The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-01-18

The Glorious News from Wilmington
Fort Fisher Ours.
II is not strange II the news Of the capture Of
Fort Fisher sounded to the whole country,
when first heard, almost too good to be true.
So wen had the secret Of the second attempt
been kept that the country only knew that
another attempt was to be made few hours
before the announcement Of its success was
received; and such circumstance was SO I'M
like the usual history Of these affairs that it
might very justly excite suspicion. But the
dispatches Of Admiral Porter and General
Terry, given elsewhere, will remove all
doubts-even, we fancy, from the mind Of the
most ardent friend Of General Butler. These
dispatches tell the glorious story simply. The
fort was submitted, on the 18th and 18th inst,
to the same tremendous bombardment inflicted
in December; and then, at three P. N. on the
18th, the army moved forward and assaulted
the fort. Part of the parapet was carried by
escalade after a desperate fight Our men by
that means effected Judgment in the work,
and completed the capture at night Our loss
is heavy, but is not yet known. Fort Fisher
and its dependencies were garrisoned by fifteen
hundred to two thousand men, oil Of whom
are prisoners.
By this triumph we gain one very great sub
stantial result We absolutely close the last sea-
port by which the enemy kept open effec-
tive communication with Europe-by which cot
ton went out in large quantities, and by which
the whole assortment of blockade running goods
went in. Some little reflection will show that,
in this point of view, the capture of Fort
Fisher is one of the most important victories
Of the war. Cotton does go out from the trans
Mississippi part Of Rebellion, and some Euro
pean products do 60 in by way Of the Rio
Grande; but the rebel government never has
relied upon any but the Atlantic ports or the
0uA pOA to UAAAo 0luC tAC 1uAooAooAppA w supply
its wants. When these were reduced in num-
Der to two-Mobile and Wilmington, with per-
haps an entry now and then at Charleston
it was in a bad strait, although then
the importation of English machinery and
English mechanics had enabled it to manu-
facture, at Atlanta, Rome and Augusta,
large portion Of the articles that at the
commencement of the war it had to
get from Europe. With the use Of two
ports and great activity in its various
it did very well for many
months, and kept its armies in the field
perfectly, but well enough to
make them effective. Then Sherman broke up
the immense shops at Atlanta and Rome, Grip
pling the rebels greatly, and compelling
them to rely still more on Europe. Next, Far
ragut closed Mobile. Matters were getting
rapidly worse and worse, for presently Sher-
man was on the seaboard, and between Augusta
and Richmond So, one by one the rebel
lion had been deprived Of all the agencies that
enabled it to equip armies, except the arsenal
shops in Richmond and the port of Wilmington.
Now the last port has gone, and it would hardly
be hyperbole to say that the last cap has been
exploded on rebel rife that Europe can fur
nish No more arms or ammunition, blankets,
clothes or shoes can go in, nor can any conside-
rablc quantity Of cotton go out Now, indeed,
the confedcracy ceases to exist for Europe.
In another point Of view also the country is
to be congratulated upon the capture of Fort
Fisher. 1t puts the last seal to the popular
of General Butler. General Buffers
admirers and adherents are that class Of men
who never relinquish any position while there
is possibility that argumentative subtlety may
make the people believe that they are right 1t
does not seem possible to imagine anything so
absurd; but the whole world may be made to
believe it If any considerable number of men
will maintain 1t with vigor and stick to II.
Thus there was chance that by dint Of
assertion, made under all possible circum-
stances and at all times, the people might be
brought TO believe that there were mitigating
circumstances in Buffers failure, and that thus
he might again be forced into position. But
how can the friends Of Butler answer this cap
turei Hero is the fort, made stronger by the
enemy than it was before, garrisoned by three
or four times as many men, and IL falls the first
time an attempt is made to take it. VIII not
this finish all the Butler controversial
General Terry W.. General DutIcr-The
Finishing Blow TO Our Political Gene