New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-12-31
Will MIN CT o N.
u.,.,a, Plan Of Asssck-Kxpiss'sn Of 'se
Bens-Operasisas sftbc Fleet
Landing Of the Treeps--A Recenneis'
.asec but no Assauit-Re-euasaskn alton
Of Troops and Return Of Several Hut
Icr-CasuaIties, &c.
yrem Our Special Correspondent.
On BOARD u. s. STEAMER MONTGOMERY,
Saturday, Decenber2i lsbf.
GENERAL PLAN OF ATTACK.

Rebel batteries at New Inlet defending IN" hppc@ches
q, Wilmington at the northern entrance TO Cape Fear
River. BY the combined forces under Rear-4dmiral
Porter and Msjor.Genersi ButleJ, were;
Firss-The explosion sf between two and thee bund-
red tons of powder stored board boat specially de-
signed for the purpose and fitted with tfe necessary
sppiances for ignition. &C., Immediately under the
rebel Notifications by which it proposed to para
,yae the Garrison and partially destroy the works.
SeeOad-By an immediate general attack on the pert
ofthe feet Oh the rebel defenscs, aud
ThirS--The disposition Of the transports, with the
troops ON board IN such manner TO insure their
speedy debariati1n point accessible 10 the feet and
convenient for M plt of g.. enomys works IN case
they were sufficiently disabled by our ships.
This rreconcer,cd plan Of attack developed In the
operations of this and the following dog, mag be de-
scribed rs follows:
TTg POwDgR-BoAr EXPLOSION.
fyesy appliance witch scientific knowledge and
ingenuity could devise and enterprise and sny daring
execute put in requstion 10 insure the secess OF
this novel and important feature OF the expedition
The boat selected UT he purpose was the Louls-ana
propeller of ABOUT $50 tons burden. Atont $40 tons OF
powder together with the necessary Conc fuses and
other appliances ior insuing an instantaneous ignition
of the vast of powder pat an board before
she boat left Hampton Roads one hundred and twenty
tons more powder added az Beaufort where she
cat in on her way to the Of action making IN all
-26o tons or $4,000 pounds. The aggregate cost OF
powder and boat to the Government was slightly IN
excess OF quarter Of miOx Of dollars. The boat was
painted white her general appearance being not unlike
that of bIocksde-runnerthou ID, to do her strict
Justice somewhat moro respectable locking craft.
As the garrison at New Inlet are known TO have
famaryed themselves of late with TIE tout ensb'e Of
ssry 70 the success of the experiment to pass
port rAin the range of their guns IL wOs thought sd
ysable TO further disguise her by the addition Of a
bogus chimney little forward Of her OVID, which
was accordingly done. Whether this Blind operated
ms il was intended still remains mater of come doubt
crew Of seven men, who volunteered for the danger
ons service we're put board OF her. and Commander
A. g. Rhind and Second Assist Ant Engineer A. T. T.
Mullen Of the Agawam. with Lieut.. ;. W. Preston
formerly on Admiral Duponts star and now on that
OF Admiral Porter. and Acting Masters Mate Panl
Boyden volunteered TO pilot her her dangerous but
important mission.
These constituted the personas and material Of the
great Torpedo Expedition.
The object being parayze Che garrison, and as far
as practicable destroy the enenys works, IT became
matter Of great importance 10 explode the vessel az
She shore possible. reconnaissance was ac-
cordingly made by VT 81 al ord, attached to the
United States Coast Survey and the fast esceraned
that vessel drawing not feet could with
safety be placed imneli tey the outer edge OF the
beach and directly in front OF the emb ssures Of the
fort the lower or southernmost aston Of which at
this point reaches down within Short distance Of the
weter's cdr.
Shortly after Opm ofthe ed the rCwdorboat IN tow
oSthe steamer Wilderness star ed fJr the shore When
h.. via taf Tho .
cr of and the Louisiana proceeded alone to her posi-
ton which, despite the very great danger she rau OF be-
ING DISCOVERED BY some Of the garrison in the Fort she
Is reported so have gained withOu, Inoiestston The
evas ties. aeourelY sneholel. and Che fases cad
other appliances for exploding the magazine adjusted
and lighted This accomplished. Rhnd and his daring
associates jumped into email boat which was quick y
rowed to the steamer laying ssern Of the powder ship
This vessel Immediately put of 10 sea- and In short
tine the party were safely back TO the feet Before
leaving however tire was made and lii in the stern Of
the louisiana sufficiently near the powder magazine 10
insure it's ignition in Of any defect in the fuse.
The fuses were lighted and the ship abandoned at
fifteen minutes before 10 O'clock 1hs explosion took
place precisely at $40 o'clock. md was witnessed by
large number the feet The pyrotechnic display was
very impressive. Notw.bstanding tho bright moon
light which sbone thot hour; the horizon was liz NJ
for miles along sbOre as ~ an iHthehAe D"ilhIe WIN
The bags barrels and other packages containing the
powder with which the magazine was charged, thrown
high In the air hy the violence Of the explosion fe in
brilliant corruscatons ell around lighting mp the grim
Notifications and filing mp picture not mike that
represented by travellers and writer's In a. eruption Of
Vesuvius.
The shock whichfollowsd, though sufficiently astornd
Ing was less impressive Twelve niles out NJ sea the
effect was such % might haze been expected from the
firing OF o. FOUNDER by, though The report was
not 70 sharp or distinct II counded rather like the roll
Of distant thunder Eeyond the breaking Of few win
dow panes and the somewhat sudden and uncereuol.
ions resurrection from NIL Efe Z. few blue Jackets,
40 consequence worth mentioning resulted 20 the feet
Some OF the troops belonging T. North CarOna rcgi
,nsnt taken prisoners ny our in the second days
~pyagement, who arrived IN Wilmington from before
Richmond, just the explosion took place state that
1T heard there. while OF siru that was heard
at Beaufort distance Of over fifty miles. The last
,serC On, however. seems scarcely credible.
IA second FASH Immediately follcFinr that which was
kDown to proceed nom the powder boat being by
macy in the feet has given tiae d the bee! that the
powder mag ane in Fort Fisher was also exploded bnt
this INST necessarily remain natter 81 con ,c.uro
anti tie fort itself falls into pos<ssion Meor j.
Lincoln Casey L. g. Engineer Corps Who was 81 ecialy
spcercd oy the War Department 20 accompany tle q
rpeditiou has drawn up elaborate -epor u,oi this
ssolos.o which viii be submitted TO to Secretary OF
war at an early CAV Ifayproyed by hin II viii forth.
With be published, snd II 90. will Proc valuable
addition 10 What IL already knows in sis nterestise
department Of modern warfare