19 September 1861: Confederate Deserter Coming into the Federal Lines at Munson’s Hill

Item description: page 411, with two Illustrations, from The Illustrated London News, October 19, 1861:

  • “Fort Ocracoke, on Beacon Island, North Carolina, Destroyed by Fire on the 17th ult., by the Federalists.”
  • “A Confederate Deserter Coming into the Federal Lines at Munson’s Hill—from a sketch by our artist.”

Note to readers: This post concerns the story on the Confederate deserter, but the entire page is included here to maintain the integrity of the original item. The bombardment of Fort Ocracoke occurred two days prior. See earlier post for 17 September 1861 for illustrated article in the New York Illustrated News about the bombardment of Fort Ocracoke.

Accompanying articles for the above illustrations from The Illustrated London News (page 412):

ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE WAR IN AMERICA
DESTRUCTION OF FORT OCRACOKE, ON BEACON ISLAND, NORTH CAROLINA.
On the 16th ult. an expedition left Fortress Monroe to take and destroy the fort on Beacon Island, near the entrance to the Sound. It was under the command of Lieutenant Eastman, of the Pawnee, and consisted of sixty-five men from the Coast Guard, and a detachment of sailors and marines from the Pawnee, in the ship’s launch. The Coast Guard were on board the Fanny, which towed the launch down. The landing was safely effected. The fort was found deserted. The remainder of the day and the next day were occupied in destroying the pieces of ordnance found in the fort, of which twenty-two were rendered unserviceable. The torch was then applied to the bombproofs and magazines, and also to the lighthouse on the island. The conflagration raged furiously all night, the light being plainly visible thirty miles distant. After having completed the destruction of the fort, the expedition returned to Fort Monroe without the loss of a man.

CONFEDERATE DESERTER COMING INTO THE FEDERAL LINES AT MUNSON’S HILL.
Our Special Artist in the Federal camp writes as follows respecting the second Engraving:—On the 19th inst., while I was out at the extreme advanced picket in front of the Confederate position at Munson’s Hill, I was much startled by a sudden popping all along the enemy’s line, the bullets pinging over our heads in every direction. Raising myself cautiously I saw a Confederate soldier bounding through the tall Indian corn, and making for our lines, while two hundred yards behind him his former comrades were doing their best to stop his career. He ran the gauntlet without a single shot taking effect, and turned out to belong to the 13th Virginian Regiment. He told us that Jefferson Davis and Beauregard were on the hill reconnoitring, and that there were 180,000 Confederates between that post and Fairfax.

Item citation: North Carolina County Photographic Collection, Flat Box 01, Folder P0001/0196; North Carolina Collection, Wilson Special Collections Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

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