Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1865-01-19
a. w.. RutIer aad Fort Fisher.

We nave already published extracts
from ! Richmond papers and from the
rebel 6 en. Bragg's official report, all
tending 10 show that the rebel rein
forcemen Is for the defense of Fort Fisher
had not a. rived at the time Gen. Butler
abandoned the attack on that work.
From other accounts it appears that
most Of the ! rcbels who were then in the
fort were gre, Va militia, like those in the
ontwork who surrendered so very east
" TO our troops. One of the prisoners cap
tured now makes affidavit that the gar
rson O! the fort confidently expected
our forces would make an assault and
chat no serious resistance would have
been made. Deserters who have since
arrived from the fort are reported to
have said that the garrison were great
ly demoralfzed and were about surren-
dering when they were surprised to
learn that our troops were being with
drawn. These latter reports are Of
course to be taken with a great many
grains of allowance; yet the more re-
liable rebel statements all concur that
the re.inforcements spoken of by Gen.
Butler, had not in faca arrived at the
time of the contemplated attack. Gen,
Buffers mistake in this particular seems
to have arisen from attaching toe much
credit to the stories Of the rebels he
captured Whether an attack upon the
fort would have really been successful,
of course we cannot certainly know;
s. but one of the chief reasons of its not
being attempted-the supposed arrival
Of rebel e-inforcements-seem to have
had no foundation in fact.
The powder-ghip, the assumption of
the command Of the expedition by Gen.
Butler, and the standardization Of the
troops after they had effected landing,
are specially mentioned by Gen. Grant
in his endorsement upon Gen. Buffers
official report. Grant repeatedly urged
Butler to get off the expedition at once,
with or without his powder ship" and
ascribes the delay TO that useless expert
ment 1t was not intended by. Grant
that Butler should accompany the ex-
petition, Gen. Weitzel being specially
named to command it, And finally it
was intended by Grant that if the troops
effected landing at all they should in
trench their position and hold it. Gen
Grant says his instructions comtemplat
ed no withdrawal after landing was
made. Gen. Butler, then, had no bust
ness with the expedition as commander
Having assumed command, he seems tC
have failed in the first duty of an officer
obedience to the instructions of hi
superior.
Gen. Butler is unequaled as semi
military administrative officer. He ha
done the country great service. Their
are positions of much usefulness whicl
may still, and we hope will, be found 70
him. But he has neither military edu
cation nor military experience, and a
might naturally be expected he is, in
purely military sense, failure.
- Since writing the above we hav
received a dispatch announcing tina
Fort Fisher was taken by assault on tn
afternoon of the 18th inst, with som
twelve hundred prisoners and seventy
two guns. The secrecy with which tn
operations of this second expeditio
nave been conducted is most commend
able. and it's success thus ia
comes as O. swift vindication of Gel
Grant Ef he needed one). All honor
the Lieutenant General, who admits n
such word as fail.