Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-12-22

Tugs LOT general service. (each guns .~n., Ia
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he New York Evening Post of Tuesday has az inter.
estng article relative to tho preparation and strength Of
Tue meet the plan OF attack upon Wilmington and tho
rebel deiences from which extract the following:
ORGANIZATION OF THE FLEET
or the capture of the forts defending The
entrance 70 cape Fear river have been in progress for
months put not uhll about the frat of September were
the Ulcers assigned and measures taken to carry the de-
sIred plans into execution About that Admiral Por
Ter was directed to command of the North sp
TIC blockadng Squadron and he at ones commenced TO
put his Rquadron in order
The first step taken in perfectpg the ironcad feet
which was done as speedily possible and the result has
produced the Dictator of the largest vessels of her
class in the navy; the Atlanta of the best productions
OF rebel ngenuityi the New Ironsdes which has
been found wanting the Monadnock which was deemed
80 valuable vessel that she at selected as the
flagship OF the squadron and other ironclads whciwi
% Of great service IN carrying out the plans Among the
WOODEN vessels selected were the Wabash, which was
Admiral Duponts flagship the capture of Port Royal;
the Minnesota, of Monitor and Merrimsck renown the
Colorado the chief among the fifty gun screw fQatss
the Brooklyn, of New Orleans Vicksburg aud Mobile
fame. The feet numbered al told sxty-six vessels and
SIX hundred and forty guns. Quite large number
oil the vessels are blockade runners purchased by tho
Government and converted into gunboas The choice Of
these ships WISE nasmuch they of light draugh
and capable of easily threading the intricate channels
which constitute the approach to the Cape Fear river
PLhN OF ATTACK.
The general plan Of attack was decided upon short
time alter Admiral Porter assumed command Of the feet
decided that the heavy vessels Which, by reason OF
their draugh of water could rot the bar should Ito
off within distance of two miles and actively shell Fort
Fisher which commands the entrance New Inet bar
lhe vessels not participating in the general bobardment
TO pass the channel and the bar into the
I thought that some vessels may DO lost badly dis
abed TO render them incapable Of offensive action, but
the number of the feet employed will prevent any disaster
from such all accident
basida If tha ala dy;th
armor, Admiral Farrsgus fleet when they passed
Forts Jackson and ST. Phillip and Forts Morgan and
Gaines in Mobile Bay The precsuton of flashing the
vessels side by eide will be resorted to if circumstances
will permit Willis the feet rendez7oGsed at Hampton
Roads the yards topmasts and sent down.
boats removed from the decks and the vessels cleared for
action in the thorough Bags filed with sand
placed the most vulnerable parts of the deck and
n places to protect the boilers and machinery In fact
every thing that human ingenuity could devise has been
done to make the vessels shot and shell proof
Hospital ships are provided for the accommodation of
six hundred wounded and an extra corps of surgeons
assigned TO the squadron Seven hospital steamers and
number Of tugs thus detailed under the direction o.
Fleet Surgeon Fox, and every measure adopted TO give
proper and attention to the wounded in the sctou
THE PoIST OF ATTACK.
Wilmington stands the left bank OF the Cane Fear
rive thirty five miles from the 1t has been port
of the utmost value to the rebels since the breaking out OF
the and after the capture OF Mobile the closing OF
the ports of Charleston and Savannah has been the pr6c
pal port OF entry The mouth Of Cape Fear river il so
situated that has been Rost difficult blockade success
fully notwithstanding the vigilance Of our blockaders
large numbers Of vessels passed 10 and out of the mort
The trade Of this port has been immense 10
estimated at many millions Of dollars, The Navy Depart.
men have maintained the most perfect blockade possible
for distance exceeding twenty miles, and yet have not
ben able to prevent the rebel, from running their ships
snl out favorable occasions. Now, however Admiral
Porter will effectusly seal it as Theoretically Mobile is
sealed by the victories of Fsrragut.
The entrance to Cape Fear river obstruced by three
bars known the " Western MAN, and New Inlet
bars. SO materially have these bars changed from time
fbatt nlA
ess at present for plotting purposes Still the main fsa-
lures Of the channel have changed so that hset
guided BY the old andmaIks could gain entrance
The New Inlet passage affords the best iach for en-
trance, and will probably be used BY Admiral Porter for
his main operations.
THE REBEL FoRTIFICATIONs.
On Federal Point is located the celebrated Fort Fisher
of the largest earhWoTks Of its style in the Conede
racy. Its armament is unequsled in range efficiency
II mounts about fifty guns many Of the heaviest Bakey
rifles; il number of ANAL works called water
batteries all mounting guns Of heavy cahbre. Similar
works exist opposite Fort Fisher the OF when min
gle their fire with that Of the fort Together these works
command distance Of Elk miies three in each direction
There formidable earthwork little further up the
cUast the lighthouse the guns OF which tho
seaWsrd approach the New Inlet bar entrance Near
Fort Fisher battery, placed upon artificial sand hill
threatens much annoyance feet lts guns able
to throw pungng shot, as well az prjeces far out sea
ward.
THE ENTRANCE.
The entrance by the way Of New Tuet situated and
or run by the forts would be subjected to tremendous
crossfre The heavy rgates, whose dTsgsht Of water
precgdes their crossing the bar must Of necessity anchor
outsde or sail up and down the beach perhaps they
will sail in circle did Duptnts Il ,et at the capture OF
Port Royal By this method they would he enabled to
keep eund COOL the fresh and at the tma
seriously Interfere with the accuracy OF the rebel fire. The
ground which the heavy vessels must fight tribe
two miles from Fort Fisher yet II is within effective
range at a moderate elevation of the guns. On Zeeks
Island and opposite Fort Eher there said to exista
small water battery mounting nine guns.
THE WESTERN BAR ENTRANCE.
The entrance by the western bar is also well guarded
and lis approaches srs defended in the most approved
known to engineering science The first works to
be encountered going ia tins way situated Oak
leland near the lighthouses not generally known how
many guns position there but undoubtedly there is
sufficient number to do feet much damage before
they can be seuced passed On Bald Head the south
ern extremity of Smiths Island is situated small work
whose guns throw their msaes the channel Next
Fort Csswe built by the United States before the
1t is work with Eve Sdes three Of them mounting
gun, about sixty all told. This work has been strength
ened recently, and is undoubtedly very formidable aaair
Possibly the ironclads msy operate against this WORK JUST
above Fort Caswe is small work Iocated on Battery
Island On the right hand side OF the rVer coming down
is Fort Johnson situated at Smhye and ABOUT one ana
half miles from Fort CssweIl Adore ths' ~ various