THE BURNSIDE EXPEDITION.

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boat, which succeeded in getting her off the bar and into the harbor. The waterand coal vessels did not approach the inlet, but went to sea as a matter of safety.Such of the vessels as were of too heavy draught to pass over the bar anchoredunder the protection of the cape. From one of these vessels, two officers, Col-onel Joseph W. Allen and Surgeon Frederick A. Weller, of the 9th New Jersey ,started in a surf-boat to report to me. They succeeded in reaching my headquar-ters, but on their return the boat was swamped by the breakers on the bar, andthey were lost. % The crew, who were more skilled in such service, clung to theboat and were rescued. Strange to say, these were the only two of our force lostduring the entire voyage and entrance into the inlet, notwithstanding thegloomy prognostications touching the seaworthiness of the vessels of the fleet.Besides the propeller, we lost the ship Pocahontas , with over a hundred horseson board. The gun-boat Zouave was sunk in the inlet after she crossed the bar,and proved a total loss, but no lives were lost. From the 14th until the 26thwe had terrific weather, and it required the utmost care on the part of thecommanders of the vessels to prevent a general disaster. Many of the vesselswere driven from their anchors and grounded on the swash and the bar. Manycollisions occurred, which caused great damage to the fleet. At times itseemed as if nothing could prevent general disaster. As I before said, thewater and most of the coal vessels were driven to sea by the stress of theweather, and the entire fleet was for many days on short rations of water.Much suffering resulted from this, and at one time a flag of distress washoisted on many of the vessels in consequence of the want of water. On oneof these dreary days I for a time gave up all hope, and walked to the bow ofthe vessel that I might be alone. Soon after, a small black cloud appeared inthe angry gray sky, just above the horizon, and very soon spread so as to coverthe entire canopy, and in a few moments a most copious fall of rain came toour relief. Signals were given to spread sails to catch the water, and in ashort time an abundance was secured for the entire fleet. I was at oncecheered up, but was very much ashamed of the distrust which I had allowedto get the mastery of me.

From time to time we made efforts to cross the fleet from the inlet intoPamlico Sound , over what was called the swash, which separated it from theinlet. We had been led to believe that there were eight feet of water uponthe swash, but when we arrived we discovered to our sorrow that there werebut six feet; and as most of our vessels, as well as the vessels of the naval

& The loss of these officers occasioned profoundgloom throughout New Jersey , and especially atTrenton , where the colonel was widely known andesteemed. Colonel Joseph W. Allen was horn inBristol, Pa. , in 1811. He had been for manyyears a citizen of New Jersey , residing at Borden-town. Educated as a civil engineer, he had exe-cuted with signal ability many important works,including numerous railroad enterprises. He hadbeen prominently identified with political affairs,and for six years had represented his county inthe State Senate . Prom the firing upon PortSumter he gave all his thoughts and his time to thecause of the Union, at first in the position of

Deputy Quartermaster-General, where his energieswere devoted to the forwarding of troops. Whenasked if he could look at his family and still say,‘‘ Country first,” he replied : “ In these times everyman must say, ‘ Country first,’ and that for thesake of his family.” An evidence of the attachmentand respect of his comrades is furnished in themonument erected to his memory by the officersof his regiment two years after his death. Sur-geon W eller was bom at Paterson in 1817, and wasa gentleman of greatintelligence and private worth,and his death was widely mourned.— Condensedfrom “New Jersey and the Rebellion,” by JohnY. Foster.