t of Hatteras.

Some twenty miles below Cape Hatteras light occurs the first great
opening in the stretch of sand that extends south from Cape Henry.
Once he has passed through this opening; the mariner finds himself in
the most peaceful waters. The great surges of the Atlantic spend
themselves on the sandy fringe outside, while within are the quiet
waters of Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds, dotted with fertile islands,
and bordering a coast rich in harbors. The wary blockade-runner,
eluding the watchfulness of the United States blockaders cruising
outside, had but to pass the portals of Hatteras Inlet, to unload at
his leisure his precious cargo, and load up with the cotton which grew
in great abundance on the islands and fertile shores of the sound.

Recognizing the importance of this harbor, the Confederates had early
in the war fortified the point north of Hatteras Inlet. Shortly after
the fall of Fort Sumter, a Yankee skipper, Daniel Campbell,
incautiously running his schooner the "Lydia Francis" too near the
stormy cape, was wrecked, and sought shelter among the people at the
inlet. When, some days after, he proposed to leave, he was astounded
to find that he had been delivered from the sea only to fall a prey to
the fortunes of war. He was kept a prisoner for three months; and on
his release, going directly to Fortress Monroe, he proved that he had
kept his eyes open to some purpose. He reported to flag-officer
Stringham that the Confederates had two batteries,--one of ten, the
other of five guns,--known as Fort Hatteras and Fort Clark. With these
two forts the Confederates claimed that they could control the
entrance to Albemarle Sound.

[Illustration: The Fleet off Hatteras.]

As soon as this information was received, an expedition for the
destruction of these forts was organized. It was necessarily chiefly
naval, although a land force under Gen. Butler went with the fleet. On
Aug. 25, 1861, Hampton Roads presented a scene of the greatest
activity. The fleet seemed to have awakened from a long sleep. Every
vessel was being hastily prepared for sailing. Two transports, the
"George Peabody" and the "Adelaide," were crowded with the soldiers of
Gen. Butler's command. From the mainmast of the flagship "Minnesota"
waved the signal-flags, changing constantly as different orders were
sent to the commanders of the other warships. At two o'clock three
balls of bunting were run up to the truck, and catching the breeze