The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-12-30
FRIDAY, DEcBMDBR 81. 1854
ruyorr,cJ,E KEPORr OF ADMIRAL
PORTER.

=
cinct relation Of anteccdents and conse-
Quences. But it is also something more than
tbls. IL not only relates facts, but it relates
them in a graphic and "tclllug" manner. This
Ofii rel ort has a character about it. Most
official reports have only an official character
about them. They smack Of the dust and rust
OF Office. They deal with grammatical truisms
end stiltcd phrasing. They are very correct in
the mentiOn Of dates and figures, and they are
slngularly exact in the lists of casualties. Bat
they give information without ideas. The
words have no soul in them; the so1nd has
only iact-lnd-ngure sense. The bands that
sway The rod Of empire grow commonplace,
and the arm that was so mighty with the
sword, now uses the pen in a very clerlly and
registrar-like manner. Admiral PoRrER's
report has soul and life in it. lie writes as
though evenin his official capacity he remained
a man, all his feelings yet flushed and warm
ir IN the glow Of a great engagement.
b His very opening sentence illustrates how
completely biz heart was in the Wilmington
Expedition, and in the account he gives Of it
He was in hopes he should have been able to
present to the nation Fort Fisher and sur
rounding works as a Christmas Offering, but
is sorry to say it has not been taken yet. The
following paragraph serves as a specimen Of
the Admiral's plain, hearty, straightforward
style:-
"On tho 2O.h q heavy gale sotin from the south
west, ana not being able 10 make port without
scattering all the vessel, determined 20 ride II
out, which l did without any accident of any
klnd except the loss OF u few anchors, the moni-
tors and all behaving beautifully Ouly two YES
sCIs went TO sea % avoid he gale, aud flred no
better than those at anchor The transports
being short Of water put into Beaufort c.,
and were NOT suitable for riding out aJ anchor
Such heavy a her. After ths sJu'westcr tue
wind CHOPPED around 70 the westward and gave
u beautiful spell ut weather, which cJuld not
a1Ord to lose ana the transports with the troops
not making lhcT appearance, | determined 10
take ADVANTAGE Of II and attack Fort Fisher and
IT. outwOTks."
The following passage, zoo, furnishes the
substrala for one OF the finest poems OF the
war. The Admiral says -
cat ha.f-pas 10 p. NJ the powder We 4se
started m towards t1o bar and was towed by the
HjdorHesS Until the cnOTasurc5 Of Fort Fisher
were plainly in sight. The YSGie,ness then cast
ol, aud the Louisiana proceeded under steam
MIL within TWO huudred yards from th0 beach,
and about four hundred hOm the tort. Com
ma1oer RHND anchored her securely there, and
CoOly went TO wCrK 10 make all his arrangements
~ blow her mp. This ne was enabled TO do,
OWING 10 u OlOCkAue-fuunef gong 10 right anead
Of him, the forts making the Dloakadc-ruuner
signGlS, which tEey also did to the Louisiana.
be gallant party, after cOOly making all their
arrangements for the explosion, left the vessel,
Tue last thing they did being to set her on tir0
under the CABIN then takirg 10 heir boats, they
mtuc their csc. pc Off to INC UildernegS, lying
uosr by The btderaess then put or slorc wit Il
good speed 10 avoid M effects that might
ItFVon iIcm the explosion"
To render complete the picture which this
description calls up, it should be read in i'm
mediate connection with passage towards
ue conclusion of the Report, which reads
us:-
In conclusion, allow me to draw your at.eu-
ton TO tue conduct OF Commander RulNU AID
Lrulcrant Passion. They engaged in the most
ICrjoue adventure that was perhaps ever und ar-
taken, and though no material results have taken
place nom the effects of the explosion that we
know Of, still Il not their fault. As an in-
ccnuve to others, beg leave to recommend them
FIR promotion; also that OF Lieutenant X. II.
LNNsOS, who p luted them in and brought them
off. No one ia the squadron considered that
tLeI lives would DO saved, aud Captain RHISD
and Lieutenant PREsToN had made an arrange
mrutto sacrifice themselves in case the vessel
was boarded, q thing likely TO happen"
The night, the darkness, the danger Of the
expedition, the total sacrifice Of SELF the holi-
ness of the cause engaged in, unite In forming
subject upon which the rorest eloquepce and
the highest inspiration Of the poet might love
TO dwell. This deed VIII go into history, and
stand out boldly there, like those monuments
which time cannot destroy and which sue
ces i've generations revere.
An idea Of the effect of our fire may be had
from the following almost contiguous pas
sages:-
The vessels were placed somewhat nearer TO
the works, and we're able 20 throw in their shell,
which were before falling in,O the water. Oae or
two leading vessels having made the mistake OF
auchuiiug too far off, caused those coming afJtr
q en- 10 commit like error, but when they all
got into place and commenced work in earnest,
te hover Of shell, one hundred and hite3n per
niue, was Irresistible. in one hour aud
fifteen miIu es cr the frs slot was fired not 8
shSr came from the fort. Two magazines had
been blown up by our shells, and the fort set on
IrC in several places, and such n torrent Of mis-
sllCB were falling into and bursting over H. shat Il
was impossible for anything human to stand iE.'
It is well for us TO understand what vessels
took a main pars in the engagement, and par
ticularly distinguished themselves. The Ad
mral, stiIl proceeding with cheerful fidelity
says:-
"The taking Of new pasitiol while under Gre
by the Brook vH and Colorado, WIS "a beautiful
sight aud wn -hey 20. in place D. th ships
delivered ire that nothing could ~ tastauu
The Brooklyn well susrIiucd her proud name
und,r her present COMMANDER, Captain JNVE,
AAU1E, -nu ,.t -o'g.ar, gave cyideRce tia. her