The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-12-31

EVENING PAPERS.

Steamer North Ansertea-One Hundrr1 nnd
EfnefH-Ssven LtUes Lost.
NEW YORK, Dec. 80.
The steamer Arago arrived here last night
from Port Royal. She Iel in with the bark
Mary Z. LIBBY, OF Egg Harbor, and took from
her Capt Marshall, OF the steamship North
America, which vessel fOundered At sea with
forty-seven officers, passengers and crew.
The North America left New Orleans Dec.
10Th, and the Southwest Pass on the 18Th,
with 203 sick soldiers, twelve passengers, and
crew OF forty four men. She had fine wealth
or until noon of the 20sh. At o'clock p. NJ.
of that day it commenced blowing heavily
from the S. s. w. with heavy sea running,
and the vessel labored and strained greatly
On the I'D the weather moderated In the early
part of the day, but at noon the gale began TO.
increase, and the engineer reported that the
ship was leaking badly. At 1o'clock P. M. he
reported the water gaining in the hold. The
course of the ship was then changed to the
westward; took off the fore and main hatch;
cut away the ceiling to try to stop it or caulk
it, but could not; put blankets and sails over
the bow, but all to no purpose, and the Water
gaining very fast.
At 2.15 P. M. spoke the bark Mary E. Libby,
Capt. Libby, from Cardenas, Cuba, for Port
Odpt- Lluuy, upon l0dIuluS tito cOHul-
ton OF the steamer, said he would remain and
take all on board his vessel if necessary. ss
At 230 p. M. the water put the fires out
The boats were got ready, and at $50 the first
boat started tor the bark, with the chief engin-
eer and all the lady passengers. Six boat
loads we're got aboard the bark. The seventh
boat at dark, with the purser, pilot and eight
men are supposed to have been lost, as they
never reached the bark The eighth and last
1~fy4
and eight men, left the steamer at 7.30 p. NJ.
The boats were hoisted aboard the bark at 8
P. NJ, it being impossible to return to the
steamer that night. 81
The bark then made sail and proceeded to-
wards the steamer, her lights all in sight, dis
tant about six miles. About A. NJ the lights
disappeared suddenly, and the steamer is sup
posed to have sunk. At daylight nothing was
in sight except water cask. ~
The bark made sail and cruised all around
until noon, when all hope was relinquished
and the bark proceeded on her course. Sixty
two persons were saved and one hundred and
ninety lost Among the lost were Col.
Saunders and Lieut.. Col. Horn.
The Wilmington Expedition = Letter from
Gen. Butler to ADMIRAL POrter-Repiy of
ADMIRAL Porter. f77rF
HEADQUARTERS Dept OF VIRGINIA
~ ~ AND NORTH CAROLINA,
- ~ ga December 25, 1854. ~
Admiral Upon landing the troops and
making a thorough reconnaissance OF Fort
Fisher, both Gen. Weitzel and myself are fully
| OF the opinion that the place could not be car
ried by assault, as it was left substantially I'M
! injured as a defensive work by the navy fire.
| We found seventeen guns protected by trav-
erses-two only of which were dismounted-
bearing up the beach and covering strip Of
land, the only practicable route not wide
| enough for thousand men in line of battle.
| Having captured Flag Pond battery, the
| garrison of which, sixty five men and two COM
/ missioned officers, were taken of by the navy.
| We also captured Half Moon battery and seven
| officers and 208 men of the Sd North Carolina
| Junior Reserves, including its commander,
! from whom learned that a portion OF Hoke's
| division, consisting OF Kirkland's and Hap
goods brigades, had been sent from the lines
before Richmond an Tuesday last, arriving at
! Wilmington on Friday night. s8
/ Gen. Weitzel advanced his skirmish line
| within fifty yards of the fort, while the garri
son was kept in their bomb proofs by the fire
Of the navy, and SO closely that three or four
| men of the picket line ventured upon the par
| apet and through the sally port of the works,
| capturing a horse, which they brought of,
killing the orderly, who was the bearer of a
dispatch from the Chief of Artillery of Gen.
i WhIting TO BRING light battery WITHIN the
fort, and also brought away from the parapet
the flag of the fort. This was done while the
shells of thenayy were falling about the heads
| of the daring men who entered the works, and
| it was evident as soon as the fire of the navy
ceased, because of the darkness, that the fort
was fully manned again, aud opened with
/ grape and canister upon our picket line.
Finding that nothing but the operations of
regular siege, which did not come within my
instructions, would reduce the fort, and in
| view of the threatening aspect of the weather,
| the wind rising from The south west, render
ing it impossible to make further landing
| through the surf, cansed the troops with
! their provisions to re-embark, and see moth
! ing further that.can be done by the land fore
es. | shall, therefore, sail for Hampton Roads
/ as soon as the transports fleet can be got in or
| der.
| My engineers and officers report Fort Fish
er to me as substantially uninjured.
Very respectfully,
~ BAG Af Your obedient servant, g a3 CIV
| g BENJAMIN F. BUTLER,
Major General Commanding. !.
! To Rear Admiral Porter. = 3F4s EAIlNs
| NORTH ATLANTIC SQUADRON, U, 5. Flag
ship Malvern, off New Inlet N. c., Dec. 3d.
General FL beg leave to acknowledge the re-
ceipt of your letter OF this date, the substance