Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1865-02-03
ApaIIRAf. poRTER,s RRPoRr.

4 tWASHlN6fOh, Jan. 10
The Navy Depart meut to- day received the fol-
lowing report from Admiral Porter:
NoRTH ATLASIic SQUADRON, oN BoARp UNI-l
rED STATks h.AG SBn MALvFRNA, OFF
SMrHvILLt, y. G., Jan. 20sb 1865.
In my last | informed sou that Fort Caswell
had been blown up aud evacuated in consequence
OF the TALL of Fofi Fisher. | sent Lieutenant
Gushing around IN the Monticello to the west
cru part to ascertain what bad taken place, and
to obtain aid from the officers in command OF
the New York and Vicksburg. Lieutenant
Gushing did not obtain the ard he required; for
what reason have not yet learned, but with his
usual energy he pushed on and found that Fort
Caswel had been blown up, Bald Head Fort
destroyed, and Fort Shaw also, and Fort Camp
bell, to the westward of Fort Caswell abandon
ed All these forts mounting nine and ten inch
guus and Armstrong; $50 Founders. Lieuten-
ant Gushing then rushed into Smithheld hoist
ing the flag of the Union over CasweQ. The
next thing saw was the flag waving over Smith
field which the rebels bad left in great hurry
after they saw our boats approaching, leaving
every thing in the beautiful fort uniniured ex-
cepting two nine inch guns in the fort at Deep
water Point, only spiked.
In the meantime ] had succeeded in getting
one gunbOat, the Tacoma, over the Ripan interi-
or bar and sent her up to Reeves Point, to dis
able the guns at that place, abeutthFee miles ON
the west side of the river above Fort Fisher
Thus in twenty-four hours after the fall of Fort
Fisher and its outworls. all the formidable chain
of forts in this river, at its entrance built 10
keep out anything have fallen into our hands.
They are at present gaTrisoned with sailors
can scarcely give description of those works,
they are certainly the most formidable and the
best built earthworks ! ever saw, and do credit
to the engineer who planned them.
- : = IL
fore it fell into rebel hands except that the rebel
have covered its walls with earth on the outside
and made them almost impervious to shot and
shell. 1t is IN many respects stronger than
Fort Fisher. and harder TO take by assault, still
il could be taken, and the rebels knew that three
or four gunboats outside would soon have start
ed them out.
have had great difficulty ingetting the gun
boats over the bar and the rips, and only succeed
ed this morning in getting the last one through,
The rebels left plenty of good stores and pro-
visions and our men are now subslsting ON
them.
We have found here in each fort an Armstrong
gun with the broad arrow on it and the name,
Sir William Armstrong, marked in full. As the
British government claims the exclusive right to
use these guns, it would be interesting to know
how they came into forts held by the Southern
rebels. find that immense quantities of pro-
visions, stores and clothing have come through
this port. | am almost afraid to mention the
amount, but it is enough to supply 10000 men.
1t is all English, and they have received the
last cargo To more will come this way.
We picked up telegram from General Lee
to his subordinate here, saying that if Forts
Fisher and Caswell were not held they would
have to evacuate Richmond.
He says most truly, and / should not be sur
prised if he left it any moment.
We have plenty of force to hold this place
against the whole Southern Confederacy. l
have $50 guLs bearing on the narrow strip OF
land where our troops are heavily entrenched.
There are vessels in the river and outside, and
we only hope they will attempt to retake it.
Ten thousand men in Fort Fisher with the guns
of the squadron would hold this place a long
time.
We find this a better place TO catch the block
ade runners than outside. | had the blockade
runners lights lit last night and was obliging
enought TO answer their signals; whether right
or wrong, we do not know. Two of them, the
the Stag and the Charlotte, from Bermuda, load
ed with arms, blankets shoes, etc. came in and
quietly anchored near the Malvern, and were
taken possession of. The Stag was command
ed by Richard II. Gayle, a Lieutenant in the
rebel navy, and belongs to the rebel government.
A number more are expected and VIC viii, /
hope catch portion of them.
entrusted this duty to Lieutenant Gushing,
who performed il with his good luck and intel
ligence.
These two are very fast vessels and valuable
prizes. They threw portion of their papers
over board ON finding they were trapped.
The Charlotte brings five English passengers
one of them an English army officer. They all
come over, as they expressed it, ION lark" and
were making themselves quite jolly in the cab
in, over their champagne felicitating themselves
on their safe arrival
The Stag received three shots in her as she
ran by our blockaders.
Very respectfully Your Obdt Svt.
DAVID d. PORTER.
Rear Admiral