Daniel Ammen, Confederate Military History, a library of Confederate States Military History: Volume 7.2, The Atlantic Coast
Clement Anselm Evans, Ed.

While the heavier vessels led in to attack Fort Hatteras, the Monticello was directed to embark or provision the troops on shore, at the option of General Butler.

The landed troops had during the night thrown up a sand battery, placed their howitzers in it, and had opened on the vessels in the sound in communication with the fort, which seems to have materially disconcerted the enemy.

At 8 A. M. the Susquehanna, leading, opened fire on the fort, the Wabash following; the Minnesota then took position between the two. The vessels anchored, and maintained their fire, and were soon followed by the sailing frigate Cumberland, which anchored also in excellent position and commenced firing with effect. It was soon seen that the pivot guns did the principal part of the work, and this fact became the more apparent as the flag-officer reported ‘the enemy returned our fire throughout the engagement, but with no effect, their shot falling short,’ from the fact, doubtless, of not being able to obtain sufficient elevation. Half an hour before the end of the engagement the Harriet Lane, added the fire of her battery. The defenders, seeing that the fire from their guns was wholly ineffective, and having suffered considerable loss from the careful firing of the pivot guns in the fleet, hoisted a white flag at 11.10 A. M., when the firing ceased. The fire from the batteries on the ships' broadside had been suspended soon after going into action, the fort being in range only by giving great, if not extreme elevation to the guns. The plunging effect of the shells from the heavy pivot guns on the bomb-proof was very great, threatening breaking through; one shell had found its way through a ventilator, and the safety of the magazine was imperilled.