New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-12-30

hocnthe following by SPECIAL messenger;
NORTH ATLANTIC SQUADRON
u. s. FLAGSHIP MALvERs, Al SEA,
OFT NEwlNIET. Dec. %. 1867
fIs 1 In hopes that should have been able to
present the nation Fort Fisher and the surrounding
works q Christmas Offering but an sorry 10 say IL
has Got been taken yet. attacked it the 24th inst,
with the ironsides Csnonicus Mahopac Monadnoc.
Minnesota Colorado Mobcsn. Tuscarora, Wabash.
Susquehanns, Brooklyn Powhattan, Juniata, Seneca,
Shenandoah, Patpyent, Ticendoroga, Mackinaw.
haunee. Yantic, Kansas Iasco Quaker City, Monti-
cello. Rhode Island. Sassacus, Chippewa, OsceOls,
rseony Ponioosnc. Santiago de Cuba, Fort jackson,
and Vanderbilt, having reserve Of snail vessels con-
ssting OF the Aries Houqaa Wilderness. Cherokee
A. ID. Vance. Anemone, .EOlus. Gettysburg, Alabama.
Keystone State, Baushec. Emma. Lillian. Tristan
Shsndy. Brttaria Governor Buckingham and Narse
mond Previous 10 making the attack torpedo on
large scale with an amount OF powder board sup
posed e. be sufficient explode the powder magazines
of the fort. prepared With great care. and placed
ander the command Of Commander A. {. Rhind who
Rad associated with HIM this perilous service Lieu
tenant S. W. Preston Second Assistant Engineer 4.
T. Mullen Of the United States steamer Agawam. and
Acting Mas.er's-Mst Paul Bayard, and seven
So much had been said and written about the terrible
effects Of gun-powdcr in explosion that happened
lately in England that great results expected from
shs novel mode Of pisking war; Everything that In
genuity could devise adopted 10 make the expert
ment success. The vessel brought round from
Norfolk with greet care and without accident
in tow Of tie United States steamer Sss-
sacus, Lieut.. Commander J. L. Davis who
directed his whole attention to the matter in
hand and though he experienced bad weather and
lost Of his rudderr he took her safely into Bean
fort where filed her up with powder. and perfected
all the machinery for blowing her up.
Gen. Butler had arrived at the rendezvous before U.s.
and fastened matters all that could that
necessary delay might be Lid to my charge.
On the 18th met, sailed from Beaufort with all the
monitors the Ironsides aud the sual vessels IN
Guiding the Louisiana disguised az blockade runner
the rendezvous twenty miles east OF New lnlet,
" c. and found all the larger vessels and transports
assembled there the wind blowing Light from tic north
east On the Goth heavy gale set in from tie south
west and beire able 10 make port without scat
tsring all tie vessels determined to ride il out which
did without accident Of any kind etcept the loss of
sew anchors, the monitors all behaving beautifully
Only two vessels went to sea, in order to avoid the
gale, AID Jared no better than those at anchor.
The transports Icing short Of water, put into
p:aufort n. c., and were not suitable for
riding out at anchor suoh heevy weather
After the southwepter the wind chopped around to
which could not afford to lose, aud the Transports
with the troops not mailing their Appearance. de-
'ermined to take advantage Of it and stack Fort
Fisher and its outworks.
On the ed directed Commander Rhand 70 proceed
and explode the vessel right under the walls OF Fort
Fisher. Mr.. Bradford Of the Coast Survey. having
gone in at night ard ascertaned that could place
vessel OF seven feet drst right on the edge Of the
beach. Lieut.. X. H. Lsmson, commanding the Gctys
burg, volunteered TO 60 in the Wilderness, Acting
Master Henry Arsy In command. and tow the Louis
lana into position. At loi r. No. tie powder vessei
started in toward the Der. and tOwed by the
Wilderness until the embrasures Of Fort Fisher
plainly in sight The Wilderness then of and the
Lousana proceeded under steam until within 200 ards
Of the beech, and about so from the FORT Commander
Rhand anchored her securely there and cooly 70
work to make all his arrangements TO blow her up
This he enabled do owing to blockade runner
going right ahead Of him, the fort making the block
sde runner signals which they also did to the Lou
jsisns. The gallant party after coolly making ali
their arrangements for the explosion, LEFT the vessel
che last thing they did being set her fire. under
the cabin aud then taking to their boats they made
their escape off to the Wilderness lying close by. The
wilderness then put off shore with good speed " avoid
any i'll effects that gbt happen from the explosion.
At IS minutes past one OF the morning Of the 2ith
The explosion took pace and the shock hing like
90 expected: shook the vessels and
broke one or two glasses. but nothing more. AT day
sight Of the Path the feet got under and stood in
In line Of battle. At u 30 the sigael made TO
engage the forts the ronsdes leading and the Monsd
mock Csnonicus and Mahopac following. The Iron.
des took her position in the most beautiful and sea
nanliie manner and opened deliberate fire on the
fort which firing ct her with all its guns which
lid Dot seem numerous the northeast face though
counted what appeared TO be II guns But fonf or
i've Of these were fred from that dn ecton and they
were slenoed almost soon ~ the Ironsdes opened
Aer terrific battery.
The Minnesota then took Der position IN handsome
style and Der guns after getting the range. we're fired
with rnpid.y while the Mohcun. the Colorado and the
large vessels marked the plan, got ~ their stations.
all firing ~ cover themselves while sDcboiing by the
sns the last Of the large vessels anchored and got tbs
batteries into play. but two gnns of the enemy
fred this s dener driving them all to the bomb
proof.
The smargunbosts Kansas Upadilla Poiuot Seneca
pontoosuc Ysntic and Huron took position on the
nOrthward and the eastward Of the noaitots, And
snflading the works The Shenandoah. Ticcnderoga.
Mackiasw, Tscony and Vanderbilt tool effective pcsi-
lions 81 marked on the chart and nded Their FIRE 70
that already begun. The Santiago de Cuba, Fort
jackson. Osceoa. CbpIe eva Ssssacus, Rhode Islsnd.
Monticello Quaker City and Issco dropped into posi
ton according 20 order and the battle became general
in hour and fifteen minutes A,er the first slot
fred. NOT shot came from the fort. Two magazines