, 1865-12-07
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY
OF THE NAVY.
Four Hundred and Seventy-one
Var Vessels, and 2,45O Guns >.
in Service Jan. /, 1866.
PRESENT NAVAL FORCE ONE Hun
DRED AND SEVENTEEN
VESSELS.
BRITISH PuRFlDY EXPOSED AND
DENOUNCED.


pied idan1s OF action for the suppr don Of the 70.
opetsnons Al and tse br1lIiani schsescments oi ear
haf6or md The almost tmp1efnabls deiences Of
In ihis report, besides the exposition Of The Or
dinary business Of this Department, including The
suggestions End recommendations deemed netes.
for The Popss 1esu'aod nana,,ar 2, ms e n1a fss
country, 1t VIII be my duty TO complete
The Official record OF the triuurhs Of The navy IN
to indicats The new arrangement and organization
OF the several equadrona consequent npon the tef'
minatton Of the blockade and tho cessation Of ar
aye 10 end rrnso r sece b testasd
hy tho number ard value Of the capture= mada In
the untclarng and successful e1osts to cut gu 1tcii
espeeiaiy to exhiblt he policy and me.eufes Of sbc
dcpar5ncut fn cdecting at the earliest moment, tn
,1en OF returning peace, reduction Of naval cx-
pend!tures while providing for the prompt re-cs-
Iabhshent Mt any tsno Of our great naval power in
all lis efficiency to meet the e1iEencics OF pos
slh1e crisis IN which 1ts services may bo invoked TO
naintain the rights or g3nd1cae the honor Of the
country. -
The demand. upon tho naya, serr1ce. which for
four gears bad been exacting, wcM rcf3xed upon
session Of Cape Fen Riyer, closed ali access 70
Wilmington. the port Of rebel supplies. put an end
to Illicit uzfie with the States in Instruction, and
1aerce which foreign adrsntu7ers had, not,r1,b-
standing conetant and severe losses, p2Ieis1ed
IN carrying on by breach Of blockade The cap
t1re Q! Wilmington was preliminary to the fall
Of Richmond aud The surrender OF the rebel armies,
which were thencefo1ward deprived OF supplies
from abroad. ltfc1cascd at onoc large portion Of
cur naval force and led 10 auncdistc measures for
the reduction of on eqEAdFons, and the Withdrawal
OF all yeeseis which could be dispensed with from
The blockade. Such Of 1hera were purcha -ed and
20 LONGER required by The t;ose1msat, have fsom
time 10 tin1e btGn sold to meet the demands Of
stvins commerce, which has rapidly expanded as
the country became Quoted and indusnS was re-
sumco nj thc South. 1tede and peaceful employ.
mCnt have led 10 the reopenlny OF the avenues OF
comrccsCial MD socsal intercourse, and the steam
ess bought from the Eatrchaut serrics for Mnr pur
poses hal been 10 great extent returned 10 their
ioIzner pu1auils- -
soE7u ATLANTIC serADKoS-cAr1CRE OF VIII
NS0ToS AHD ITs DErESCrs.
4. early as 1Ssa The necessity OF closing the port
u WILMINGTON became primary object With this
Out military aid and co-opcralios il could not be
cece!el or even witelT attempted. In September,
1864, the Department hsd euch sssntance! Of 1ni1i.
tho necessary preparzt,ons M assembling n. ade-
qatc nava! lore 10 undertake aud perform is part
In accomplishing the work. In order list there
. sufficient force 10 ,Es1sc succss, 10 place thai
force ucdes the command Of The fut oN1cer in The
rsry was duty. vtce-Admtral Fanasut wss
!he1esos @ seeesed M TO conduct the snterpf1te. but
mitied exettions during two years Of Ac-
tise labor and uoeea1ine eorts IN The Gn1L, rem
dered 1t tDprndenk tor that distinguished and
asi.d s
Gulf coast, where be was then operating, and waH
therefore on his own request excused from this new
command; Rear Admiral Porter. who had shown
great ability ns the commander OF the Mississippi
squadron. md bad identified htnaelf win manJ Of
3ta H1ost important achievements. was transferred
TO The commnnd Of The North At!antlc squadron,
and the port Of Wilmington.
a feet Of naval vessels, surprising IN numbers
and equipments any which had assembled during
Roads. Nat3oua eauses tuterytned to dclay the
'Wovement. nd II wa net until the carly rast Of
necresasy prcparations HeEe there made, which. to
cethcr With unfayorable weather and other Incl.
dents. delayed the attack until The 2nh Of Dcceu,.
honhardiue force Of thltty-seveD vessels, tve oi
WHICH were lrou laas, and reserved force Of nine
teen vessels: atsacked the torts 1t the month oi
nnd quareri bnt there being no troops to make au
assault o. attempt to possess them, nothing beyond
the injury inflicted On the works and the garrison Eas
taek nas made The eueeeodtng Day, bnt With eearcc.
" better results The 6ect shecd the forts during
the day md silenccd them, but no sssanl, was
ditembarked for that purpose.
Major General Butler, who commanded the co.
operating force. atteT reconnoiesaDce cane 10 the
conclusion that the place could not be carried By
an nssauit. lie therefore ordered q rs-cmbarka.
t,on and fuforniug Rear Admiral Porter O! Ii4 IN
tentton, returned with his command 10 Hampton
ihe sInetiition was iarwsrded To - he denar.mcut
b. Rcar-Adnais1l Porter, ubo rcuained in the
vicinity with his entire feet, awaiting the ncelenl
fbeye Wurkx and OF tae crcpt importance which III,
DeTsrtmens attached to closinr the pom Of WI.
minston ard confident that with adequate military
such cooperation and earneeily requested that ths
entcTpr,se shonld mo-! be abandoned. In IhIs the
~ ne.,,o,, At tnr IsrciHe,, i"Iy s,1,t G,,,-
~ ir1St wns ndyttea Of tbs cnndrnca isiI IN Hss,
Sc4s nror,dcs he shon,H he enfiei.n.iv s9,tnIneS
snrn E1i}i;ary aid was thcrnfor. invited NJ Tnnii
fnsure The iii OF Fon rshcr. " '~'@'.
teeond miiitary fooe vas proup,lv det,,Ied,
rn,1roscf1 of .hoIt eisht ihonesna nte hn1desd
men nnder the es,nemani OF Nan,r S7enncr,i 4 Il
TerT. and sent forNard. The oliecT arrived al
En,. t{hsr ~ ,ta r.th ~ Janns- nEe.H, ".
onats,;or. ,a,, pa nj =, rncc rrxrr,ad ~ ~ 49,
4pelaa ~ ~ oosn -. sa y ';,s -. na's
ID "a, 'he.sSss While poFt5qhn h... Of she
49, ~. @ uot'"etSeH ess ~ ,4.t. .;,...o .oFII.@ ~
ao1s Ne!s tate ~ .u9 tnn VIZ
sn 9aaeen numPG ~ q e. sesssn, ine !S.n Has % tne
".t AZ aht t. ~ ~ sti fo-s hcra -. - -
es5s .ra ~ .nD ~ sa,1t+.a. .I- sstsn,s Wa,
2. N; nc slgra 70. nc asssn!t va vas made. uespe
1aEcn nnd Sr r. We,ta Wr,e u, c-n;sd II
e1,n r. rsr II TX tvninn ,naies mrr tbc Fam
tesn lnnatsd u sstoS s % aaa were laaned ans
ps,sy .1u ,s T..nr ~ ,b,r, erro,A IN,
! ,tcret rni niretneT hTn31a n1i.nmey. ,re,. II,
mned,ate % fTniis nd t1ophies pt he ictorv: bu M
ihe CHEZ vaire and ultimate benefit OF this grant
through which The tn. urren.s had received supple
hom abroad and sent their OWL products TO fosclg'
| I.chtiraneht steamers were immediately push
cd over the bar 1ud into the river, The channel Q
which WIS speediiy buosed. md .hs removal oi tol
Pedoss toI1hwtth @ & eoRncneed. Ihs .saes wines M