Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1865-01-25

fire from the feet almost redouoiedi the
n,oniA,rs and guBb0ats doomed Eita IN
creased ra9idity. the old frigates poured
IN their heavv broa5sides, and the hell
Of bursting shell inside, around and
over For. Fisher, was the most msguih-
cent and terrific sight that the world
has ever seen. At once the brave sol
diers Of Geueral Curtiss command
sprang forward TO the charge on the
double quick. aod With ringing cheer;
Col Pennypaeker' % brigade soon sf-
ter followed, and the marines, under
their heroic leaders, went cheering up
the beech. The rebels, In spite Of the
pandemonium Of raining she'll, few to
the guns and poured thick successive
discharges Of canister and grape on
our lines, while their sharpsboeters
poured out a CALLING and murderous FIRE
through every embrasure.
Gen Terry. accompanied by Lieut..
Col Comstock, Of Lieut. Gen Grants .
staff and surrounded by his staff in full
view Of the whole magnificent move
ment, and exposed 10 the bullets from
the fort, which few Ike bazzing humble
bees overhead, gazed with fearful sns-
pense upon the scene 0nwara poured
the seried lines, aud onward Haunted
the eolors borne by the unainehiog he
roes they reach the ditch, which, et the
right is erozasd by a narrow bridge,
from which the rsbels had hastily tola
the plank, leaving only the string pieces
10 cross upon. Upon this the sharpest
Ere OF their shargshooters is coneen-
trated, as our men 20 pouring on They
cross with renewed cheers, and swarm
up the parapef, and the lI7th New York,
followed BY the 81, are the irst 70 plant
fheir colors Oh the northern traverse Of
the fort
Meanwhile, Ehe brave Lieutenant b
II Porters Lieu utenant Commander Pres
ton, Of the Admirals ship Malvern, and
Assistant-Sargeon VIM. LAagshorn, Of
the Minnesota, fell mortally wounded
81 the head Of the marines, and the
murderous shower Of grape and CAMS
ter poured from the bastion Of the fort
forced the latter TO retire.
Curtiss and Pennypaekers brigades
were fighting stabboFnly, and were met
by tie enemy in 10 iess brave and de-
lermined resistance, who fell back from
traverse to traverse, contest.ng each one
as they went with the most determined
valor Twenty-one prisoners were sent
ia By the lith New York, about half past
three clock, and were followed by an.
other squad Of upwards Of seventy soon
alterward, as well as several smaller lots.
Colonel Belfs Sd brigade, consisting Of
bis own 4th New Hampshire, the l69ih
and 10th New York, and the 18th In
diana, were nov ordered 40 to the sup
/ port Of The lst aud I'd brigades.
Fort Fisher consists Of one inclosed
| fort or bastloD, from the opposite angles
Of which spred out right angles 70 each
other high parapels OF csFlains Of earth.
work, the sea face to "a distance OF
/ 500 yards, and the north face
about third Of this distance. Al
regular intervals these curtains are
crossed BY high traversea, which, At
the same time, serve as bomb-proofs, and
/ between which are mounted sometimes
one, and az others two, heavy guns. On
/ the north face were fifteen Of these ira
I verses, and when onr men succeeded ia
| capturing the frst Of these, The second
was an earthw0rk, behind wn,sh the
rebels could retreat, and 50 on succsss
lively until our men reached The bastion
which was inelosed on all sides, anC
here the rehela would evidently hudils
for their final struggle
Colonel Bell led ia his gallant fellows
and the First and Second Brigades, aug
mented with this additional strength
fought nobly, desperately on until sil
Of the fifteen traverses had been won
aud here the advance for time wa
checked and thus the matter remained
until about Eve o'clock. The fire Of th'
navy had Of course been slackened whel
our men reached the parapets at thl
northern end of she fofi, aud now wa
resumed, bus concentrated upon th
bastion and the sea, or south western
front. General Ames sent word to Gen
Terry that the gallant Curtis bad beei
seriously, and as was then erroaeousl
thought, mortally wounded
Colonel Bell was killed, aud Penny
packer severely if not fatally wounded
while every member of General Ames
staf, and nearly every regimental com
mauder was either killed or wounded
The loss Of all, or at least so large
number Of his officers, bad disorganizs
and confused his men, so that II was 3
most impossible to get them into II
: closing labors which, with some thre
hundred fresh and ofganized men to "a
ly his meH about, Il was the opinion {
the General might be successfully an
gloriousty accomplished Simultaneoul
ly with the message the Admiral ser
e another, saying that the enemy appeare
$ to be landing reinfoFeements at Fo
e Buchanan, and word was received fret
: General Paine that Hoke had driven
n his pickets st the northern defensi'
IS line.
n Gen. Terry reflected moment vii
d an anxious eye, held hasty consult
IS ton With Lieut.. Col Comslock, and tbs
If told Gen. Ames's messenger to assul
o the latter that in an hour be should hsr
the aid of Col. Abb1gts brigade, and
(. hold the ground he had. A courier vi
lr instantly dispatched for Col Abbott
a. move up with his brigade and mott
h Gen. Paine to so dispose his forces
a TO fill the. gap oecssiened BY the wit
2, drawal OF Col Abbotts troops; in 9th
IS words, to alternate his line sufficient
" to occupy the entire northern defensi
ID works, which he could do with safet
be owing to the added strength given the
by The six hOwitsers prudeatly plant
N there the night before. Gen Terry c
lg dsred the assault to be made upon Fo
be Fisher
be An anxious hour was spent, unt
e. about dark, when the Colonel dashed
ds close behind bis gallant men. tn
advanced Immediately Up the riv
be beach, and though the moon soon -af,
as rose, bat little past its full, NC could S
Of nothing bat the flash Of mRsketry
lly increased frequency upon the dark o.
,ty lines Of tho fort Another hour, T.
e three, Of cruel anxiety went by, and G
ID hearts sank With the chill of diss
be pointed hope Our men we're still q
ID vaucing slowly, and dispatch stat
on that two-thirds Of the fort was on
its We had all the north part Of the wol
ar occupied the northern traverses, and b