The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1865-02-02
Important dispatch from Admiral Porter.


WvsH1NGroN, Thursday, Jan. 2G.-The
Navy department to-day received the fol-
lowing from Admiral Porter:
NORTH ATLANTIC SQUADRON, U. S. FLAG
SHIP MALVERN, OFF SMITHvILLE, n. c.,
January 20, 1864.
In my last informed you that Fort Cas-
we'll had been blown up and evacuated in
of the fall of Fort Fisher. |
sent Lieut.. Cushing around in the Monticel-
10 to the western Bar to ascertain what had
taken place, and to obtain aid from the Off
GERS in command of the New York and
Vicksburg. Lieut. Cushing did not obtain
the aid he required, for what reason have
not vet learned, but with his usual energy
he pushed on aud found that Fort Caswell
had been blown up, Bald Head Fort destroy
ed, and Fort Shaw also, and Fort Campbell
to the westward Of Caswell, abandoned. All
these forts mounted 3 and 10-inch guns and
Armstrong 80 FOUNDERS.
Lieutenant Cushing then pushed into
Smithville, after hosting the flag of the Tn
ion over Fort 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 beautiful heavy fort
uninjnred, and two 9-inch guns only spiked
in the fort at Deep Water Point In the
meantime had succeeded in getting one
gunboat, the Tacouy, over the rip and int
rior bar. and sent her up to Reeves Point to
disable the guns at that place, about three
miles on the west side of the river, above
| Fort Fisher.
Thus in "a hours after the fall Of Fort
Fisher and its outworks, all the formidable
chain OF forts on this river at its entrance
built to keep ont anything, have fallen into
our hands. They are garrisoned for the
present with sailors. can scarcely give
description of these works. They are Ger
tainly the most formidable and the bes
built earthworks | ever saw. and do credit
to the engineer who planned them. For
Caswell is of the same shape as it was be
fore it fell into rebel hands, except that The
rebels have covered its walls with earth OF
the outside, and made them almost imper
vious to shot and shell. 1t is in many re
spects stronger than Fort Fisher, and hard
er to take by assault. Still it could be tax
en-, and the rebels knew it. Three or fou
gunbeats outside would soon have started
them out. have had great difficulty il
getting the gunboats over the bar and tn,
rips, and only succeeded this morning in get
ing the last one through.
The rebels left plenty of good stores ant
provisions and our men are now subsistins
on them. send you list of the forts tina
have fallen into our hands since Fort Fishe
with the name and caliber of their guns.
We have found here in each fort an Arm
strong gun, with the broad arrow on it an
the name, Sir William Armstrong, "marke
in full. As the British gov eminent claim
the exclusive right to these guns, it woul
be interesting To know how they came int
forts held 10y the Southern rebels.
find that immense quantities of provi
sions. stores and clothing have come through
this port. ] am almost afraid to mention
the amount; but it is enough to supply owe
$1,000 men. 1t is all English. They hav
however, received the last cargo. No NOR
will ever come this way
We picked up telegram from Gen. LIE
to his subordinate here saying that if For
Fisher and Caswell were not held he woul
have to ,evacuate Richmnod. He says mos
truly, and | should not be at all surprised
he left it any moment We have plenty o
force to hold this place against the who'll
Southern Confederacy. | have 250 guu
bearing on the narrow strip of land wher
our troops are heavily entrenched. Their
are vessels in the river and outside, and w
only hope they will attempt to retake it,
Ten Thousand men in Fort Fisher, with the
guns of the squadron, would hold this plao
long time We find this better place t.
catch blockade-rnnIers than outside, | ha,
the blockade runners lights lit last night
and was obliging enough to answer thei
signals, whether right or wreno we don
know. Two Of them, the STAG and Char
lotte, from Bermuda Ioaded with arms
Blankets stores, &c, came in
They quietly anchored near the Malvern
and were taken possession of. The Stas
was commanded by Richard H. Gayle
Lieutenant III the rebel navy, and belong
TO the rebel Government. A number NOR
are expected, and we will hone catch
portion OF them. | intrusted this duty t.
Lieut.. Cushing, who performed it with his
usual good luck and intelligence. Thes,
two are very fast vessels, and valuable pri
zes' Ihey threw portion of their papers
trapped.
The Charlotte brings five English passen
gers one OF them an English army officer
They all came over as they expressed it
on a lark, " and were making thems elve:
quite Jolly in the cabin, over champaign, fel
,l0cltatlng themselves on their safe arrival
Inc Stag received three shots in her as she
ran by our blockaders outside.
very respectfully, your obedient servant
SSolgned,) DAVID d. PORTER Rear Admiral
10 Gldeon Welles, Secretary of the Navy,
Washington.