Armed with the order we left Fortress Monroe at one o'clock on Monday, August 26. The last ship of our fleet but the Cumberland arrived at Hatteras about 4 o'clock on Tuesday afternoon. We went to work landing troops that evening and put on shore all we could, 345, when all our boats became swamped in the surf. Our flat boat was stove, and also one of the boats from the steamer Pawnee. We therefore found it impracticable to land more troops. The landing was being covered by the guns of the Monticello and the Harriet Lane. I was on board the Harriet Lane directing the landing of the troops by means of signals, and was about landing with them, when the boats were stove. We were prevented from further attempts at landing by the rising of the wind and sea. In the meantime the fleet had opened its fire upon the nearest fort, which was finally silenced and its flag struck. No firing was opened upon our troops from the other fort, and its flag was also struck. Supposing this to be a signal for surrender, Colonel Weber, who was in command on shore, advanced his troops up the beach. By my direction the Harriet Lane was trying to cross the bar so as to get in the smooth water of the inlet, when the other fort opened fire upon the Monticello, which had proceeded in advance of us. Early the next morning the Harriet Lane ran in shore for the purpose of covering any attack upon the troops. At the same time a large steamer was observed coming down the sound. She was loaded with reinforcements of the enemy, but she was prevented from landing. At eight o'clock the fleet opened fire on the forts again, the flag-ship being anchored as near as the depth of water allowed and the other ships coming gallantly into action. Meanwhile I went with the Fanny over the bar into the inlet. As the Fanny rounded in over the bar, the rebel steamer Winslow went up the channel having on board a large number of rebel troops, which
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