Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1865-01-21
CAPTURE OF FORT FISHER.

CAPTURE OF FORT FISHER.
Particulars Of the Auack from an Eye
Wi:Hess-7hs Heroic Valor of our Troop,
-StHbbOrn and Bloody Resistance of the
Rs6sIs-Immsnss Strength of the Works IN
the Fort. ........-.
Preparations being completed, the time
for moving against the Fort was set for
three O'Clock in the afternoon OF the 18th, =,
/ and was conducted essentially as follows:
Lieut.. Col. Zent, with sixty sharpshooters,
armed with Spencer repeating rifles, was
thrown out in advance with Gen. Curtis
lst brigade, the latter consisting OF the
| ll2th, ll7th, 42d and 3dNew York, moved
into position at half past one o'clock in the
night, with its right flank resting on the
Cape Fear River.
Col. Pennypacker, with the I'd brigade,
consisting OF the 47th, 48th and 2O3d
Pennsylvania, took up a position in the
centre about O'Clock, and soon afterWard
two thousand marines and sailors, under
command OF Fleet Capt. K. R. Breese, the
former armed with muskets and the latter
with sharpened cutlasses, moved up the
beach in splendid style upon the left or
Atlantic side of the line, with the intention
of attacking the fort onI the sea face.
| Col. Bells Sd brigade was held in re-
serve. Simultaneous with his moving into
position, the feet poured perfect storm
of she'll into the fort .-.... --l2& .
| At O'Clock precisely, the General sig
nailed to the Admiral that all was ready,
and almost iRstantsneously the ERE from
FINE neot- -Tas rodouh hlad; the M rn1niForH and.
lgunboats doomed with increased rapidity.
| The old frigates poured in theiF, heavy
broadsides, and the hell of bursting shell
inside, around, and over Fort Fisher, was
the most m1guifcRuI aud terrific sight
that the world has everseeu. A. once the
| bravo soldiers of Cen. Curtis's command
sprang forward to the charge upon the
double quick, and with q ringing cheer;
Col. Pennypscker's 81 brigade soon after
followed, aud the marines, under their he.
Foic leaders, went charging up the beach.
The rebels, in spite of the pandemonium
of raining shell, few to the guns and pour
ed thick. successive discharges of canister
and grape on our advancing lines, while
their sharpshooters poured out CALLING
and murderOus FIRE through every embra
sure.
Gen. Terry, accompanied by Lieut-Ool.
Comstock of Lieut.. Gen. Grants staff, and
surrounded by his staff iu full view of the
whole magnificent movement, and exposed
to the bullets from the fort, which few
buzzing like bumble-bees overhead, gazed
with fearful suspense upon the scene. On
ward poured the serried lines, aud onward
Haunting the color5 borne by the uuhiuch-
ing heroes, they reach the ditch which, at
the right, is crossed by a narrow bridge,
from which the Rebels had hastily torn the
plank, leaving only the string pieces to
cross upon. Upon this the sharpest fire
Of their sharp-shooters is concentrated, as
our men go pouring on. They cross with
renewed cheers, and swarm up the parapet;
and the 1l7th New York, followed by the
80, are the first to plant their colors on
the northern traverse of the fort.
Meanwhile the brave Lieut., B. H. Porter,
Lieut. commander Preston, of the AdmiraPs
ship Malvern, and Assistant Surgeon Wm.
Langshorn of the Minnesota, fell moFtally
wounded athead of the marines, and the
murderous shower of grape and canister
poured from the bastion Of the fort forced
the latter to retire.
Curtis and Peunypacker's brigades
were fighting stubbornlyi and were met by
the enemy in d no less brave and determin- l.
ed resistance, who fell back from traverse
to traverse, contesting each one as they
went with the most desperate valor. Twen-
ty y.oue prisoners yere cent in by the I1Tth
New York about half past three O'Clock,
I and were followed by another squad of up
ward of seventy soon afterward, as we'll as
several smaller lots. Col. Bells Third
Brigade, consisting of his own 4th New
Hampshire, the l69th and 1l5th New York
and the 18th Indiana, were now ordered
up to the support of the First and Second
Brigades.
Fort Fisher consists of one iuclosed fort
or bastiUn, from tle opposite angles o.
which spread out at right angles to each
other high. parapets or curtains of earth.
work, the sea face 10 distance of GOO
Yards, and the north face about third o
the distance. At regular intervals these
curtains are crossed by high traverses
which, at the same time, serve as bomb
proofs, and between which are mounted
sometimes one, and at others two heavy
guns. On the north flce were fifteen o
these traverses, and when our men sue
ceeded in capturing the first of these tht
second was an earthwork, behind which
the Rebels could retreat, and SO on sue
cessively until our mon reached the bastion
which was inclosed on all sides, and her
! the Rebels would evidently huddle 70
. their final struggle. --
5 Col, Bell led IN his gallant fellows, ant
!, the First and Second Brigades, augmented
: with this additional strength, fought nobly
h desperately on until six of the fifteen ira
). verses bad been won, and here the adVanC
for a time was checked, and thus the mat
ter remained until RboutlhVe o'clock. Th
: FIRE from the navy had of course bee
q slackeued when our men reached the par
|. apets at the northern end of the fort, an
InoW was resumed, but concentrated upo
Il the Tp1gtion and the sea, or south ives