The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-01-17
Preparations for n Vigorous Assault
on Fort Fisher.
Press Dispatch.

BALrIMoRE, Jan. l6th-A special cor
respondent of the American, under date
of January 9Th, communicates the fol
lowing important information relative TO
the renewal III rather continuance of the
late movement against the defences OF
Wilmington. situated at Fell Point,
mouth of New Inlet This correspon-
dence has been withheld from the public
here until it should become known that
an attack had actually been commenced.
The steamship Santiago dc Cuba, of
Beaufort OH the 9th, having ridden out a
heavy Southerly storm, has been at our
anchorage during the past two days, of
Beaufort Harbor We are now enjoying
a calm peculiar to this latitude, which
can scarcely he expected to last longer
than "a hours. Yesterday morning, the
wind having got round to the northeast,
and the sun shining out, we were blessed
once more with a quiet sea and our ayes
were delighted also with the approach of
a fleet of transports with the troops fur
nished by Gen. Grant to cooperate with
Admiral Porter's feet in the capture of
Fort Fisher.
The first vessel that arrived was the
flagship of the commanding General,
which crossed the bar at once and pro
ceeded up Beaufort harbor to communi-
cate with the flagship of dmiral Porter.
Next came the steamers Baltic and At
lantic, each with near two thousand men
on board. Other transports also arrived
soon after. Their names could not, how
ever, be ascertained All the transport
fleet, as / write, are now with the naval
vessels. The plan Of battle is fully ar
ranged, and the commander of each YES
sci has been supplied with new chart,
indicating not only his exact position,
but the precise point of the works Of the
enemy on which his fire is to be directed.
The Santiago de Cuba, commanded by
the senior Capt. of the gunboat Albert,
Capt. o. S. Glesson, is stationed at the
head of the H. of vessels of her class,
eleven in number, and whilst Others OF
the line are to concentrate their ire on
the outworks of Fort Fisher, our guns
are to throw a flank fire into the Fort
The positions of the vessels are nearly
the same as in the former fight, excepting
that the iron clads will take position
also quarter of mile nearer to the Fort
than at the first attack. The Dictator
will also join them with her two fifteen
inch guns, making the monitor fleet
twelve guns strong, including the guns
of the Menadonock Then the Iron Sides,
with her tremendous eleven inch broad
siders, and the Minnesota, Wabash, Brook
lyn, Susquehanna, Tuscarora, Sentry,
Ticouderoga, MOhican, Colorado, Shen-
andoah, Nantucket, Wackinan, Maumee,
Powhattan, Juniata Yuntic and Kansas,
form the second line The Nijack, IMAM
della, Huron and Pequot, which act as
tenders to the monitors are also In the
inner line.
The gunboat feet is to form line III
front of the shore batteries, extending to
the right of Fort Fisher The reserves
of the various divisions. consisting of
the smaller class of gunboats, are assign
ed to a position outside Of the line OF
battle.
LATER
4 steamer has just arrived from Inner
HaIbor and reports that AT noon to day
a signal was hoisted on the flag ship of
the entire fleet to prepare tor sea The
probability is that We Will sail to-m"l-
row morning II the weather continues
favorable We also have tbe gratifying
Intelligence that Gen Terry has arrived
and is i'll command Of the troops. His
presence is hailed by the feet as an as
surance that all energetic and determin-
ed effort will 10 made To prove that Fort
Fisher can be taken. The fleet outside
the bar are all ready to sail at moments
notice Larger transports are also out
side about L. miles from the shore
awaiting the movements of the tieet