Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1865-02-01
WILMINGTON
ALL THE REBEL FORTS AND SMITH
WILLIE OCCUPIED BY OUR TROOPS.

We take the following extracts from Com
modore Porter despatch to the Secretary
of the Navy, announcing the occupation OF
all the rebel fortifcations on Cape Fear riv-
er by Union troops. Com Porter says:
In my last, [ informed you that Fort
Caswell had been blown up and evacuated
in consequence of the fall of Fort Fisher.
sent Lieutenant W. B. Gushing around in
the Monticello to the western bar to asser-
tain what had taken place, and to obtain the
aid of the officers in command of the Nyack
and Vicksburg, and take advantage of the
occasion. Lieutenant Gushing did not OBJ
tain the aid he required, for what reason [
have not yet learned; but with his usual en-
ergy he pushed in his boats and found that
fort Caswell had been blown up. Bald Head
fort destroyed, Fort Shaw also, and Fort
Campbell, to the westward of Fort Caswell.s
had been abandoned All the forts II cunt
ed nine and ten inch guns and Armstrong
80 Founders. 1t. Gushing then pushed
into Smithville, after hoisting the flag of
the Union over Caswell. The next thing |
saw was the flag waving over Smithville,
which the rebels had left in a great hurry
after they saw our boats approaching, leav
ing everything in the heavy and beautiful
fort uninjured, and two 9-inch guns only
spiked in the fort at Deep Water Point.
SIN the mean time [ had succeeded in
getting one gunboat, the Tacony, over the
rip upito Reeve Point, to disable the guns
at that place, about three miles on the west
side of the river, above Fort Fisher. Thus
twenty-four hours after the fall of Fisher
and its outworks, all the formidable chain
| Of forts on this river and at the entrance,
built to keep out anything we had, have fall
len into our hands. | can scarcely give
description of these works; they are certain
ly the most formidable and best built earth
works | ever saw, and do credit to the engi-
neer who planed them. One would sup
pose that the whole Southern confederacy
had been at''work throwing upmud and sand,
and Gen. Whiting, the engineer, had an a.
biding faith in the durability of the confede-
racy, as he shows his opinion by his works,
which have been four years building, and
! been taken in as many days.
Il find that immense quantities of provis-
ions, stores and clothing have come through
this port into rebeldom. [ am almost a
fraid to mention the amount but there was
enaugh to supply over $4,000 men. 1t is all
English and they have received the last car
go-no more will ever come this way.
rrtthitt fuenefaI Lee to his subordinate here re
saying that if Fort Fisher and Caswell were
not held he would have to evacuate Rich
mond. He says most truly, and I should
not be surprised if he left at any moment.
We have plenty Of force to hold this
place against the whole Southern Con-
federacy. have $50 guns bearing On the
narrow strip of land where our troops are
heavily entrenched. There are vessels in
the river and outside, and we are only in
hopes that they will attempt to retake it.
| One thousand men in Fort Fisher, with
the guns of the squadron, would hold this
place a long time.
We find this a better place to catch
| blockade runners than outside. | had the
| blockade runners light lit last night, and was
! SDAioi''o ShOuSi W dilSNcE tuSIE SlElldi.
Whether right or wrong we don't know.
! Two OF them, the Stag and Charlotte, from
Bermuda, loaded with arms, blankets, shoes,
&c., came in and quietly anchored near the
Malvern, and were taken possession Of
The Stag was commanded by Richard H.
Gayle, Lieutenant in the rebel navy. and
belongs to the rebel Government. A num-
Der more were expected, and we will. I hope
catch portion of them. | entrusted this
duty to Lieut.. Gushing, who performed it
with his usualfgood pluck and intelligence.
These two are very fast vessels and valuable
prizes. They threw portion of their pa
Pers overheard Immediately on finding thev
were trapped. The Charlotte brings FIVE
English passengers, one of them an English
army officer. They all came over, as they
expressed it, on a lark, and were making
themselves quite jolly in the cabin over
their champagne, having felicitated them
selves on their safe arrival The Stag re-
ceived three shots in her as she run by our
blockaders outside"