New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-04-08
THE FIRST ATTACK On FORT FISHER
Csrrespssdsscs Between Gens. Bsiler
and willing.


CorGds,sn STATES.
sIR: 7 reeu.sted short time ago. Lieut.. Davenport,
young gentleman serving my staff 10 call upon
you and obtain particulars concerning the oordi-
lion Of Fort Fisher an It's surrounding the time Of
the demons.t Oh Of The Union forces. under my
mand against H. rom tie 10Th 10 the 9TH Of December
last.
From hs subsequent capture and other now dis
positions OF the forces on both sides ventrred 10 con
lecture that yon would hive difficulty In furnishing
me with The Information desired.
had not heard before Of the severity Of jour wound
and the critical condition OF your health would not
have torbed you that time upon this suij"o' al
though Of some importance ard interest TO myself
learn. however. from Lieut.. export that you are
intending soon 10 mako your official report to you
Government and therefore inst an not n' sire or
annoying In desiring yonr sDswers. as specifically a.
your memory and data viii allow 70 the questions here
to appended which have put IN direct form partly N
save you trouble and still especially IN order 10
bring ow, tie exact facts which ct time may be
needed Tor the purposes Of Justice This IL nlso in &C.
cordauce with Jour wish expressed to Lieut. Davenport
that sny question which desired tn have yon sn." Or
might be placed u,on paper In some specific 'o NJ
WIZ ~ please state, theIsforei
e~xNk What was The numbcr Of tie garrison OF
Pom ?Sher tie 18th, i7ih snd ttt OF Decenber last
deslspst!nr tLe Regiments OF Ddtaii'ns'
ha.~r-Fi,e ~ Ccnpnsies Of ire 3fh Regiment
North Carolina TIcops. aud Ad,mss Light Battery
amounting 10 SCI aggregate was the puner ~ the gar
rson at Fot fisher On tue ith. l7th abd 18th VI Dc
cembeI last.
Qnssnss X--whst portion II sny, Of the regular gar
risbn ~ lie Fort had been sent South
As~r'-Fnr ~ Companies OF tire ssh Regiment
North CaIolpa 1.Vops (si Of regimenD had been sent
South.
Qres'ie. UI-Whst reserves or cooperating forces
were there msry, and how nesr 'be Fort were ffeyf
zasp,r-A bont 10 reserves at Sugar Leaf five 80
miles from tie Fort.
9u"ion IV.-wbst. Il any. force VA At Wilmington
/nspsr-Ths advance of Hokes's Division arrived In
Warrington on he 22d Of Dec~Eber last. S"ie pushed
10 Sugar Loaf aud continued arriving nu the eose 81
the ATTACK.
Qpssior V--Piesss give the DAY of The week or
mouth hen you frat became Of ths presence OF
the Feeial fleet. either Of Transports ~ OF naval '~s
sels. ard what vessels did y"u ot-eive frsif
Asmer-On Tuesday. tie 20,h. tasn's' i've (2S)
ves,,l including several fgatcs, ssre rsI~itcd W me
Ia tie ohag. all vessels ~ var.
QEonon pL-At what time did any rrenforcemenfs.
etLor rom tie Army Of Northern Virsini.. or else
where. reach " mmgon or its noshborhVod'
As~r.-Arwercd In No. ".
Qataion VN-IiOw near did the powder boat which
I~~,y.-,aiwren 800 and l. 200 ysrd,--not nearer.
Q~s,ss rIH Were you IN tie fuit o. iLAi tiutf
Asu~r.--f was bOr.
Qu.,,os TX Was the powder bat observed. and II
- what u s,,. was the effect OF The erPl~ion'
Assru.-r. WIDER Beat was observed. aud reported at
said night aground and ct lire. Explosion reported
at l2:45 D. effect nj all on the fui. E,Plo,i"n
heard plainly 10 Wilmington, whom It.egfaph'd Oh
Lamb 10 kn"v What Il WA lie replied. "Lnenys
gun. hOat bbwh up"
Qsesfit. x-At the time Of tho explosion Of the
pow der. boat bow many there IN the torti
Aasr.r -Answer Ia NJ. J.
GAs'iDs Al Whist uas the eject OF the naval hre
Of the Gr.t Gat np.n the Font,
Qsestion XIL-How many and whs, gun. did II dis
mount or disat.c'
G~u,os YIiI-"lesss state whether any part snd
II - L"v mu Of the detn~Ye 10 the Fort by tie 1ie
VI tae NAVY. We r"paii-d darins tho nighii
Assr' 10 xL XII a,d xfIL-Cwnaltirs hrst day
KIe. rome, woaII'd. "re az mortal three 90 60
,eirly, sad nineteen UO slightly; total: "a. Five %
run carrirgs, disabled sec nd day Killed trrs 90.
wornde nine inofthly siI 10 severely. ard TWEEN
tyeiyt cs) shg,.' iotal a. Damage hat v'iy slight.
one I'D ltlsch to. "a ~ pdrs. and enc % einc car
ra,-s disabled. srd one ~ lOiuci gun di-nhed
Damages repaii''d Al night Encmy's fie f"rmidnDIe
AID sI.tained but disn.c. uncsnce hirs,cd Appiren
nesign OF IL. ieet 20 sesce tho channsl bs'.Irs IN
order 10 Gree an rranoe with he vessels AID not to
.u'ck ~ land ihe S.,i'"a an. IN no ir.anet d,,sn
slowly and Deliberately. 6n2 shot and shell
QaoTion IiY-Iy reason II toe cessation OF the
bon @ cnen at Might we're you NOT able to rest and re-
crut yuEr garri-onf
As.ss,, Wa able 70 do both.
Qsestios AH-At ,be time u the landing where W0
the .upportios tree any " me r.t, ,.,, a, uot.,
P'Qs ssa,os XvL-wsrs there any achievements
brought into TEE io between the tims OF posiop
II the powder ost and our landrs. 90 please state
Irsru.-On the I'D. ITO men, Veteran Artillery Of
the 10Th Regiment y. T. 81 sailors and tie 9Th BAT
TALON IT, ReseTvss sbou, ~ strong we're thrown Into
the Foft
o~srtioa xr'H-At the time our .sirmish line was
de yed before the F0t what va. the condition OF tic
suns ard deenscs upon the Land aide a. 10 EMERGENCY
- defensive operntionst
ANSra.--TLe guns and deenses On the land mont
=. he tl,ga Ga ~
- a disabled gnns on the ei' 10 gans 10 position;
rnAssds IN pesietorder. and names tie same Ibs vucs
amos EIYH-Ip view Of the condit,oa NJ the Fort
and its rsrrtsSn, vesh Il have been possioh. with
either three ~ or s,x C6 tsoasa.d Wsr To have taken
tho york " s,ssaA, foTE: In answering this
s.s.Sn pses.s CIV. - mSny 81 The e''~n' 10Y 'hs
%.~s1'~Po.sicis. Yes. Probable. No TIE work va.
very strong the ssrriseu In god spirits and ready and
the Ere the apbrossss afc ssssutE column having
DO so,er) would have bs~s e.tsHnrdansry heavy: In
addition to IRE heavy bad bsttery u Sspoe"ss
on which placed great rsas.re The Psiissas Alone
would he W. been Q nlu<t formidable obstacb.
o.saio~ xIx.-tesss state whether, with force
holding the bssOh nom Ii: nature Of tho Grpond and
from The ccnagurM'on Of the Cape Fear k.ves
would have been possible for the Confederses 70 have
resniorced prov iAonsd the Fort 70 any sstsass
/sser.-Eo difficulty st ~ bv tho river.
E: s:.. o. g.. ., a .:@S. viii q. as
Of the garrison ct the time Of the secoad sitsckf
Iaspev Tbs garrison ct the secopd ettscf Wa nearly
douby stronger hut not afoGoehf o. ~ Eooo mateus
QIssfsoa IXf-In view Of tie coadltioa Of the
weather Immediately following The demonstxssoo OF
~ a5th Of December and IN view Of the fcrcs that
% 20, hsse concentrated spon ths peninsular well
above - below the place u landing. would T. IN your
jud susnt have bsss possible Sof siX thousand mon.
hout artillery u have held cut there without beihg
Of ov.rv bslncA ou The .osh Il Deosnbsr to
he 18Th Of January
Issvu.-No; and n Il . matter Of crave charge
against Con- bragg that the vhss force wse not esp
sured on The ssA q DscsGbsE IL had tie forOs and
the position.