The expedition left Fortress Monroe on Monday, the 26th, at one o’clock, P. M., and the last vessel had arrived at Hatteras Inlet by four o’clock on Tuesday afternoon. Preparations for landing troops were made the same evening, and at daylight the next morning dispositions were made for an attack upon the forts by the fleet, and the landing of the troops. CAPTURE OF FORTS HATTERAS AND CLARK. At four o’clock on Wednesday morning, all hands were called, and by five, the whole fleet was in a state of the greatest activity with preparations for the conflict. The Monticello, the Pawnee, and the Harriet Lane were sent to cover and assist generally in landing the troops, and they took up a position about two miles and a half north of the forts. The Cumberland was taken in tow by the Wabash. The iron and flat boats were meanwhile filling with troops from the steamers, and one hundred marines who had been taken from the war vessels to increase the land forces. The Wabash went up to the battery first, drawing the Cumberland after her. The Minnesota followed, and as they drew near the point, the two batteries and the barracks of the rebels were plainly visible. In the sound, beyond the narrow neck of land, several vessels—three steamers, some schooners under sail, and a brig laying at anchor under the guns of the forts—were clearly seen. Colonel Max Weber, of the Twentieth New York, was appointed to command the land expedition, and about ten o’clock the boats left the transports with the first detachments of the storming forces. They consisted of forty-five men of the New York Twentieth, Captain Larner and Lieutenant Loder; forty-five marines from the Minnesota; sixty-eight men, New York Ninth regiment, Captain Jardine; one hundred and two men of Twentieth New York; twenty-eight men Union Coast Guard, Captain Nixon; and twenty marines, making a total of three hundred and eighteen men. A heavy surf was breaking on the beach at the time, and the landing was dangerous. The landing was handsomely covered by the Monticello and Harriet Lane. Compelled to wade through the water to the shore from the boats, the men were wet by the surf, and were obliged to march with their ammunition in no better condition than themselves. The challenge from the Wabash, at a few minutes before ten o’clock, was soon responded to from Fort Clark, the smaller of the two, and for several hours the firing was maintained on both sides with great spirit. The shot from the forts fell short of the vessels, two or three only striking the Monticello, but without doing any damage. After getting the range of the forts from the various vessels of the fleet, the shells that were hurled into the enemy’s strongholds were directed with great precision, and almost uniformly reached the points at which they were aimed.