COMPILED BY Ellen F. Cloud

On March 20th, 1861, the same day that North Carolina seceded from the Union, the

Washington Garys along with a procession of steamers and schooners were sent to

Beacon Island bringing building materials, arms, and supplies. The troops immediately

began construction of the fort and despite the hardships involved, had the fort almost

completed when Brigadier General Gwynn visited the site 10 days later. The General

Reported to Governor Ellis that the fort had five gins mounted and twelve more to be

mounted within the next few days.

The following Troops were mustered into the State Service at Fort Ocracoke on July 13,

1861.

The TAR RIVER BOYS formed in Pitt County and enlisted in Greenville on April

26, 1861.

The HERTFORD LIGHT INFANTRY, composed of Hertford County men and

enlisted in Hertford County on May 22, 1861.

Mustered into service at Beacon Island on June 20, 1861 were the MORRISON GUARDS

Washington County and enlisted at Plymouth on May 3, 1861.

The CONFEDERATE GUARDS, FROM Washington Co. enlisted at Washington, NC on

May 22, 1861, were sent to Fort Ocracoke in August of 1861.

When the bombardment of the Forts at Hatteras began, most of these troops were sent to

Hatteras to help protect the forts, and were captured at the fall of Fort Hatteras on Aug.

29, 1861. Those that remained at Fort Ocracoke abandoned the fort upon learning that

Fort Hatteras had been captured. The fort had not received all requested supplies and the

skeleton of troops left at the fort was not sufficient to secure the fort from the enemy.

Only two weeks earlier on August 11th 1861, Sergeant William Eberstain, Ordinance

Officer, at the fort was requesting Capt. Sparrow, Commandeer the troops at Ft.

Ocracoke to order supplies to get the fort ready when he wrote "According to orders from

Brig. General, I am notifying you of the different articles needed at Fort Ocracoke: 8

galls lacker to black the guns, 3 kegs white lead to paint gun carriages. 1 keg black lead

to paint gun carriages, 8 gal linseed boiled oil, 2 gal spirits turpentine, 4 large paint

brushes, 2 small paint brushes, 2 8 in scrapers for columheads, 2 scrapers for 32

pounders, 1 good spy glass for use at Fort. 3 sets langent lights for 8 in hawitzer, 10 sets

Langent Lights for 32 pounders, 2 sets lights for 8 in Columbiads, 1 #2 weight 924.0 lbs.

1 #1 weight 924.0 lbs. 1 bbl of common oil, 4 elevating screws for carriages, 1 large

monkey wrench, 2 sledge hammers, 1 doz. handspikes, 1 doz. Steel burning wires, also

fuse for shells, 10,000 lbs. Powder, 600 22lb shot, 100 2 inch balls,

An excellent and the only description of the fort found is related in the following report

made by Lieutenant Maxwell of the Union Steamer PAWNEE. And found in the

REBELLION RECORDS 1860-61.

UNITED STATES STEAMER PAWNEE

HATTERAS INLET, SEPT. 18th

Sir: I have to report that, in compliance with your orders of the 16th, I started for

Ocracoke on that day, in the Fanny, towing the Pawnee’s launch. Lieutenant Eastman

had charge of the latter, with twenty-two men and six marines from the ship, and twenty-

pound howitzer, and I had on board six men and sixty-one soldiers of the Naval Brigade,

under Lieutenants Tillotson and Roe. We arrived within two miles of the fort on Beacon

Island at 11 o’clock A.M. when the Fanny grounded. I sent Lieutenant Eastman in the

launch to sound for the channel. While he was so occupied, a sailboat with two men put

off from Portsmouth to cross the sound. A shot from the Fanny brought them along side,

and they piloted us to within an hundred yards of the fort. It is called Fort Ocracoke, and

is situated on the seaward of Beacon Island. It was entirely deserted. It is octagonal in

shape, contains four shell rooms, about twenty five feet square, and in the center a large

Bomb-proof, one hundred feet square, with the magazine within it. Directly above the

magazine, on each side, were four large tanks containing water.

The fort had been constructed with great care, of sand in barrels covered with

earth and turf. The inner framing of the bomb-proof was built of heavy pine timbers.

There were platforms for twenty guns, which had been partly destroyed by fire. The gun

carriages had been all burned. There were eighteen guns in the fort—namely, four eight

inch navy sell guns, and fourteen long thirty-two pounders. The steamer ALBEMARLE

LEFT ON Sunday afternoon, carrying off two guns. I found one hundred and fifty barrels

Also, many of them filled with water. There being no water in the fort, they had brought

it from Washington and Newberry (New Bern).

I landed the men at half-past one o’clock, and commenced breaking off the

trunnions of the guns. While a portion of our men and the Naval Brigade were so

employed, I sent Lieutenant Eastman in the launch to Portsmouth, where he found three

eight-inch navy shell guns lying on the beach and one mounted on a carriage. They had

all been spiked. There was no battery erected there, although we were informed that one

would have been built but for our coming. There had been a camp at Portsmouth called

Camp Washington, but a portion of the troops were sent to Fort Hatteras when it was

attacked on August 28, and the remainding retired to the mainland. Portsmouth, which

formerly contained four hundred and fifty inhabitants, was nearly deserted, but the people

are expected to return. Those remaining seem to be Union men, and expressed

satisfaction at our coming. Lieutenant Eastman assured them that they would not be

molested by the government and that they might return to their usual occupations.

There are no entrenchments nor guns at Ocracoke. The fishermen and pilots, who

fled after our attack, have generally returned. I tried to destroy the guns by breaking the

trunnions off with sledge and by dropping solid shot upon them from an elevation, but

with little success. I then tried solid shot from a sixty-four-pounder at then and in this

mannor disabled them. Lieutenant Eastman disabled the guns at Portsmouth by knocking

off the cascables, and leaving them in the salt water on the beach.

After destroying the guns, I collected all the lumber, barrels and wheelbarrows,

and placed them in and about the bomb-proof, set fire to the pile and entirely destroyed it.

A lightship which had been used as a store ship, and which was run upon the shore some

distance from the fort, with the intention of subsequently towing her off and arming, I set

fire to.

At half-past six o’clock this morning I started on our return. We met with no

detention, and arrived sagely with all hands at half-past 11 o’clock. I am happy to report

that the conduct of our men and the naval Brigade was excellent. Lieutenant Eastman and

Lieutenant Tillotson and Lieutenant Roe of the Naval Brigade, rendered me most

efficient assistance.

I am, respectfully, your obedient servant,

JAMES Y. MAXWELL

Lieutenant United States navy

This an excellent description of this fort. But it is necessary to make note of the

other forts that were on Beacon Island. There have been four forts erected on the island,

and it is this author’s belief that each new fort was erected in the same site as the one

prior to it.

The Surface Divers found a wall of rock or ballast stone, large pieces of granite

and other features that are not described in the above description of Fort Ocracoke.

In a letter written at Beacon Island by Thomas H. Blount to John Gray Blount

dated Oct. 31st, 1814 he states, "We are progressing in our work and think even at this

time, a pretty formidable defense could be made, we have on the island 300 men, 200

will be here tomorrow--ammunition abundant-. The walls in front are nearly high enough,

they will now cover a man to his chin, & we daily add to their height." This may be the

wall the divers found.

To learn more about this and other forts on Beacon Island see PORTSMOUTH,

THE WAY IT WAS, by ELLEN F. CLOUD available at the museum gift shop.