Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1865-01-28
Movement Of Part Sherman'S Fo,..
OFFICIAL BULLETIN.

on board the steamer SpaHlding, Of that =.
yesterday morning, January 18th, By Maio.ns
eraI Terry. ~
An acknowledgment and thanks for tb..r
achievement was given in your name n ,s- H
Porter and Gen. Terry, from whom III. ,.,, 1-IA
| particulars are obtained:
The troops arrived of Fort Fisher =,
night. On Friday they were all landed unda ..suT
of heavy fire from the squadron. A go. Sef
sance was made by General Terry on sstu,s.-
strong defence line against the euemv,.
coming from Wilmington was established ana 20
by 1000 men, chiefly colored troops. ana -.
sauIt determined on.
The assault was made on Sunday P N e,oao
/ o'clock. The sea front of the fort had beop -.
Iy damaged by continuous and terrible ers of,r.
fleet for three days, and the front was assau,tsa.
| the hour named by column Of seamen and -.
rines 800 strong, under command of Cant. R,..
Sc. They reached the parapet, but, after asbo,,
conflict, this column was checked, driven back +,
disorder. and was Afterwards placed on the dessn
sive line, taking the place of brigade that va,
brought up TO reinforce the assaulting party d,
troops. Although the assault on the sea front iaH
ed, it performed avery useful part in diyerting The
attention of the enemy and weakening their :eis.
lance to the attack by the troops on the otb.,
side.
The assault on the other and most difficult ,is.
Of the fort was made by a column of 5000 Of n.
old 10th Corps, led by COL Curtis, under the il,
mediate supervision of Gen. Terry. The euemv,,
force in the fort was 1920 The conac. lasted
for seven hours. The works were so construct,
that the traverses afforded the enemy new defsn.
| sive position, from whence they had to be drive,
They we're sever in number, and the fight vas cs--
| riad on frau 70 trau
By skillfully directed fire thrown in the traverse.
az one after another they we're occupied BY the
enemy, Admiral Porter contributed to the success,
of the assaulting column, by signals between him.
self and Gen. Terry at brief intervals This fire
was so well managed as to damage the enemy with.
out injury to our troops.
! At about 10 at night the enemy were entirely
driven fronA the fort and forced down towards Ped
eral Point, followed by brigade of our troops.
! and about II at night Gen. Whiting surrendered
himself and his command to Gen. Terry uncondi
/ tionally, prisoners of war-oyer 1,sOO-the re.
mainder of his force being killed and wounded.
Our loss was estimated at between 700 and 500
in killed and wounded, besides the naval loss,
which was slight, not over 100 killed and wounded
Not ship o. transport was lost. Col Curtis was
severely, but not mortally wounded. Col Bell
died of bis wounds Monday morning. Col J. W
Moore and 1t. Col Lyman were killed. Col Pen
nepacker was badly wounded also, Lieut. Col
Coan.
| Gen. Terry reported to the surgeon general
Barnes, that he had an ample supply of surgeons
nurses, and hospital supplies for the wounded
They will be sent North to their respective States
as fast as they can be placed on transports, Of
which there ample supply.
On Monday morning, between six and seven
o'clock the N agazine of Fort Fisher exploded, Kill
ling and woundiug 200 or 800 persons. After the
capture of the fort, all the troops withdrawn
except one brigade left in charge OF the works =
How the explosion occurred was not known, but
Gen. Terry believed it was oceasoned by accident
| or neglect.
Gen. Hoke's division, reported at 5000. was At
Wilmington. portion of it was thrown into the
fort not long before the assault, and while tina
was going on, demonstration was made by Hose
against our defensive line, but it was found too
strong for anything but skirmishing attack.
About eleven o'clock on Monday morning
heayJ cloud of smoke observed over TT. Smith
on the south side of New Inlet. The naval affcer
commanding that station, reported that the enemy
| had fred their barracks andeTaeuated that point.
Perfect harmony and concert of action existed
| between the land and naval forces, and their
speetiVe commanders, Admiral Porter and General
| Terry, wed in their commentator each OF the
| other. Each seemed more s16ious to do justice
| to the other than to claim any thing for himself
| and they united in the highest commentator Of
the naval and military officers and the forces en-
1 gagged. To this harmony of action, and the conf
| dent spirit inspired, may be attributed in some
degree the success of attack against a superior
enemy in work unsurpassed, If ever equaed in
| strength, and which Gen. Be4uregard, a few days
| before, pronounced impregnabIe The armament
of the fort was 70 guns, some Of large calbre and
| rified, and one Armstrong gun. The troops in the
| fort had rations fer sixteen days. Their loss in
| kilIedand wounded was between 400 and 500
Gen. Whiting had three wounds in the thigh
| Gen. Lamb also, who had gone into the fort with
achievements to relieve Gen. Whiting on Sunday,
! is wounded.
On Monday everything quiet a Sabbath
day. The dead we're bein buried, and the wounded
placed in transports and field hospitals.
Gen. Sherman renewed the movement Of his
force from Savannah last week. The 18th and 18th
corps went in transports to Beaufort on Saturday.
the I4th. The 18th corps, under Lsj. Gen. Blair,
crossed the Port Royal ferry, and with portion
of Gen. Fosters command, moved on Pocataligo.
| Gen. Howard, commanding that wing of the army,
reported on Sunday that the enemy abandoned his
strong WOrhs Ia our 'front.' uuEihS S&suEuds ulSht'
Gen. Blair's corps now occupies strong position
across the railroad, covering all the approaches
| east to Pocotaligo.
| All the sick ofGen. Sherman's army are in goo3
hospitals at Beaufort and Hilton Head, while the
general climate affords advantages for recovery
perior to any other place.
| The peace and order prevailing at Savannah
since it's occupation by Sherman could not be
passed. Few aleiDhabitants are to be seen in the
streets. Ladies and children evince sense of
curity. no instance of disorder, of personal inju
| ry or insult, has occurred. Laboring and
mechanics, white and black, are seeking employ
ment. The troops are cheerful and respectful
twards every one, and seem to feel themselves as
much at home on good behavior as If in. their ma
| tive towns.
Trade is restricted for the present to actual mill
tary necessities Many ships with merchandise
from the north waiting at Hilton Head for per-
mission to go to Savannah, but Gen. Sherman has
admitted only limited quantity Of supplies re-
| quired by his troops. A mistake prevails at the
north as TO the present inducement for commerce
at Savannah. There is not yet any large pOpula-
ton to be supplied for credit or money, no COM
modities of exchange, and there can be no great
amount for a considerable period. All the cotton
| and products now within Savannah, belong to the
| Government as captured property. Stringent pre-
cautions against supplies that might go to the en-.
/ envy have been made and viii be enforced by Gen.
| Sherman. The cotton captured in Savannah, Of
which there is good deal of sea island, has been
turned over By the quartermaster to Mr.. Draper,
special agent Of the Treasury. The ouartermasteF