the eight-inch mortar battery of Lieutenant Prouty sent its shells with regularity and precision into the fort, and at each explosion the red dirt and sand of the glacis’ slopes, ramparts, parapets and terrepleins were dashed in a cloud many feet into the air. The flagstaff, with its defiant colors floating at the top, was at times completely obscured in the smoke and dust which rose with the bursting of the missiles. The ten-inch mortar battery was not so successful in the morning. The shells from it burst beyond or high in air over the fort, scattering the fragments of iron far and wide into the water; but in the afternoon the battery played with an effect that was evidenced in the decreased fire from the fort.
The battery of Parrott guns under command of Captain Morris, in the mean time, kept up an incessant fire upon the ramparts. The difficulty of obtaining accurate range was for some time experienced, and the shots either went over the fort, ricocheting across the water towards Shackleford Banks, or fell short and buried themselves in the sand and glacis on its westerly side. But the range grew more accurate with every shot, and from twelve o’clock until the close of the fight Captain Morris seldom failed to plant his terrible conical balls among the guns, on the edges of the ramparts, and against the walls. The latter were pierced in two places, the balls passing through into the casemates, from which their unceremonious visit hastily expelled the occupants. Wherever these shots struck they tore through all obstacles with a force that hurled fragments of iron and brick, stones, grass-sods and sand bags about in every direction. Many of the rebels were knocked down senseless by the flying sods. When it is considered that the walls of the fort were protected by the slopes of the glacis, the accuracy of the firing from the Parrott battery will be perceived. That part of the walls just protruding above the ramparts of the glacis was the only target presented whereat to aim for the purpose of penetrating the casemates.
About two o’clock, P. M., Major Allen went out with a flag of truce to carry letters written to the garrison from their friends in Beaufort. Many of these entreated the officers to prevail upon Colonel White to surrender the fort. Some ladies in Beaufort set on foot a petition to that effect.
The precision attained by the practice of the forenoon, and the facility of loading and firing, which even the experience of a few hours had given, were now evidenced in the successful results of each shot from the Union batteries. The scene assumed its grandest aspect after two o’clock. A flash and a puff of smoke betokened a discharge; an interval elapsed, which terminated with the report of the piece; then came the sonorous hum of the shell as it flew through the air; another puff of smoke soon followed by a second report, and the deadly missile had exploded.
With glasses every manœuvre in the fort could be distinctly seen. The look out was ensconced behind a pile of sand bags upon the ramparts, and spectators fancied they could hear him ejaculate the word “Down!” as he marked the approach of every shot. Its effect was like magic. As he himself disappeared, down out of sight went the crowd of men around the guns, to reappear again when the shot had accomplished its errand.
Little remains to tell of the bombardment. The garrison had at first responded with some seven or eight guns, exclusive of carronades, which were made to serve the purpose of mortars. The squads of gunners could be observed passing about, alternating with the pieces as they became hot under the discharges. Gradually the fire slackened to four, then to three, and then to two guns. The Federal shot and shell were doing their duty, and subsequent examination showed that fifteen guns were dismounted or disabled on the fort.
To those who worked the mortars of the Federal batteries, the matter was entirely new, and to Captain Ammon’s men, of the Third New York artillery, the greatest praise is deserved for their cool and unflinching conduct in this their first experience under fire. The exposed nature of Captain Morris’ battery of siege guns drew upon it almost the concentrated fire of the fort, and shot and shell rained around it. The only injury sustained by the battery was the temporary dismounting of one of the guns by a thirty-two-pound solid shot, which came through the embrasure and carried off a wheel. Another carriage was in readiness, and the gun was soon remounted. One of the guns was slightly dented by a solid shot, which struck the reinforce or band around the breech, and then glanced off. The sand bags in all the batteries were disturbed more or less by the concussions, and the embrasures of the three-gun battery were begrimed and black with powder. Eleven hundred shots in all were fired on the Federal side, and of these five hundred and sixty struck the fort.
The firing from the fort gradually slackened as the guns one after another became disabled, until at last the iron thunderers ceased to respond to the continuous peals of the Federal batteries. About half-past four o’clock a white flag was run up over one of the guns, dimly seen through the smoke that had just before issued from it in a heavy cloud. Not long after two officers left the fort, bearing a flag of truce. They advanced towards the batteries, and Captain Pell, of General Burnside’s staff, and Lieutenant Hill, of General Parke’s staff went out to meet them. They were Captains Pool and Guion, with a message from Col. White, asking the terms of surrender. General Parke replied that the only terms were unconditional surrender, but that he would communicate with General Burnside, who might make different arrangements. The inquiry was telegraphed to Beaufort, and a messenger was sent off to General Burnside, who was on board the Alice Price, some distance up the river. In the morning General Burnside returned to the harbor, and had an interview with Colonel White, on board the Alice Price, when the terms of capitulation were agreed upon. The fort, armament and garrison were to be surrendered to the United States, the officers and men being released on parole, until properly exchanged, returning to their homes with their private effects, such as clothing, bedding, books, etc.
Immediately after the return of Colonel White to his quarters, preparations for the surrender commenced. After a little interval the gates were thrown open and a train of soldiers marched out, and forming a square on the green, just outside, stood a few moments in impressive stillness. Then they formed into line, where they stacked their arms, and returned to their quarters.
General Burnside, General Parke, and Captains Biggs and King directly after this ceremony, returned from the fort, and the Fifth Rhode Island being ordered into line, came up. General Burnside unfolded the new colors presented by the State of Rhode Island, inscribed with the words “Roanoke” and “Newbern,” which had been just received, and returned them to the color-bearer, who took his place at the head of the column. The regiment then moved forward in order, to take formal possession of the fort.
The time had at last come for the great event. The wharves and houses of Beaufort were crowded with spectators. The surrounding waters were covered with small craft, hovering near the scene. The squadron of gunboats, with steam up and colors flying, lay off and on outside the bar. At half-past ten o’clock a squad of men from the garrison, detailed by Colonel White for the purpose, cut loose the halliards and hauled down the rebel flag. Ten minutes later four of the Rhode Island boys hoisted the American ensign, the glorious stars and stripes, and a loud cheer broke from the men, which was caught up and echoed by the sailors on shipboard, and even by the citizens over the harbor, in Beaufort, whose shout came cheerily on the breeze.
The Federal fleet, consisting of the steamers State of Georgia, Chippewa, Daylight, and bark Gemsbok, under command of Flag-officer S. Lockwood, took an active part in the bombardment in the forenoon.
The destruction effected by the bombardment was like that at Fort Pulaski. The works outside as well as inside, gave incontestible proof of the execution of the heavy projectiles hurled at the fort. They also showed as clearly the bravery of the men who defended it, and proved that though they were engaged in rebellion, they had the courage and energy of heroic soldiers.
The garrison consisted of about four hundred and fifty men, exclusive of the officers. There were found in the fort nearly twenty thousand pounds of powder, shot and shell in proportion, and a large quantity of provisions.
The rebel loss was 7 killed, 18 wounded; Federal, 1 killed and 3 wounded.
