The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1865-01-21

have the honor to be very respectfully
your oDedient servant, d. d. PORTER,
Rear Admiral.
TO Hon. utoEoS WGILEs, sec'y OF War.
The Capture OF Fort Fisher.
BALTIMORE, Jan. l-.-Tle CORRESPOND.
eat OF the a~eT7car gives the following de.
tai Ell account OF the capture OF For. Fish
ar:
Friday, Jan. L; At bells, four o lock
this morning. we were aroused By a Gun
from tho tag ship and TIA burning OF the
preparatory signal Of red and green, "a an
indication that il is time 10 be up aud stir
ring, preparing breakfast ard getting thrO
with the routine OF morning duty, SIS as to
BE- IN readiness at dawn to commence the
serious work Of the day. The throng o!
vessels resting or the sea, the wind ben /.
too Light TO stir or even .lppla lis surface
truly the elements promise TO favor this
great enterprise.
AT FIVE O'Clock the "a s..na, wa given BY
the flag ship TO get under way, when the
work OF weighing anchors commenced, and
at half past five the signal Of the division
commanders given to move, and respond
ed 10, causing y brilliant display. The
gunboat TacoCv was sent ahead last night
70 ancaor oil Flag Pond battery, and tie
day not having vel dawned, her lights can
be seen as the steering point OF the Acct al
point abou. 3 miles ahead OF Us.
The three trigates Wabash. Minnesota,
and Colorado, moved OF first. led by Ad-
nirai Porte-'s dag ship. They were 10.
lowed by the new !rons:des and monitor
feet. The signals from the army trans
ports added 10 the display. At lie first
3awu OF day, the whole armada was ia
cotton. The wind had changed 10 due
west during the night, and coming OF shore
tends TO rende. the landing Of troops com
1 20 -. 49, ~ A y
mira. sigaal!ed for line af battle, whereup-
on the Brooklyn with her Ine of vessels
moved along close 10 the beach in the 70.
lowing order: Brooklyn 20 guns, Mohican
:, Taeony ID, Kansas Tnadii,a., Huron
4, Mango, Pa.ucket 10. Seneca Pontoosuo
10, New York 6, Hsn.ic., Narciss,ls II,
total liz guns. The division was ordered
to prepare for action and move in close to
the beach to shell the wOads a. Point deci-
ted upon for the landing OF the troops,
about ;! miles from Fort Fisher, near the
half moon battery. In few moments
the whole division was in position throw
ing shells into the narrow strip Of woods
separating the sea shore from Cape Fear
river, about mile inland parallel with the
beach.
In the meantime tho iron c.ads moved
il e position directly in front of Fort Fish
er: the irons;des about three quarters OF a
mile and the monitors about half a mile oil
IN the following order the new Ironsides
Com. RadfOrd, 90 guns; Monadnok, Com.
Parrot, tguns; Saugus, Com. Hale, = guns
Canonieus guns; Massac guns. Before
they got into position th5 Fort opened on
them. but they secured their anchorage !;
when at $50 tae Ironsides opened on the
Fort, and was followed by the monitors
with their tremendous shells. Every shot
struck in the embrasu-es and exploding
threw clouds OF sand high into tho air. The
Fort occasionally responded. bat did rs:
send more than one shot every ten minutes
and At times, 80 rapid was our firing, they
TO. al i, impossible to work their guns
At nine o clock the boats OF the feet were
called away TO assist in landing troops -
The " Gods had III The meantime been thor
ouShly she..ed and no enemy bad appear
ed. The transports were enabled To 90
within ha.f a mile Of the shore, and thay
We're soon surrounded by not less than 90
boats supplied from all the vessels OF the
t'eet. Several tugs also joined il the work
aud carried the soldiers 20 within 100 Yards
Of the beach where they We're transferred
10 small boats. The texts aaa camp egui.
rage were also Landed, with several DAYS
provisions .'1r TIE entire force, 500 strong.
At ain- q clock the boats from AL the trans
ports moved tor the shore and in a few
inmates the first 80 men stepped on the
beach and planted their reg u entail tiag OF
ing FROM the transports and the i'aet
Not sign Of any enemy could be seen AT
this time IN AM direction. AT ten O'clock
about 1000 troops having been landed q
shi-inieA line was sea. forward on tho
beach.
Admiral Porter sicna.ed to Capt. G!ea-
son commanding the Saratoga 10 move
Win his gunboat division on each side Of
the line OF the frigagp. and shell the beach
II aduan0e Of the skir;a.shers. The woods
il advance Of the picAets were thoroughly
sheiled. up to within mile aAd q NAT Ct
o. Fort Fisher.
The firing on the For. from the monitors
AMI new ,ronsides was q magnificent sight
rom eight o clock ia the morning up to
fo.r O'Clock IN the afternoon, TIE monitors
poured n their murdecous shells 4. the
rate Of four pes minute. The hole MN
her thrown IN that time was about LOCO -
Every shot STR. tx the embsasures or para
pet OF the Fort, and the gunnery exhibited
was never surpassed. During this t;mo
the For. probably threw 800 shells il return
b1. the difficulty they had in working their
guns amid the explosion of our shells and
the clouds OF sand that constantly enye!op-
ed the work, from our well directed shots,
doubtless marred their gunnery, rs most OF
heir shells struck beyoud or short OF the
mark. All Of our vessels, however, rece;y-
ted honorable scars in the fight.
The damage to the fort, by outward ap-
pea-ances, was most distinct. About four
O'Clock dense and continuous smoke
from the inside Of the fort indicated that
some o. the rebel huts had been fred. At
four O'Clock the Admiral s!gnaiiad to tie
vessels n the line Of battle number one TO
take the position marked out for than on
the chart. and follow in the bOmbardmeut.
Following rapidly was az order to the line
number Two, to take positions ard jain
u the hcmhardment. IL immediately
moved forward, presenting az ;trtav C.the
largest vessels n the seTvice-a u,ayait:-
cent spectacle, of Old wooden walls, with
t.seir ,,oaderocs armament.
At 70 minutes TO 5 O'Clock these two in.
n ense divisions carrying 80 guns, IN ad-
:lt.on e ne i;ro,n-c.ads, Joined the naval
The number Of shots fred
y h..e this great onibarhment Lasted. fone
hour and half, at 10 minutes past six o.
cock. coIli DOt have been less than rer
-ecoEd. have no doubt that up 10 the |
withdrawal. oI the wooden walls this eye
ling, not less than - 800 shells were fred I
= ofs - Il