The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1864-12-28

g Take your atlas, turn to the ma
of North Carolina, look in New Hanov,
county, just below the confluence of Ii
north and south barnches of Cape Fes
river, and some thirty five miles from th
ocean, and you will find duly marked, al
ter the most approved style of geograph
cal Typography, Wilmington, the grea
blockade-running port of the rebels an,
the objective point of Porter's and But
ler's expedition. It may be their Ney
Years gift to an expectant nation. Anc
yet it will not be an easy task to take it
In 1860 the population of the city wa.
1852. 1t is the terminus of the Will
mngton and Weldon Railroad, By whicl
1t had, previous to Grants occupation o.
the northern extremity of the road raj
connection with Richmond. 1t is the
eastern end of the Wilmington & Man
chester Railroad. running west and south
to Charleston and other points. Its prin
clpal manufactures are steam saw and
plining mills and turpentine distileries
It's trade has been greatly increased by
blockade. running. which has been largely
kept up despite the strong naval force the
government has kept stationed there TO
prevent the illicit traffic. Cupidity and the
sharpness OF the parties engaged in it..
and the many shoals AMI outlets have IA
vored the rebels. Watching the entran-
ces to the city from the coast have been
a score or more Of Federal vessels, not
withstanding which hardly week has
passed since the war began that Two or
more blockade runners have not escaped
from the port. The interest of the Con.
federate loan in England is said to have
been regularly paid By the sales OF cotton
shipped from Wilmington. In speech
at that place made in November, 1868,
jeff. Davis said he "fet the full impor-
portauce Of the harbor, the only one still
open for trs1r, and would do all that could
be done for it's defense SO important
is the place against which the present
move is made, its occupation being only
valuable to us by being very damaging to
the Confederacy.
The harbor of the city admits vessels
OF three hundred tons. Thirty ivc miles
below, at the entrance TO Cape Fear river,
are the rebel defenses, and there the fate
OF the city must be settled. At the mouth
of Cape Fear river ia Smiths Island, the
eastern extremity OF which is Cape Fear.
North and south Of this are the two prin-
cipsl inlets. To the north is New Inlet,
COMMANDED By rebel battery from the
Island, and at Federal Point, the south.
ern extremity of,the main land, by Fort
Fisher, reported, doubtless prematurely,
to have been captured. Tne latter is
probably one of the largest earthworks of
the kind on the coas, mounts some fifty
Of the best English rifles and is manned
by the finest artllerists in the South. 1t
would be impossible for our vessels 10
Withstand the concentrated raking and
cross fires from these batteries in an at
tempt TO pass, but by an active bompard
ment Porter may compel thea evacuation
of the rebel for i6 cations
South of Smiths Island is the Western
Bar Inlet. The rebels command this at
its immediate entrance by batteries on
Oak Island. Next in order is the Bad
Head Battery on Smiths Island, and For
Caswell, opposite it on the manila nd
The latter is formidable fort, was con.
sirncttd by United States Engineers, has
been greatly strengthened lately and
noun $ about sixty guns. Still further
on is rebel work on Battery leland on
the river side, and on the land side, one
mile and a half from Fort Caswell, is
Smithville and Fort johnson. The river.
it is said, is commanded at various points
in the approach to Wilmington by bate
ries. Our forces have work before them.
We should not be inpatient nor too early
expect the capture of Wilmington, and
the complete success of the expedition.