New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-01-18
PORT RIsHR u.


earthwork dofenses been tested, and i'll the
Crimea there is 10 instance of q successful as
sault upon any work til it had been regularly
approached by elaborate and protroeted siege
operations. Nov for the first time is really
formidable earthwork carried By direct as
saul., and in military view, therefore, the
storning Of Fort Fisher is probably entitled to
be- reckoned the most brilliant, as it surely is
the most remarkable, yictcry Of the war.
Fort Fisher was tho strongest fort nthe South.
With It's extensive system Of OutwoTk', con-
struced a; leisure b the bost engineering talent
Of the Confcderacy, Iclied IN for the sure defense
of the sole remaining port into which blockade
runners regularly attempted TO enter, immeas-
urably important to the external support of the
Rebellion, it was De, med. and within fortnight
has been proclaimed by 'he General who COM
mands all the Rebel forces, absolutely impres-
nablc. We possess rs yet no exact account
of this work, but IS intrinsic strength
may be judged from the fact that 1t
has remained uninjrrcd after Tie most
tremendous naval bonbardmert which any
fort has endured, that its parapct and s.ockadc
wore fifteen feet high, and that after q portion
Of the parapct was in possession Of the assault
ing column, tire remainder Of the fort detied
their efforts for seven hoUrs and until reinforce
ments had been brought up. The carrying by
storm of such wo.k il an epoch in military
history. As tie -Mer.imac fight was TO
naval warfare, as the preaching of Pulaski by
light guns at eighteen hundred yards was to
casemated forts on land, so may the s,ornipg OF
Fort Fisher be 10 the newly.yauntcd earth
work defcnsos. The ever-oscillating SUI
periOrity q attack and defense which for three
years has been supposed TO be with the latter,
rests to-day with the former. Hcroisn is better
than dirt Tho masonry of Vauban dcfied the
weak artillery of the FIRST half Of the century,
and when that system fell the earthwOrks Of
Todtleben again restored the odds to defensive
warfare, but tie genius and tic resoluto will Of
one commander aided by the unequaled vslor
of his troops have neutralized and oyerpowercd
the best engineering science of the day, and at
this moment no fertilization ia secure against
assault.
ALFRED II. TERRY, Brovet Major-General
United States Volunteers, is the hero Of this
new success. Educated lawyer, never within
fifty miles OF West Point. child Of the people
and soldier in this war from the beginning for
conscience sake--le It's who has won in single
day a national fame and professional military
renown not inferior to the proudest. Gen. Ter
~ was one Of the f3w men who before the war
saw the necessity Of preparation for il, who
helped TO put his State (ConnecticuD in prepa-
ration for it, and who devoted his own energies
TO its approaching demands. He was among
the first in the fcld has served steadily and with
distinction since, and now at a
bound reaches the highest place among the so!-
diers of the Republic.
The practical value OF this success is two
fold. The port of Wilmington is closed abso-
lutely against blockade-running, and the town
itself is imminently threatened. The former is
by far the most important, but the capture Of
Wilmington is a success 70 which We may look
forward az extremely valuable az closing an i'm
portant line Of railway. Whether it can DC
Immediately attempted viii depend on tie
strength Of Gen. Tcry's force.
Our special correspondents send very full and
excellent accounts OF tho operations down 10
Saturday-the day before the final assault. The
landing of the troops aid the subsequent move
ments or shore were conducted by Gen. Terry
with singular coclness, good Judgment, and de-
termination. There vas no hurry, no eagerness
though the circumstances might have excused
it--bnt quiet purpose to do The whole work
thoroughly; and It hos been done thoroughly.
Everything south Of Fort Fisher on Fed
erai Point is ours, and the works on
the right banl: OF the river may De