Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-01-17

ouL TIeet OH r OFT F1Sner-1ue b0h08fQs
ment Renewed-Preparatisn for the
Attack-The Plan Of Battle.
despatch to the Baltimore American.l
ANNAPOLIS, Jan. 16.-The flag Of truce boat
New York, from Aiken's Landing, james
river, with paroled soldiers and citizens, ar
rived here this morning. Lieutenant Cover
nor Jacobs, OF Kentucky, is among the passen.
gers,
The Attack on Fort Fisher Renewed
The Examiner of Saturday says, editoriaily:
"Yankee gunbOats, upwards of fifty in num-
ber, are again visible Off Wilmingto ton, and were
yesterday said to be engaged in the vigorous
shelling of the woods near Fort Fisher. There
is rumor that an attack has been commenced
against the Fort itself, but the War Depart
ment mad last night received 40 intelligence OF
it. The Yankees will not take Fort Fisher"
BY mail last night we received the Rich
mond papers of Saturday. The Sentinel says:
From Wilmington.
An official despatch received yesterday says:
"About fifty vessels are in sight, mostly oppo.
site the point Of the former landing Of the
enemy. The weather is fair and the sea
smooth"
There was report last night that the ene-
my's fleet had begun the bonn mbardment of Fort
Fisher. There was, however, no official des-
patch on the subject.
They will find the fort in much better con-
dition for resistance than when Butler made
his attempt upon it. We learn that the two
valuable Brooke guns which we lost ia Fort
Fisher during the last attack were bursted by
beirg G loaded and fired with shell which did
not belong to them. From the very heavy
charges OF powder uSeu IN tnem, the BROOKE
guns require shell of extraordinary strength.
The shells used at Fort Fisher were crushed
in the guns, and the fragments becoming
jammed, caused the guns TO burst.
The Preparations for the Attack.
THE foil owing letter from our special cor
respondent has been in our possession some
days, but it's publication has been withheld
until the attack on Wilmington had been COM
menced.-Ed Amerl
STEAAsHIP SANTIAGO, OFF BEAUFORT, Jan.
9, 1s65.--H Having ridden out pretty heavy
southeast storm at our anchorage during the
past two days, we are now enjoying one OF the
periodical calms peculiar to this latitude,
which can scarcely be calculated upon for
more than twentv-tour hours. Laying at an
chor in rOpgh weather is very tryinng on the
head and stomach OF landSman, as l can
feelingly and practically testify.
Yesterday (Sunaay) morning the wind hav.
ing got round to the northwest and the sun
shining out brightly, we commenced the en-
joyment OF quiet sea- and our eyes Were de-
lighted at the approach of the fleet or trans
ports with the troops furnished by Gen. Grant
to cooperate with Admiral Porters feet in the
capture Of Fort Fisher. the first vessel that
arrived was the f1agship of the Commanding
General, which crossed the bar and proceeded
up Beaufort harbor to the flagship of Admiral
Porter. Next came the ocean steamer Baltic,
followed by tie Atlantic, each with near two
thousand men on board Two other transports
also, soon after arrived, the names of which
could not be ascertained. All of them are now,
as write, anchored outside Of the bar, inter-
mingled among the heavy vessels Of the fleet.
The plan Of battle is already fully arranged.
and the commander of each vessel has been
supplied with a 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 being COM
manded by the Senior Captain Of the gunboat
feet, Captain o S. Glisson, is stationed at the
head OF the line, and whilst the other vessels
OF her class, eleven in number, are to concen-
trate their fire ON the outworks of Fort Fisher,
our guns are to throw flank fire into the fort.
My position to witness the fight will therefore
be advantageous, having full view of the
operations OF the Monitors and the Ironsdes
and the heavy frigates on the right of the line,
and OF the gunboat attack on the outer works
Of the enemy, including Mound Battery, on the
left of our position.
The positions Of the vessels are nearly the
same as in the former fight, excepting that the
iron clads take position about a quarter OF a
mile nearer to Fort Fisher than at the first at
tack, and the Dictator will join them with her
two 15-inch guns, making the Monitor fleet II
guns strong, including the guns on the Monad-
mock. Then the Ironsides. with her tremend-
ous 11-inch broadsides, and the Minnesota, Wa
bash, Brooklyn, SusQuehanna. Tnscarora, Sem
eca, Ticonderoga, Mohican, Colorado, Shenan-
doah, Pautuxent, Maeinaw, Maumee, Powha-
tan, Juniata, Yantic and Kansas form the sec
ond line, not forgetting the Nyack, Cnadiiia,
Huron andPequoit, which act as tenders to the
Monitors on the inner circle.
The gunb boat fleet Is to form in line in front OF
the shore batteries extending TO the right of
Fort Fisher, in the following order :-San.i-
age de Cuba, Fort Jackson, Tacony, Osceola,
Chippewa, Sassacus, ,iMaratanZa Rhode Island,
Chippewa, Mount Vernon, Quaker City and
Iasca
The reserves OF the various divisions,
consisting of the smaller class of gunboats,
are assigned to positions outside the line.of-
battle.
A steamtug just arrived from the inner har-
Dor reports that at noon to- day a signal was
hoised on the flag ship for the entire fleet
| to prepare for sea. The probability, there
| fore, is that we will sail to- morrow morn
ing If the weather should continue favor.
able.
The feet outside the bar are all ready to sail
at a moments notice, and will fall in line SO
soon as the forest OF masts and turrets come out
| Of Beaufort harbor. The large transports are
| also outside, and have anchored about fifteen
miles from shore, awaiting the movement OF
the fleet. Yours, &c. q. g. f.