Part 37 (1/2)

9. It was early seen in North Carolina that fortifications were necessary at Hatteras for the defence of the many broad waters covering so large a portion of the eastern counties. A small sand-work, known as Fort Hatteras, with an outlying flank defence, called Battery Clark, was the only reliance for the protection of Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds.

10. Before these weak defences a large Federal fleet appeared on August 27th, 1861, and by means of its superior armament, lay securely beyond the range of the guns mounted in Fort Hatteras, while pouring in a tremendous discharge of shot and sh.e.l.l. The Federals having effected a landing on the beach, and most of the caution being dismounted in the fort, it was thought best by Colonel W. F. Martin, on the 29th, to surrender the fort.

11. In two days' operations the whole tier of eastern counties was thus laid bare to the incursions of Federal troops and cruisers. There was great sorrow for the captured garrison, and general alarm and uneasiness; but the spirit of resistance was undaunted, and troops continued volunteering by thousands.

QUESTIONS.

1. What is the subject of this lesson? How did the North Carolinians consider their departure from the Union?

2. What preparations for war were made by the State, even before its secession? Who commanded the first regiment?

3. Relate General Butler's exploit.

4. Give an account of the battle of Big Bethel.

What Confederate soldier was slain?

5. What is said of this event?

6. Where were North Carolina troops next engaged in battle?

7. What signal aid was rendered by Colonel Charles F. Fisher?

What were the effects of this victory?

8. What did Mr. Lincoln learn from these battles?

9. At what point on the North Carolina coast were fortifications specially needed?

10. Describe the Federal attack on Fort Hatteras. Point out Hatteras on the map.

11. What was the result of the fall of Hatteras?

CHAPTER LVI.

THE COMBAT DEEPENS.

A. D. 1662.

1862.

By the fortune of war in the Revolution, as again in 1812, the State was nearly always left with a small proportion of her own troops to defend the home of their birth. So, also, when the spring opened in 1862, though fully forty thousand men of the State were under arms, they were to be found in Virginia and South Carolina, except a small force left at Wilmington and Roanoke Island.

2. This condition of affairs did not result, however, from any indifference on the part of the general government to us, but from the fact that the main strategic points were in other States, and fortunate it was for North Carolina that this was so; for whatever may have been the necessities of local defence, or the evils incident to an unprotected coastline, or those inseparable from its occupation by the enemy at various points, they cannot be compared to the evils resulting from the prolonged occupation of a State by large contending armies.

3. Roanoke Island was the only hope of defence for Albemarle Sound and the many rivers flowing therein. To defend it, General Henry A. Wise was sent with a small force to be added to the Eighth and Thirty-first Regiments of North Carolina Volunteers.

He was sick on February 7th, 1862, when General Burnside, with a great fleet and fifteen thousand Federal troops, sailed up Croatan Sound and began the attack.

4. Colonel Henry M. Shaw, of the Eighth North Carolina Regiment, was in command, and made a gallant but unavailing defence. The Federals landed and moved up the island in the rear of the forts which had been constructed to prevent the pa.s.sage of vessels to the west of the defences. The only recourse left was to abandon the lower batteries and concentrate the Southern troops at a point near the centre of Roanoke Island.