American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1865-04-05
The --latest English View of
Dixip.

boastfal, defiant spirit that has heretofore
characterized the rebel correspondence of
that journal. The letter states
It impossible to doubt that if Fort
Fisher had been Federal and not a
Confederate fort, there would, upon the
i3th of February, have been two or three
large rifle guns on the land face, which
would have made it impossible for any
vessel possessed by the Federals to have
lain within 1900 yards of their muzzles
But the interval between Christian Day
and the 18th of January was spent in a
jubilee over the past triumph rather than
in active preparation for securing anoth-
er.
Upon Sunday, the 18TH the whole re-
sumed the lunette attitude which they
word on Christmas day, and pelted the
fort merciessly until about about two
O'Clock, when the troops which the Fed
had now thrown across from the sea to
the river drew near along the river bank.
At this point the fort is entered by a
road Or causeway, leading from Colonel
lambs house There is proberb in
this country to effect that no earthwork
is ever completely finished, and long as
the preparation for defending Fort Fish
er have been continued, there was no de-
fensive work, or tete de poat, at the spot
where this causeway enters the fort.
The Federals threw about $500 men
upon the fort at this point, and effected
an entrance there about 3o'clock 1t
was in vain that Gen. Whiting and Col.
Lamb threw themselves at the head Of
such troops as they could rally with the
most determined gallantry against assail-
ants. Gen. Whiting with his own hand
as ! am informed tore down the FEEDER
al flag several times until he was severely
wounded. BY hit side fell Col. Lamb, ai-
ter displaying the Nalor which all who are
acquainted with himand- witnessed his ex-
ertions at the close of last month would
have expected him to exhibit. ! under
stand that the wounds of both are serious
but not dangerous.
am also under the impression that
the Federal attack was made without ar
tillery, and that their soldiers gallantly
approached n work which mounted not
only some fifty heavy guns, but was also
defended by severel l2-pounder howitzers
and light field pieces, with nothing but
muskets in their hands. The result might
have been different if General Whiting
and Colonel Lamb had not been wounded
at the onset, but it must be confessed that
the general sensation here is that the fight
was not one which is creditable to the
Confederate arms.
After their fall the resistance seems to
have no organized shape. The Federals
advanced along the inside of the land face
until they Rad possessed themselves of
eight merlons, or the embrasures in which
eight guns were mounted, Here they
halted for the rest Of the r9st of the after
noon, and did not proceed to accomplish
their task until after darkness had fallen.
Then they advanced once more, and driv-
ing the garrison OF the fort beyond Lambs
Mound, they took the survivors prisoners
at the extreme end OF Confederate Point.
| believe that there were inside the fort
about 2,200 men when the 300 Federals
advanced upon it.
DIsAFFECTioN AGAINST JEFF. DAVIS.
The Fall of Fort Fisher, supervcning,
upon previously despondent condition
of the public mind, has produced in all
the States to the South Of Wilmington a
mingled feeling Of dismay and Indignation
against President Davis and the Admins
tration at Richmond. But it is amusing
tc me to find how Uniformed the Adj
ministration at Richmond wus in regard
to the troops in Georgia who were sup
posed likely to check Sherman at the
head Of the finest Federal army which has
ever been in the field. Neither is there
at Richmond right comprehension of the
sentiment which South Carolina and Geor-
gia, and to less degree in North Carolina,
Alabama and Mississippi, and which is
mildly described when | call it disafIec-
ton to Mr. Davis And his Administration.
But there is in all the Cotton States a
deep seated conviction, which it is in vain
to wrestle with, that Mr.. Davis thinks Of
nothing but the safety Of Richmond, that
he will give heed tc no warning or repre-
sentations and that he is unable to see
that, while Charleston and Branchyil.e
may be held without Richmond. Rich
mond cannot be held without Charleston
or Brauchyille. If, profting by the want
of harmony prevailigg between Virginia
and Georgia, Sherman mad struck boldly
for Branchville Immediately after the oc-
cupation of Savannah, there can be little
doubt that TO use his owI words, he would
have brushed aside the opposition of S. G.
ike cobweb and would have bisected
the sole remaining artery which connects
Richmond with Augusta.
SLAVERY DOOMED.
The indications are so many and so ir-
resistible that everywhere in the South
slavery is looked upon as doomed, and
that the only question for determination
is whether its extinction is to be accom-
plished within ten years or is to be spread
over space of from fifty to one hundred,
that neither Mr.. Bright nor Prof. Gold.
win Smith will hereafter be able to per-
suade an English audience that the North
are fighting for the abolition, the South
for the maintenance of slavery. The is
sme between the two sections is more and
more unequivocally narrowing down to
the definition of it which all Englishmen