664

THE BURNSIDE EXPEDITION.

momentary danger of goingunder. Toward night the windarose, and within a short timeit increased to a terrible gale,and we experienced more dis-comfort and dread, if possible,than on the preceding night.At times, it seemed as if thewaves, which appeared to usmountain high, would ingulfus, but then the little vesselwould ride them and staggerforward in her course.

During the day before (the12th), the fog had hidden thefleet, but at about midnightwe discovered a large steamerupon our port bow. "We fireda shot astern of her, whichshe answered by approachingus. It was the Eastern Queen;but we dared not go near her,for fear of being crushed. Sheseemed to us enormous, andwe were all delighted whenshe answered the signal to layby us until daylight, but tokeep off. In the morning more vessels were found to be in sight, and justbefore noon of the 13th we hove to, off Hatteras Inlet. Soon after, a tug-boatcame out from the inlet, which, it will be remembered, had been occupied byGeneral Butler and Commodore Stringham. [See map, p. 634.] The littleboat undertook to do the duty of piloting the fleet over the bar. The Picketled the way, and bravely fought the breakers until she was safely anchoredinside the harbor. Vessel after vessel followed us in, until we were readyto wish that the fleet were not so large. At one time it seemed as if ourlittle boat would be crushed between two of the larger vessels which haddragged their anchors and were coming down upon her. Fortunately, thecommanders of the vessels succeeded in checking them just as they camein contact with us. Most of the fleet arrived inside the bar during theafternoon.

The propeller City of New York , which was laden with supplies and ord-nance stores, grounded on the bar, and proved a total loss. Her officersand crew clung to the rigging until the next day, when they were rescued bysurf-boats sent to their assistance. One of the troop-vessels also groundedon the bar, after nightfall, and it seemed for a time as if she and her preciouscargo would be lost. Some gallant volunteers went to her relief with a tug-

REAR-ADMIRAL GOLDSBOROUGH. PROM A PHOTOGRAPH.