, 1865-01-14


UNITED STATES, C1rT Po1Sr, Jan Z.
Lon. E. H. Stsntor, Secretary Of War:
SIR: Herewith hare the honor to forward
Major General Benz. r. Butler and subordin-
ates' reports Of the expedition against Fort
As lie report Of Rear Admiral Porter has
been published in the papers. I would re-
with all the papers accompanying 1t be also
giyen to The public.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant.
U. s. GRANT, Lieut.. General.
This was necessary as the transports were
crowded for two days and that time been
there consumed. For four days the wind
blew gale, during: which the transports were
At p. m. on the 24th Butler came in sight
Of Fort Fisher. He found the nayal feet
bomhardirg 1t, the powder vessel having been
exploded on the morning previous. ArTange-
menis we're made to land troops next moIn-
Ing under cover Of the gnnboats. as soon as
tcries had been silcnced, which were up shore
or miles above Fort Fisher.
HEADQUARTERS VIRGINIA & NORTH CAROLINA,
,ARar OF TIE JAMES, IN raE FIELD,
To Lieut.; Gen. U. S. Grant, Commanding Armies
GESEnA1-on the 7th Of December last, in
obedience to your orders, moved a force OF
0nne's division Of the 9th Corps and Gen.
Paine's division Of the 25th Corps, under
command Of Mai. Gen. Eitchcl, to an en-
campment near Bermuda. On the 9Th the
troops embarked near Fortress Monroe. On
the 9Th {Friday)l reported to Rear Admiral
Porter that tie army portion Of the conioint
expedition directed against Wilmington was
ready to proceed. We waited there Satur-
day, The 10th, Sunday, the 11th, and Monday,
the 18th.
On the 18th, Rear Admiral Porter informed
me that the naval feet would sail On tho
18Th, but would be obliged to put into Beau
fort to take on board ammunition for the
mentors.
The expedition having become the subject
of remark, and fearing lest its destination
should get to the enemy, in order to direct
their attention from i: IN the morning, On
Tuesday, 5s1a5 i,o tnf isth, at f o'clock, o.
up 1ho Potomac during the day, to Matthias
Point, 80 as to be Plainly visible to the scouts
and signal men Of the enemy on the northern
neck, nnd rctrnce their course at night aud an
chor under tie lee Of Cape Charles. Having
given the navy SO hours start, at II O'Clock
{noon) Of the lith (Sednosday), joined the
sea. arriving ut place Of rendezvous
lThc following abstract received latcr, continues
the report but Ia itsclf1cft incomplete BY failure
of the wiree.-Eps. Tn1D.l
The transports detailed from the 9th to the
18th Of December waiting for Porter's fleet,
joined the fleet off Cape Henry on the 18th,
arriving ut the rendezvous oil New Inlet, on
the evening OF tie 18th, where they waited
until the evening Of the 18th, having the
finest 9 t., weather 7tt, possible. @ On the eTsning
fort to the rendezvous, when the sca be-
came rough. and on the 18th wind sprung
upmaking It impossible to land the troops,
and hy advice Of Porter the troops we're rem.
dezyoused at Beaufort.
Potter was sanguine hc had silenc2d Fort
Fisher. He was urged If that we're so to run
troops could land and hold the brach without
fear Of being shcl1ed by the rebel gunboats.
The Tallahassee being seen In the river, Gen.
Butler argued If Porter would put his ships
in the river the army could deploy across the
beach that at least the blockade Of Will
mington would be thus efectua1, even il they
did not capture the fort.
Porter replied that he should probably lose
his bouts By torpedoc If he attempted to run
BY, and WIS reminded that the army might
lose 500 men By an assault, and that his boats
would not weigh In the balance even In mauy
points Of view with the lives Of these men.
Porter declined going by, and the cxpedi-
tion waSdepriyed Of that essential element
Of success.
By noon Of the 25th the batteries were re-
ported silenced and the transports sue
ccssfulls landed their troops Finding that
accommodating party landing could hold the
shore, Butler determined that land force
should attempt an assault. Curtts' brigade
pushed to within 400 yards Of Fort Fisher,
capturing the Half Moon Battery aud Its
men. Tits ski1nish line advanced to within
IS yards Of the fort. the garrison being kept
in bo1nbproofs By the naval fire. When the
Ere Of the navy ceased, a parapet Was fully
manned, aud a personal examination BY
Butler, within few hundred feet
Of Fort Fisher showed it to be we'll protect
ed from assault By extensive etockade bas-
tions fifteen feet hig gh and fifteen wide at the
west ditch, and that no material damage had
been done to the fort by the navy.
(The lines Brc working badly at the East. In
able to get any more to.n1ght-OrEfATon.l