Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1864-12-30
IPRoM YIsTERDAYS THIRD EDITION.]
The Operations before Wilmington
OFFICIAL REPORT OF ADMIRAL PORTER.

OFFICIAL REPORT OF ADMIRAL PORTER.
The detailed report by Admiral Porter OF the
operations Of the feet in the attack upon Fort
Fisher, has just been received at the Navy De-
partment
1t is dated u. S. Flag ship Malvern, Dec.
S.-Admiral Porter says that he was in hopes
ne should have been able to present to the ma
tion Fort Fisher and surrounding works as
Christmas Offering, but he was sorry to say 1t
has not been taken yet.
He attacked it on the eth inst, with the
Previous to making the attack, a torpedo, on
large scale, with an 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. q. Rhind, who had associ-
ated with him on this perilous service Lieut..
&. w. Preston, Second Assistant Engineer A.
J. E. Mullen, Of the u S. steamer Agawam,
and Acting Masters Mate Paul Boyden, and
seven men.
So much had been said and written about
the terrible effects OF gun powder In an ex.
posion that happened lately in England, that
great results were expected from this novel
mode of making war. Everything that in
genuity could desire was adopted to make the
experiment success.
The vessel was brought round from Norfolk
with great care, and without accident, in tow
of the u. S. steamer Sassacus, Lieut. Com'r ].
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 we
filled her up with powder ad perfected all the
machinery for blowing her kp.
Admiral P. says: "Gen. Butler had arrived
at the rendezvous before us, and 1 hastened
matters all that could, so that no unneces.
sary delay might be laid to my charge. ..
On the 18th inst, sailed from Beaufort,
with all the monitors, New Irensides, and
small vessels, including the Louisiana, de-
signed as blockade runner. for the rendezvous
30 miles east Of New Inlet, 81. g.. and found
all the larger vessels and transport assembled
there; the wind blowing light from the north
east, on the Both heavy gale set in from south
west, and not being able to make port with
out scattering all the vessels, l determined
to ride it ont, which 1 did without any
accident OF any kind, except the loss Of
few anchors, the monitors and all behaving
beautifully.
Only two vessels went to sea to avoid the
gale, and Jared no better than those at anchor
The transports being short of water, put INTO
Beaufort, N. O., and were not suitable for
riding out at anchor such heavy weather.
After the south wester, the weather chopped
around to the westward, and gave us beau
tful spell Of weather, which I could not al
ford to lose, and the transports with the troops
not making their appearance, 1 determined to
take advantage Of it, and attack Fort Fisher
and its outworks'
On the 23d Admiral Porter directed Com.
10 !ns
of the Coast Survey, having gone in at night
and ascertained that we could place a vessel
Of seven feet draft on the edge Of the beach.
Lieut.. r. II. Lamson, commanding Gettys.
burg, volunteered to go in, in the "Wilder.
ness,' Acting Master Henry Avery in COM
mand, and tow the Louisiana into position,
having assisted in the gale In taking care Of
the Louisiana after she and the Nansemond
the vessel having her in tow> having lost all
At half. past ten p. m. the powder vessel
started in towards the bar, and was towed by
the Wilderness until the embrasures at Fort
Fisher was plainly in sight; the Wilderness
IxOOi9iana nr0coedan
under steam until within two hundred yards
from the bea ch and about four hundred yards
her securely, and coolly went to work to make
all his arrangements to blow her up-this he
was ahled to do owing to a blockade-runner
going 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-then taking 10 their
boats they made their escape to the Wilder.
ness, lying close by.
speed, to avoid all i'll effects that might happen
from the explosion. At As minutes past one,
OF the morning Of the oath, the explosion took
place, and the shock was nothing like so severe
as was expected. 1t shook the vessels some
and broke one Or two glasses, but nothing more.
At dayligh of the oath the fleet got under way
the signal was made to engage the forts,
the 1ronsides leading, and the Monadrock,
Canopicus, and Mahopac followed. The Iron
sides took her position in the most beautiful
and seamanlike manner, got her spring ont
and opened deliberate fire on the fort, which
was firing at her with all its guns, which did
not seem numerous in the northeast face,
though we counted what appeared to be II
guns; but four or i've Of these were fred from
that direction, and they were silenced almost
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 rapidty; while the
Mohickon, Colorado and the large vessels
firing TO cover themselves while anchoring.
BY the time the last Of the large vessels an
chored and got their batteries into play bat one
or two guns OF the enemy were fired, this feu
d'enfer driving them all to their bomb. proofs
The small gunboats took effective positions
and added their fire to that already begun, and
other vessels dropped into position according
to order, and the battle became general.
In one hour and fifteen minutes after the
first shot was fired not shot came from the
fort; two magazines had been blown up by
our shells, and fort set on fire several places
and such torrent OF missiles were falling in TO
and bursting over IL, that it was impossible for
anything human to stand it.
| Finding that the batteries were silenced com.
pletely, Admiral p. directed the ships to keep
up moderate fire In hopes of attracting the at
tention of the transports, and bringing them in
At sunset General Butler came In in his dag
ship with few transports (the rest not having
arrived from Beaufort)
being 100 late 10 90 any tu1nS more, AQmIral
p signaled the fleet to retire for the night to
safe anchorage, which they did without being
molested by the enemy.
There were some mistakes made, Admiral
Porter says when the vessels went in to take
position-his plan of battle being based on &C.
curate calculations, and made from informa-
tion TO be relied on, was placed In the hands
of each Commander, and it seemed impossible
to 60 astray if II was strictly followed.
Admiral Porter says he required those yes.
sells that had not followed it closely, to get un.
der way and assume their proper positions,
which was done promptly and without con-
fusion. The vessels were placed somewhat
nearer to the works, and were able to throw in
shot and shell, which were before falling into
the water.
One or two OF the leading vessels having
mad Q the mistake of anchoriDg too far of,
caused those coming after them to commit a
like error, but when they all got into place
an d commenced work in earnest, the show ower
OF she'll zone hundred and fifteen per minute)
was Irresistible.
So quickly were the enemy's guns silenced
that not an officer or man was injured. He,
hOwever.