Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1865-01-27
The RAN OF Fort Fisher.

rHE LASn ATTACH.
Each yc-ss. instantly ceased trinz, and the
sfeam-e li-tles Eer, s0Iuiel for several minutes
Immediately thc --ul. Va, heard. the sailors
quickly rose o. their feet and, with a shout
ru-hel f1rsari toward the usrspet on the sea
lace 0i thc fort. The st1-sade which runs from
tbe urt 90 the sea, rendered. 10 impossible % scale
the wa.i except within la space 0f shout 20 yari-
Tine enemy we're prepared ilr the movement
and tine moment the naval force we're upon their
ee-. they appeared in close column upon the
rsapet. with only their heads In view. and
poured q most murierous FIRE into the advancing
column At the same time shells from the mound
and water batteries raiuej upon them. The men
'cll j1cS and fast, the line waverei and then
large portion % the column dropped upon the
sand 81 as 90 be- below the range OF the enemy's
bullets he officers urged the men 90 proceed,
but o portion of the MARINES broke and ran and
some Of the sailors followed, gong pell-mell up
the beach. leaving the space behind them strewu
with fhe dead and wounded. Many fell into the
water. and their bodies could be seen tossed 90
AMI fro IN the surf But large portion Of the
force kept steadily on TIL two guns from the fort
opened on them with grape ami canister. moving
them down with fearful slaughter. Here the
brave Lieut's 3 " Preston and b. II. Porter
were kiIlei Nearly the whole force now fell
back and ,s they retreated the rebels cheered
exuluuc.y, aud some shouted after them with
;aunting epithets. A small party Of naval ofh-
GERS and sailors still held their ground 40 the
ahatis aud entrenching themselves with shovel
which had fallen from the ramparts, performed
efficient service as shsrp-shooteT,. Ensign Day
ton. Of this party shot the rebel Col Lamb as he
was rallying his men on the traverses against our
troops, who had nov entered the fort. A few
sailors reached the rEmparts Of the fort; and a
noble-iooking boy planted there a isg. when he
fell pierced by seven bullets.
About ten minutes after the naval force had
commenced the assault on the face Of the fort.
the s-saulting column Of troops advanced on the
double-quick from the Cape Fear river side 20
its west end, and entering through the ssllyport
and sealing the ahattis, the hstte-fags Of the
One Hundred and Seventeenth New-York and
Thirteenth Indiana, Of General Curtis brigade,
we're quickly planted on the fifth and sixth
traverses Of the fort, from the river end. The
attention Of the garrison was AZ this time prin-
cipally occupied with naval force, and the troops
effected a comparatively easy ingress. the only
opposition As they advanced being from sharp
shooters firing through holes in the stockade
surrounding the fort AMER the soldiers had
gained lcigment on the parapet. however. they
were met with very stubborn resistance. The
enemy were massed behind the sixth traverse
made several desperate charges up It's side 10
capture the flag surmouuting II, but they were
each time repulsed bv our brave boys Our
troops finally made a bold bsyonet charge. and
over the sixth traverse they went. the enemy
tumbIing down the seventh. before them. Our
men held the top Of the eighth, but finally were
driven back. They rallied again behind the
seventh, and here the contest RACED for over an
hour. the enemy from az enclosure inside, COM
msnding the eigth traverse, and checking the
further advance Of our troops This state Of
things vas signalled TO the flagship from the
shore, and the admiral IN turn sgnalled 70 the
feet TO open Ere on the portion Of the fort east
ward Of that point The shell from our vessels
soon began to fall among the enemy between the
eighth sud ninth traverss, and two or three IN
fortunately came down among our Owa troops.
The principal portion OF the fleet was there
fore directed to FIRE at the mound, which they
did with effect, shooting off the haE. and par
TALLY silencing the FIRE. Our brave boys had
possession Of half the fort at O'Clock but we're
/ unable to dislodge the enemy from the other por
ton Reinforcements were then sent FOR. "A
I darkness closed upon the scene. our troops were
still no further than the eighth traverse, audlthe
{ enemy still held the inner inclosure- The fresh
troops rushed in with cheers, and at O'Clock
charged against the enemy. The rebels retreat
I el along the water batteries. fhsking an %
cssional stand the way, and after having
I been pushed 10 the end OF the peninsula beyond,
! surrendered. The eapitulaton was made by the
adJutaut OF Colonel Lamb. as that officer ,as well
as General Whiting then lay wounded in one Of
the water battery bomb-prools.
The troops in entering the fort through IN
narrow gateway completely broke up their com
psny and regnental organization, and after
zstttag n. lid not vait % form but each rushed
iorEsri sd al fouyh- t1zethsr.
When the enemy sGrrendered, ieatsz.nE
cheers vent up from the fort, and Immediately
the glad news was known throughout ,he feet,
and cheers resounded from ship to ship.