The Sun.
London, England, 1865-01-12 00:00:00

AKEILICA.

We have received iby the Peruvian the following
official despatches relating to the failure of the
Wilmington expedition :

L" Washington, Thursday, Dec. 29.
" The Secretary of the Navy received this afternoon the
lollowing by special messenger
"'North Atlantic Squadron, United States Flag Ship
Malvern, at sea, off New Inlet, Monday, Dec. 16, 1864.
" Sir,—l was in hopes that I should have been able to
present to the nation Fort Fisher and the surrounding
works as a Christmas offering, but I am sorry to say it has
not been taken yet. I attacked it on the 24th inst., with
the Ironsides Canonicus, Mahopac, Monadnock,Minnesota,
Colorado, Mohican, Tuscarora, Wabash, Susquehanna,
Brooklyn, Powhattan, Juinita, Seneca, Shenandoah, Pa-
tuxent, Ticonderoga, Mackinaw, Maumee, Yantic, Kansas,
lase° Quaker City, Monticello, Rhode Island, Sassacus,
Chippewa, Osceola, Tacony, Pontoosuc, Santiago de Cuba,
Fort Jackson and Vanderbilt, having a reserveof small ves-
eels, consisting of the Aries, Howqua, Wilderness, Chero-
kee, Ap. Vance, Anemone, Eolus, Gettysburg, Alabama,
Keystone State, Banshee, Emma Dillian, Sristram Shandy,
"Britannia, Governors Buckingham and Nansemond. Pre-
vious to making the attack, a torpedo, on a large scale, with
amount of powder on board supposed to be sufficient to
explode the powder magazine of the fort, was prepared with
great care, and placed under the command of Commander
A. C. Rhind, who had associated with him on this perilous
vervice Lieut. S. W. Preston, Second Assistant-Engineer
A. T. Mullen, of the United States steamship Agawam,
and Acting-Master's Math Paul Bayard, and seven men.
Eo much had beensaidand writtenabout the terribleeffects
of gunpowder in an explosion that happened lately in Eng-
land that great results were expected from this novel mode
,of making war. Everything that ingenuity could devise
was adopted to make the experiment a success. The vessel
was brought round from Norfolk with great care and
without accident, in tow of the United States steamer
Eassacus, Lieutenant-Commander J. L. Davis, who
directed his whole attention to the matter in hand ; and,
though he experienced some bad weather, and lost one of his
rudders, he took her safely into Beaufort, where he filled
her up with powder and perfected all the machinery for blow-
_

ing her up. General Butler had arrived at the rendezvous
before us, and I hastened matters all that I could, so that no
unnecessary delay might be laid to my charge. On the 18th
inst. I sailed from Beaufort with all the monitors, the new
ironsides, and the small vessels, including the Louisiana,
disguised as a blockade-runner, fol. the rendezvous, 20 miles
east of New Inlet, North Carolina, and found all the larger
vessels and transports assembled there, the 'wind blowing
light from the north-east. On the 20th a heavy gale set in
from the south-west, and not being able to make a port
without scattering all the vessels,l determined to ride it out,
which I did without accident of any kind except the loss of a
few anchors, the monitors all behaving beautifully. Only two
vessels went to sea in order to avoid the gale, and fared no
better than those at anchor. The transports being short of
water put into Beaufort,North Carolina and were not suitable
for riding out at anchor such heavy weather. After the south-
wester the wind chopped around to the westward and gave
us a beautiful spell of weather, which I could not afford to
lose, and the transports with the troops not making their
appearance, I determined to take advantage of it had attack
Fort Fisher and its outworks. On the 23d I directed Com-
mander Rhind to proceed and explode the vessel right
under the walls of Fort Fisher, Mr. Bradford, of the Coast
Survey, having gone in at night and ascertained that we
could place a vessel of 7ft. draught right on the edge of the
beach. Lieut. R. H. Lamson, commanding the Gettysburg,
volunteered to go in the Wilderness, Acting-Master Henry
Arsy in command, and tow the Louisiana into position. At
10 30 p.m. the powder vessel started towards the bar, and
was towed by the Wilderness until the embrasures of Fort
Fisher were plainly in sight. The Wilderness then cast
off, and the Louisiana proceeded, under steam, until with-
in 200 yards of the beach and 500 from the fort. Com-
mander Rhind anchored her securely there and coolly
went to work to make all his arrangements to
blow her up. This he was enabled to do, owing to a block-
ade-runner going in right ahead of him, the forts making
the blockade runner signals, which they also did to the
Louisiana. The gallant party, after coolly making all their
arrangements for the explosion, left the vessel, the last
thing they did being to set her on fire under the cabin, and
then, taking to their boats, they made their escape off to
the Wilderness, lying closeaby. The Wilderness then put
off shore with good speed, to avoid any ill effects that might
happen from the explosion. At 1 45 on the morning of the
24th the explosion took place. The shock was not so severe
as was expected ; it shook the vessels some, and broke one
or two glasses, but nothing more. At daylight of the 14th
the fleet got under way, and stood in in line of battle. At
11 30 a.m. signal was made to engage the forts, the Iron-
sides leading, and the Monadnock, Canonicus, and Mahe-
pac following. The Ironsides took her position in the most
beautiful and seamanlike manner, and opened a deliberate
fire on the fort, which was firing at her with all its guns,
which did not seem numerous in the north-east face,
though we counted what appeared to be 17 guns. But four
or five of these were fired from that direction, and they
were silenced as soon as the Ironsides opened her terrific
battery. The Minnesota then took her position in handsome
style, and her guns, after getting the range, were fired
with rapidity, while the Mohican, Colorado, and the large
vessels marked on the plan got to their stations, all firing
to cover themselves while anchoring. By the time the last
of the large vessels anchored, and got their batteries into
play, but one or two guns of the enemy were fired, this feu
(Colloe driving them all to the bomb-proofs. The small
gunboats Kansas, LTnadilla, Pequot, Seneca, Pontoosuc,
Yantic, and Huron took position on the northward and
eastward of the monitors, and enfilading the work. The
Shenandoah, the Ticonderoga, the Mackinaw, the Ta-
cony, and the Vanderbilt, took effective positions as
marked on the chart, and added their fire to that already
begun. The Santiago de Cuba, Fort Jackson, Osceola,
Chippewa, Sassacus, Rhode Island, Monticello, Quaker City,
and lasco dropped into position, according to order, and the
battle became general. In 1 hour and 15 minutes after the
fir-t shot was fired not a shot came from the fort. Two ma-
gazines ha I been blown up by our shells, and the fort set on
fire in several places ; and such a torrent of missiles were
falling into and bursting over it that it was impossible for
anything human to stand it. Finding that the batteries were
silenced completely, I directed the ships to keep up a mode-
rate fire, in the hopes of attracting the attention of the trans-
ports and bringing them in. At sunset Gen. Butler came in
in his flagshipwith a few transports, the rest not having
arrived from Beaufort. Being too late to do anything more,
I signalled to the fleet to retire for the night to a safe anchor-
age, which they did without being molested by the enemy.
There were some mistakes made during the day when the
vessels went in to take position. My plan of battle being
based on accurate calculations, and made from infor-
mation to be relied on, was placed in the hands of each
commander, and it seemed impossible to go astray if it was
strictly followed. I required those vessels that had not fol-
lowed it closely to get under way and assume their proper
positions, which was done promptly and without confusion.
The vessels were placed somewhat nearer to the works,
and were able to throw in their shell before falling into the
water. One or two leading vessels having made the mis-
tal7olanchoring too far off, caused those coming after
them to commit a like error, but when they all got into
place and commenced work in earnest, the power of shell
(113 per minute) was irresistible. So quickly were the
enemy's guns silenced that not an officer or man was in-
jured. I regret, however, to have to report severe
casualties by the bursting of six 100-poundera some
Parrot can-
non. One burst on board the Ticonderoga, killingrr six of
the crew and wounding seven others ; another burst on
board the Yankee, killing one officer and two men ; another
on the Juinita, killing two officers and wounding and
killing ten others ; another on the Mackinaw, killing one
officer, and wounding five men ; another on the Quaker
City, Wounding, I believe, two or three ; another on the
,Susquehanna, killing and wounded seven. I think the
bursting of the guns (six in all) much disconcerted the
crews of the vessels where the accidents happened, and gave
one and all a great disgust of the Parrott 100-pounders, and,
events proved, they were tmfit for service,
subsequent"andcalcUlated to kill more of our men than of those of the
enemy. Some of the vessels were struck once or twice.
The Mackinaw had her boiler perforated with a shell, and
10 or 12 persons were badly scalded. The Osceola was
Struck with a shell near the magazine, and was at one time
i.en a sinking condition ; but her efficient commander stopped
-1) the leak, while the Mackinaw fought out the battle
Withstandingnot-
the damage she received. The Yantic was
the only -
vessel which left the line to report damages.
Commander
Guest, at the last end of the line, showed
unusual intern •
his fire. T
wi:ence in selecting the position
Battery, and he Ira 4 down theLagstaff on the Mound
the Keystone State
tl'e guns there in a very short time,
Lieut. Commander J R(4.
utakerCity co-operating effectively.
got his vessel, the Sa :Nig, with both rudders disabled,
materially in silencing into close action, and assisted
Cuba and Fort Jackson tookwsZlaks' and the Santiago de
Positions :as they could
get, towing other vessels note f
der fire by the Brook -
into throwing them out of place, anac't .11 Voter lines and
ought
when they got
The taking of a new position while their guns well.
lyn and Colorado was a beautiful silinh
into place both ships delivered a firet'tahnad
could
withstand. The Brooklyn well sustainedthnetphrionugd name
under her present commander, Captain Jame:
the Colorado gave evidence that her cornmansdeAriden' floci
dore H. K. Thatcher, well understood the dutie7m
position. The. Susquehannah was most effective ' his
fire, and was fortunate enough to obtain the right
position, though much bothered by a vessel
her that had. not found her right place. The Mohliceaahr
went into battle gallantly, and fired rapidly and with effect,
and when the Howhattan, Ticonderoga, and Shenandoah
got into their positions they did good service. The Paw-
tuxet fell handsomely into line and did good service with
the rest, and the Vanderbilt took position near the Minne-
sota, and threw in a splendid fire. The firing of the Moni-
tors was excellent, and when their shells struck great
damage was done, and the little gunboats that covered
them kept up a fire sufficient to disconcert the enemy's aim.
The rebels fired no more after the vessels all opened on
them, except a few shots from the Mound and upper bat-