The Sun.
London, England, 1865-03-18 00:00:00

(REUTER'S EXPRESS.)

IMPORTANT FROM NORTH CAROLINA
(Per the China.)

NEWBERN, March 1.
Intelligence from the North Carolina papers in-
dicate that both sections are concentrating their
forces in her borders for the final struggle. A
Raleigh paper says that the people of that city will
hear the guns of the great and last battle of the
American Rebellion, and that the traditionary
grounds of the Old North State will be the common
graveyard of State rights and State levies, without
which no attempt at secession could have been made.
The existence of State lines will always be a suffi-
cient pretext to prompt the local interest of one sec-
tion to revolt against the Government, if the other
sections refuse to sacrifice their local interest.
All history demonstrating the fact, personal interest
is paramount love of country and even life itself.
Hence to make us one f orally, one people, and to
obliterate these local dangers, we must abolish state
lines which will give us a central head, the magnet
to which all local interest will be attracted, a
Republican Government which will be the embodi-
ment of free institutions, a country in which the
people cannot run riot, and plunge into extremes
under the cloak of democracy.
The Raleigh Progress says that the Federals are
concentrating a force of 40,000 at Newbern, which
will soon be ready to strike General Lee's army in
conjunction with Sherman's forces.

SAN FRANCISCO, March 7.
The United States steamer Shubric, Captain
Scamnron, sailed to-day with Colonel Buickley and
party of the Collins' Overind Russian Telegraph
Company, bound for Silka, Russian America.
The Shubric touches at Victoria, Vancouver's
Island, to land a working party to commence build-
ing at Fraser River.

Mr. Gamble, Superintendent of the California
State Telegraph Company, went on the Shubric,
and lands at Victoria, to finish a small gap in the
line between Bellingham Bay and New Westmin-
ster, British Columbia, on Fraser River.

The telegraph line will be working in two or
three weeks between San Francisco and British
Columbia.

CANADA.

QUEBEC, March 7.
In the House of Assembly on the 4th inst., the
Hon. Mr. Darion presented seven additional peti-
tions against the proposed union of the Provinces.
There is a rumour very prevalent, which seems to be
well founded, that Mr. Galt, the Finance Minister,
is about to impose additional duties, in order to
provide for the deficiency in the revenue.

Capture of Fort Fisher,

GENERAL TERRY'S OFFICIAL REPORT.
Headquarters United States Forces on
Federal Point, N.C., Jan. 25, 1865.
General,—l have the honour to submit the fol-
Lowing detailed report of the operations which re-
sulted in the capture of Fort Fisher and the occupa-
tion of Fort Caswell, and the other works at the
mouth of the Cape Fear River :
On the 2d inst. I received from the Lieut.-General
in person orders to take command of the troops
destined for the movement. They were 3,300 picked
men from the Second Division of the Twenty-fourth
Army Corps, under Brigadier-General (now Brevet
Major-General) Adelbert Ames, the same number
from the Third Division of the Twenty-fifth Army
Corps, under command of Brig.-General Charles J.
Paine, 1,400 men from the Second Brigade of the
First Division of the Twenty-fourth Army Corps,
under Col. (now Brevet Brig.-Gen.) J. C. Abbott,
Seventh New Hampshire Volunteers, the Sixteenth
New York independent battery with 4 3-inch guns,
and light battery E., Third United States Artillery,
with six light 12-pounder guns. I was instructed
.to move them from their positions in the lines on
the north side of the James River to Bermuda
Landing, in time to commence their embarkation
on transport vessels at sunrise on the 4th inst.
In obedience to these orders, the movement com-
menced at noon of the 3d inst. The troops arrived
at the landing at sunset, and there bivouacked for
the night.
The transports did not arrive as soon as they
were expected. The first of them made its appear-
ance late in the afternoon of the fourth. One of
them, the Atlantic, was of too heavy craft to come
up the James ; Curtis' Brigade, of Ames' division,
was therefore placed on river steamboats, and sent
down the river to be transferred to her. •
The embarkation of the remainder of the force
commenced at sunset of the 4th, and was completed
at noon of the sth inst. ; each vessel, as soon as it
was loaded, was sent to Fort Monroe, and at nine
o'clock p.m. of the sth the whole fleet way collected
in Hampton Roads. The troops were all n heavy
marching order, with four days' rations trom the
morning of the 4th in their haversacks, and 40
rounds of ammunition in their boxes. No horses,
waggons, or ambulances were taken. The caissons
of the artillery were left behind ; but addition to
the ammunition in the
limber chests, 150 rounds
per gun in packing-boxes were embarked.
I went down the river personally with the Lieu-
tenant-General, and on the way received from him
additional instructions, and the information that
orders had been given for the embarkation of a siege
train, to consist of 20 30-pounder Parrott guns,
four 100-pounder Parrotts, and 20 Coehorn mortars,
with a detail of artillerists and a company of engi-
neers, so that in case siege
operations should become
necessary, the men and material for it might be at ,
hand.

These troops, under the command of Brevet-
Brigadier-General H. L. Abbott, were to follow me
to Beaufort, N.C., and await orders. It was not
until this time that I was informed Fort Fisher was
the point against which
we were to operate.
During the evening of the sth orders were given
for the transports to proceed to sea at four o'clock
the next morning, and accompanying these orders
sealed letters, to be opened when off Cape Henry,
directing them to rendezvous, in case of separation
from the flagship, at a point 25 miles off Beaufort,
North Carolina.
The vessels sailed at the appointed hour. During
the 6th inst. a severe storm arose which so much
impeded our progress that it was not until the
morning of the Bth that my own vessel arrived at
the rendezvous ; all the others excepting the flagship
of General Paine, were still behind. Leaving
Brigadier-General Paine to assemble the other ves-
sels as they should arrive, I went into Beaufort
Harbour to communicate with Rear-Admiral Porter,
commanding the North Atlantic blockading
squadron, with whose fleet the forces under my
command were destined to-operate.
During the Bth nearly all of the vessels arrived at
the rendezvous ; some of them required repairs to
their hulls, damaged by the gale, some repairs to
their machinery, others needed coal or water. These
vessels were brought into the harbour or to the outer
anchorage, where their wants were supplied ; all the
vseailimnilg of the expe-
e-s off the land.
vourable as to afford
The othershtieoweather
i twenty
nnuttoei ldt thewseo n fltuyiafial
no prospect that we would be able to make a landing
on the open beach of Federal Point until Wednes-
day, the 11th. On that day Admiral Porter proposed
o start, but at high water there was still so much
surf on the bar that the ironclads and other vessels
of heavy draught could not be gotten over it ; our
departure was, therefore, delayed till the next day.
On the morning tide of the 12th the vessels in
the harbour passed out, and the whole fleet of naval
vessels and transports got under weigh for this place.
As we were leaving, the vessels containing General
Abbott's command, came in sight ; orders were sent
to them to follow us.
We did not arrive off Federal point until nearly
night-fall, consequently, and in accordance with the
decision of the Admiral, the disembarkation of the
troops was not commenced until the next morning.
Our subsequent experience fully justified the delay ;
it would have been extremely difficult to land the
men at night.
At 4 o'clock a.m. of the 13th, the inshore division

of naval vessels stood in close to the beach to cover
the landing. The transports followed them and
took positions as nearly as possible in a line parallel
to and about two hundred yards outside of them.
The iron-clads moved down to within range of the
fort and opened fire upon it. Another division was
placed on the northward of the landing place, so as
to protect our men from any attack from the direc-
tion of Masonoro Inlet. At 8 o'clock nearly 200
boats, besides steam-tugs, were sent from the navy
to the transports, and the disembarcation of men,
provisions, tools, and amunition simultaneously
commenced.
At 3 o'clock p.m. nearly 8,000 men, with three
days' rations in their haversacks and forty rounds of
ammunition in their boxes, six days' supply of hard
bread in milk, 300,000 additional rounds of small-
arm ammunition, and sufficient number of intrench-
ing tools, had been safely lauded. The surf on the
beach was still quite high, notwithstanding that the
weather had become very pleasant, and owing to it
some of the men had their rations and ammunition
ruined by water. With this exception no accident
of any kind occurred.
As soon as the troops had commenced landing
pickets were thrown out ; they immediately encoun-
tered outposts of the enemy, and shots were ex-
changed with them, but no serious engagement oc-
curred. A few prisoners were taken, from whom I
learned that Hoke's rebel division, which it was
supposed had been sent further South, was still here,
and that it was his outposts which we were meeting.
The first object which I had in view after landing
was to throw a defensive line across the peninsula
from Cape Fear River to the sea, facing Wilming-
ton, so as to protect our rear from attack while we
should be engaged in operating against Fisher. Our
maps indicated that a good position for such a line
would be found a short distance above the head of
Myrtle Sound, which is a long shallow piece of
water separated from the ocean by a sand spit of
about 100 yards in width, and communicated with
it by Masonboro Inlet.
It was supposed that the right flank of a line at
that point would be protected by the Sound, and
being above its head, that we should by it control the
beach as far up as the inlet, and thus in case of need,
be able to land supplies in quiet water there. Our
landing place was selected with reference to this idea.
An examination after we landed showed that the
Sound, for a long distance above its head, was so
shallow as to offer no obstacle to the passage of
troops at low tide, and as the further down the
peninsula we should go, the shorter would be our
line across it, it was determined to take up a
position where the maps showed a large pond
occupying nearly one-third of the width
of the peninsula, at about three miles from the fort.
Shortly before 5 o'clock, leaving Abbott's brigade to
cover our stores, the troops were put in motion for
the last-named point. On arriving at it, the " pond"
was found to be a sand-flat, sometimes covered with
water, giving no assistance to the defence of a line
established behind it. Nevertheless, it was deter-
mined to get a line across at this place, and Paine's
division, followed by two of Ames's brigades, made
their way through. The night was very dark ; much
of the ground was a marsh, and ill adapted to the
construction of works, and the distance was found
to be too great to be properly defended by the troops
which could be spared from the direct attack upon
the fort. It was not until 9 o'clock p.m. that Paine
succeeded in reaching the river.
The ground still nearer the fort was then recon-
noitered, and found to be much better adapted to
our purposes ; accordingly, the troops were with-
drawn from their last position and established on a
line about two miles from the work. They reached
this final position about 2 a.m. on the 14th inst.
Tools were immediately brought up and intrench-
ments were commenced. At 8 o'clock a good breast-
work, reaching from the river to the sea, and par-
tially covered by abatis, had been constructed and
was in a defensible condition. It was much im-
proved afterwards, but from this time our foothold
on the peninsula was secured.
Early on the morning of the 14th, the landing of
the artillery was commenced, and by sunset all the
light guns were got on shore. During the follow-
ing night they were placed on the line, most of them
near the river, where the enemy, in case he should
attack us, would be least exposed to the fire of the
gunboats.
Curtis's brigade of Ames's division was moved
down toward Fisher during the morning, and at
noon his skirmishers, after capturing on their way
a small steamer which had come down the river
with shells and forage for the garrison of the fort,
reached a small•unfinished outwork in front of the
west end of the land front of the work.
Gen. Curtis, Lieut. Col. (now Brevet Brigadier
General) Comstock, the chief engineer of the expe-
dition, and myself, under the protection of the fire
of the fleet, made a careful reconnaissance of the
work, getting within 600 yards of it. The report
of Gen. Comstock, which, with its accompanying
map, is appended hereto, gives a full description of
it and its condition at that time.
As the result of this reconnaissance, and in view
of the extreme difficulty which might be expected
in landing supplies and the material for a siege on
the open and often tempestuous beach, it was de-
cided to attempt an assault the next day, provided
that in the meantime the fire of the navy should so
far destroy the palisades as to make one practicable.
This decision was communicated to Admiral
Porter, who at once placed a division of his vessels
in a position to accomplish this last-named object.
It was arranged, in consultation with him, that a
heavy bombardment from all the vessels should
commence early in the morning, and continue up to
the moment of the assault, and that even then it
should not cease, but should be diverted from the
points of attack to other parts of the work.
It was decided that an assault should be made at 3 o'clock
p.m., that the army should attack on the western half of the
land face, and that a column of sailors and marines should
assault at the north-east bastion.
The fire of the navy continued during the night. At 8
o'clock a.m. of the 15th all of the vessels, except a division
left to aid in the defence of our northern line, moved into
position, and a fire, magnificent alike for its power and ac-
curacy, was opened.
Ames' division had been selected for the assault. Paine
was placed in command of the defensive line, having With
him Abbot's brigade, in addition to his own division. Ames'
First Brigade—Curtis'—was already at the outwork above
mentioned, and in trenches close around it ; his other two
brigades, Pennypacker's and Bell's, were moved at noon
within supporting distance of him. At 2 o'clock prepara-
tions for the assault were commenced. Sixty sharpshooters
from the Thirteenth Indiana Volunteers, armed with the
Spencer repeating carbine, and 40 others, volunteers from
Curtis' brigade, the whole under command of Lieut.-Col.
Lent, of the Thirteenth Indiana, were thrown forward at a
run to within 175 yards of the work. They were provided
with shovels, and soon dug pits for shelter, and commenced
firing at the parapet.
As soon as this movement commenced the parapet of the
fort was manned,and the enemy's fire, both of musketry and
artillery, opened.
As soon, as the sharpshooters were in position, Curtis'
brigade was moved forward by regiment at the double quick
into line about 475 yards from the work. The men there
laid down. This was accomplished under a sharp fire of
musketry and artillery, from which, however, they soon
sheltered them by digging shallow trenches.
When Curtis moved from the outwork, Pennypacker
was brought.up to it, and Bell was brought into line 200
yards in his rear. Finding that a good cover from Curtis's
men could be found in the reverse slope of a crest 50 yards
in the rear of the sharpshooters, they were again moved
forward, one regiment at a time, and again covered them-
selves in the trenches. Pennypacker followed Curtis and
occupied the ground vacated by him, and Bell was brought
up to the outwork.
It had been proposed to blow up and cut down the pali-
sades. Bags of powder, with fuses attached, had been pre-
pared, and a party of axemen organised, but the fire of the
navy had been so effective during the preceding night and
morning, that it was thought unnecessary to use the
powder. The axmen, however, were sent in with the lead-
ing brigade, and did good service by making openings in
portions of the palisading which the fire of the navy had
not been able to reach.
At 2.25 p.m. all the preparations were completed, the
order to move forward was given to Ames, and a concerted
signal was made to Admiral Porter to change the direction
of his fire.
Curtis's brigade at once sprung from their trenches and
dashed forward in line—its left was exposed to a severe
enfilading fire, and it obliqued to the right so as to envelop
the left of the land front—the ground over which it moved
was marshy and difficult, but it soon reached the palisades,
passed through them, and effected a lodgment on the para-
pet.. At the same time the column of sailors and marines,
under Fleet Capt. K. It. Breee advanced up the breach in
the most gallant manner attacked the north-east has-

iances."

tion, but, exposed to a murderous fire, they were unable
to get up the parapet. After a severe struggle and a
heavy loss of valuable officers and men, it became apparent
that nothing could be effected at that point, and they were
withdrawn. When Curtis moved forward, Ames directed
Pennypacker to move up to the rear of the sharpshooters,
and brought Bell up to Pennypacker's last position, and as
soon as Curtis got a foothold on the parapet sent Penny-
packer in to his support. He advanced, overlapping Curtis'
right, and drove the enemy from the heavy palisading,
which extended from the west end of the land face to the
river, capturing a considerable number of their prisoners ;
then pushing forward to their left, the two brigades toge-
ther drove the enemy from about one-quarter of the land-
face. Ames then brought up Bell's brigade, and moved it
between the work and the river. On this side there was no
regular parapet, but there was abundance of cover afforded
to the enemy by cavities from which sand had b3en taken
for the parapet, the ruins of barracks and storehouses, the
large magazino, and by traverse; behind which they stub-
bornly resisted our advance. Hand to hand fighting of
the most desperate character ensued, the huge traverses
of the laud face being used successively by the enemy as
breastworks, over the tops of which the contending-parties
fired in each other' es. Nine of these were carried one
after the other by our men.
When Bell's brigade was ordered into action, I foresaw
that more troops would probably be needed, and sent an
order for Abbott's brigade to move down from the north
line, at the same time requesting Capt. Breese to replace
them u ith his sailors and marines. I also directed Gen-
Paine to send me one of the strongest regiments of his own
division ; these troops arrived at dusk and reported to
Gen. Ames. At 6 o'clock Abbott's brigade went into the
fort ; the regiment from Paine's division—the 27th United
States coloured troops, Brevet Brig.-Gen. Blackman, com-
manding—was brought up to the rear of the work, where
it remained under fire for some time, and was then with-
drawn. Until 6 o'clock the fire of the navy continued upon
that portion of the work not occupied by us ; after that
time it was directed on the beach, to prevent the coming
up of reinforcements, which it was thought might possibly
be thrown over from the right bank of the river to Battery
Buchanan. The fighting for the traverses continued till
nearly 9 o'clock, two more of them being carried ; then a
portion of Abbott's brigade drove the enemy from their last
remaining strongholds, and the occupation of the work was
completed.

The same brigade, with Gen. Blackman's regiment, were
immediately pushed down the Point to Battery Buchanan,
whither many of the garrison had fled. On reaching the
battery all of the enemy who had not been previously cap-
tured were made prisoners. Among them were Major-
Gen. Whiting and Col. Lamb, the commandant of the fort.
At about 4 o'clock in the afternoon Hoke advanced
against our line, apparently with the design of attacking
it ; but if such was his intention .he abandoned it after a
skirmish with our pickets.
During the day Brevet Brig.-Gen. H. L. Abbott, Chief of
Artillery, was busily engaged in landing artillery and am-
munition, so that if the assault failed siege operations
might at once be commenced.
Consequent to the fall of Fisher, the enemy during the
night of the 16th and 17th, blew up Fort Caswell and aban-
doned both it and their very extensive works on Smith's
Island, at Smithville and Reeve's Point, thus placing in
our hands all the works erected to defend the mouth of the
Cape Fear River.
In all the works were found 169 pieces of artillery, nearly
all of which are heavy, over 2,000 stand of small arms,
considerable quantities of commissary stores, and full sup-
plies of ammunition. Our prisoners numbered 112 com-
missioned officers and 1,971 enlisted men.
I have no words to do justice to the behaviour of both
officers and men on this occasion; all that men could do,
they did. Better soldiers never fought. Of Gen. Ames I
have already spoken in a letter recommending his promo-
tion. He commanded all the troops engaged, and was
constantly under fire. His great coolness, good judgment,
and skill, were never more conspicuous than on the assault.
Brig. Gen. Curtis and Cols. Pennypacker, Bell, and Abbott
—the brigade commanders—led them with the utmost gal-
lantry. Curtis was wounded, after fighting in the front
rank, rifle in hand ; Pennypacker, while carrying the
standard of one of his regiments, the first man in a charge
over a traverse. Bell was mortally wounded near the pa
lisades.

Brig.-Gen Paine deseries high praise for the zeal and
energy displayed by him in constructing our defensive
line, a work absolutely essential to our success.
Brevet Brig.-Gen. Blackman deserves mention for the
prompt manner he brought his regiment up to the work,
and afterwards followed up the retreating enemy.
To Brevet Brig.-Gen. C. B. Comstock, Aid-de-Camp on
the staff of the Lieutenant-General, I am under the deepest
obligations. At every step of our progress I leceived from
him the most valuable assistance. For the final success of
our part of the operations the country is more indebted to
him than to me.

Col. George S. Dodge, Chief Quartermaster of the Army
of the James, accompanied me as Chief Quartermaster of
the forces under my command. His able and energetic
performance of his multifarious duties was all that could
be wished for, and reflected the highest honour upon
him.

Surgeon Barnes, United States Volunteers, medical di-
rector, and Surgeon Buzzel, 3d New Hampshire Volun-
teers, medical inspector of the expedition, discharged their
laborious duties on the field and in the hospital in a man-
ner most creditable to their ability and humanity. I desire
to express my high appreciation of the services of these
officers.

I shall have the honour to submit a supplemental report
in reference to those subordinate officers and enlisted men
who distinguished themselves on this occasion.

I should signally fail to do my duty were I to omit to
speak in terms of the highest admiration of the part borne
by the navy in our operations. In all ranks, from Admiral
Porter to his seamen, there was the utmost desire not only
to do their proper work, but to facilitate in every possible
manner the operations of the land forces, To him and to
the untiring efforts of his officers and men are we indebted
that our men, stores, tools, and ammunition were safely
and expeditiously landed, and that our wounded and pri-
soners were embarked for transportation to the North ; to
the great accuracy and power of their fire is owing that we
had not to confront a formidable artillery in the assaultv
'and that we were able with but little loss to push forward
the men, preparatory to it, to a point nearly as favourable
for it as the one they would have occupied had siege ope-
rations been undertaken and the work systematically ap-
proached. The assault of the sailors and marines, though
it failed, undoubtedly contributed somewhat to our success,
and certainly nothing could surpass the perfect skill with
which the fleet was handled by its commander. Every re-
quest which I made to Admiral Porter was most cheer-
fully complied with, and the utmost harmony has existed
between us from the outset to the present time.
I forward herewith Gen. Ames' report.—l have, &c.,
ALFRED H. TERRY, Major-General.
Brig.-Gen. Rawlins, Chief of Staff, City Point, Va.

THE TURKISH BATH.

TO THE EDITOR OF TIIE SUN.

76, Jermyn-street, S.W.
Sir,—After my former letter on this subject, the
statistics of which Dr. Kidd does not attempt to
controvert, I have nothing to say as to danger from
the use of the Turkish bath ; but I would beg you to
publish the enclosed hastily collected opinions of
various medical gentlemen, whose names give weight
to the opinions they express.—Your obedient ser-

vant,
March 17, 1865.

JOHN JOHNSON.

THE HAAIMAM.

Dr. MI:LUNGES (Physician to the Sultan).
" The bath is looked upon so much in the light of a
panacea by the lower orders (the Turk), that they never
dream of consulting a physician when taken ill.
"The cheap protector of life."
Dr. BRYCE (Introducer of the Bath at the Hospital of

Kulali).
"Potential as is the Turkish bath in aid of treatment
during the active period, I hold its peculiar value to con-
sist in the curtailment of that period, and consequently in
the shortening of the period of convalescence.
" When I have got the skin to act, I have no fear for
the head."

Sir JOHN Prim (Introducer of the Bath into the Newcastle

Infirmary for the three Northern Counties).
" I have been boiled, or rather roasted again into youth."
"I am every day more and more persuaded by my expe-
rience of the great value of the Turkish bath."
Dr. BARTER.—(lntroducer of the bath into Ireland.)

" The Turkish bath has been for five years in daily use
in my establishment. Nono were ever injured by it.
Thousands will acknowledge the benefit they have re-
ceived, after the failure of all other baths and medical ap-

Dr. GOOLDEN.—(lntroducer of the use of the bath into
St. Thomas's Hospital.)

" This (the Hamm= in Jermyn-street) has opened a
new era, both for man healthy and man diseased."
Dr. ROBERTSON.—(lntroducer of the bath into the Sussex

Lunatic Asylum.) ~

" The_bath realises for me more than any other agent
the requirements of rational medicine, viz., an agent cap-
able of restoring perverted nutrition to a healthy condition;
and so by rendering each function of the body subservient
to its purpose, does it tend to keep up that just balance of
vital action which we term health."

Dr. BRERErox.—(lntroducer of the bath into Australia)
" I wish to correct a great objection, viz., that the bath is
weakening : never was a greater mistake made : the perspi-
ration has drained away no living tissue, but merely effete
and poisonous matter, which was oppressing and not
maintaining life. In exchange for this dead material, you
have oxygen—the quickener of every function, and the life
of the body."

44 It has become a question with me, not what the bath
will cure, but what will it not cure ?"