The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-01-15
The StupendOus Armada's
StupendOus Failure.
The Rancorous DiscOrd Between Our OFF,
GERS the Cause Of the Failure.
Rebel Omcial Reports Of the
Defence of Fort Fisher and
Battery Buchanan,
&C., &c., &c.

because wilmington has been diShonOred with the
Stars and Stripes II Is the most unpalatabe discom-
pure Of the year; made by circumstances and their
Pwn defiant anticipations The effort was stupendous
md fondiy looked at and priced for its very magni-
ende What pity, them that all this should have
Pound 30 portentous counterpoise in the egregous
whole North into that vehement quet which presages
eonething prodigious-somethng fearfully formidable
eked through ocia channels made ali the wise ones
feel certain that some impending blow about to
aen the confsdsracy as completely as ever crasmans
Mighty indeed, beyond all previous precedent, were
he preparations on which the high hopes foes
eon Although the project had only been whispered to
bhe privileged few the eager many well of
that the scheme entrusted to the Cyclops Of New
England astuteness-the Paadn Of her truer impulses
Ehe exponent Of her souseated princesthe notorious
Butler II positive secret that the head and heart
Df this Bombastes Furoso were consulted in the Matching
Df the scheme; of his invaluable service
pured to conduct II to inevitable triumph. t'In-
hvtabe;' because to doubt it's sublime success would
have been fat blasphemy against the Jupiter at the
White House and his Hercules Sat the 'front.' Did IL
not cost mint and look monstrously imposing: could
1t fail Did it not have Butler to lavish his inge-
putty and Inspirations on troops painting for beauty and
massive array Of naval talent and numbers charge
Of all the marital and maritime appliances known in
Rcntion what on earth could Withstand it3 With such
set QUIT as brought the famous armada of Philip of
Spain into contempt by comparison what possible set
pr WAS, in the least likely to damage the prospect
epon the project2 Surely prowess in the wan
aushed South that could arrest the victorious progress
Ind settle that point for ever And he came and saw,
endwep back again crest fallen, and glory cropped
Butler and his comrades had in littc proted by the
perences OF Richmond, Charleston and many another
spot where confederate valor and genius blessed by
Providence has stood against their mghties might IRE
nucibe and nvincible
So the stupendous armada was after ALL destined to
be stupendous failure Would that we could induce all
She croakers read events by the light Of its
moral would that we could tempt the feeble Hearted to
Bake its p0ent with the lessons they calculated
Impress upon all but the wifuly skeptcal The efforts
unQt nnaua andar nj
sonatey as great or alarming this attempt to
capare Wilmington. That abstract affair has in it and
ABOUT 1t an epitome and moral of the contest-magni-
eudnous endeavors, alarming advantages final failure
Our readers already know from Yankee lips the story
awaited the mammoth preparations and Of the profound
disappointment which, in consequence pervades the
bounded North But this story not yet fully told and
eday we are enabled to add interesting facts
ehose already known They appear in the acceptable
ehape Of official statements brief and modest from the
military and naval officers who had immediate charge of
bhe works ON which blatant foe hurled his missiles
nd his malice It is not necessary point out the more
documents They speak best for themselves
We cannot however, refrain from passing ausion to
che spirit Of harmony which cemcnted endeavors OF
bur military and naval defenders, conrased with the
fancorous dscor between those branches Of the service
enemys side II obvious that the naval officers
Of the foe who generally found to be gentlemen
were disguised from the very beginning with their chief
military associate But 1t is also evident that they
% buOyed with the idea of nvinciby that this dis
gust dscreetly bolted until the formidable expert
lnent had fair trial and proved disastrous failure.
restrained by the laws of propret Since defeat had
DC accounted for the navy leaders flung responsibility
With Interest," Il must edy tho s 1r North 70
90 its Mars and Neptune thus exchanging blows in
In bold and most pleasing contrast is the aternal
peroism OF our own army and navy. They
nty the viotors and conformity they share the honors
bonsent that they have equally well discharged their
speotive duties The discord in the enemys service
renders II meet that congratulate naval and
military authorities on finding so complete an absence OF
m them thoea thav al
pxCements incident TO victory quite apt evoke
such sentiments-f they exist-as the miseres Of
nefeat But we trace nothing CT the sort 1t indeed
but natural that this concord should always manifest
itself in what they do together separately for the
end both because Of themselves and because Of the
BILE object for which they freely risk all gain that
without which all else were valueless.
Writings Official letter The manner in which he there
acknowledges the gallant and important services rem
dered by tho naval forces, cooperating with his own
reflects much credit on himself and does due honor
chem. All familiar with the resistance opposed the
enemy at Wilmington concur in General Writings
mendat0n The naval forces thrown into the strug
gle 'with will, y and "with will they went where
Shey might be most effective and there gloriously
quilted themselves thing they have never failed TO do
On any and every chance presented to them Had that
cooperating navy force not held rcsolutely 1t did
bold the important position they put to defend at
Fort Buchanan doubtless the cost of the repuse would
have been much more serious than il proved to be,
or worse consequences might have ensucd. General
whiting indicates.
There peculiar reason why the naval forces
should do well at Wilmington-the main port now open
90 that branch OF the service Yet 1t is only just to re-
little have been satisfactorily demonstrated every
point on our coast that IT has (smal overwhelming
circumstances compel IL to be contracted driven the
enomys most fourishing commerce from the seas-that
Il has swollen maritime to almost runous
6g,ire-that It's achievements have rcnown and re-
spect for flag, far from coas-that in its
comparative and constrained weakness II has become
many precious million to thwart its efforts make
good ts damages In short the efficient efforts Of
little navy In all directions merit at the countrys hands
md tnsu
makes VI the brave fragment CALAMITY employed 1t
Wilmington
Rebel Omcinl Reports OF the Operations
Against Fort Fisher.
LIEUTENANT r. T. CHAPMANs REPORT OF THE
PART TAKEN IN THE DEFENCE BY BATTERY
BArrEnY BUCHANAN, Dec. %, 1884
SR reported TO you the Goth inst that the fleet OF
The enemy had arrived on this place. They disappeared
the same day and returned the 23d and anchored
ebout six miles OF Fort Fisher detachment OF twenty
nine men, under Lieutenant Roby, was sent from this
battery to man the Brooke guns at Fort Fisher.
On the Gath, at II o'clock NJ the feet Of the enemy
got under way in line ahead rhe Ironsdes leadng and
q one O'Clock they opened re the fort There
Forty vessels engaged throwing every kind Of pro-
Jcctiles from three inch bolt to ffteeninch shell
most terrific until half past FIVE
r. NJ, when the enemy withdrew. On the 26th at half
past ten, the fight renewed by the number Of
vessels, and the fire incessant until half past FIVE
r. NJ, when the oet again beyond the range Of
gums
Al hafpas two O'Clock number OF boats were lowered
FROM the ships OF the fleet and approached the battery.
y think they were dragging for torpedoes We opened
re them from gun, and at tho fourth discharge
Bunk one OF their boats; tho others quickly withdrew.
ht twenty minutes past five r. ~ a message
cciyed from Fort Fisher saying the enemy bad landed
AM advancing the fort and asking for reinforce
m nts. Twothrds Of the men belonging TO the battery
were Immediately sent 10 the fort under Lieutenant Ar
aeuge and officers OF the companies. They double
lucked to the fort and got there in time TO assist in
2eiing the assault We At quarters nearly all sun
Gay night expecting attack from the boats Of the feet
on inc 18th the belonging 10 the battery except
II.
nefe was no ir ng on the fort on the Goth 9th On
sne zoe 'ne forces of he enemy rc-embarked and
she nlgh u the 2sh tho fleet disappeared leaving only
nhe regular bockadlng squadron oil this place
Both o. the guns commanded by Lieutenant Roby
burst send his report
Passed Midshipmen Carey and Berrcn were with Lieu
tenant Roby ana Understand the conduct OF these OH.
GERS and the men with them Is above all praise out of
the twenty nine men from this battery servpr nj Fort
Fisher nineteen were killed and wounded and regret to
&c that some have since died Licutenans Armstrong
b Dornn came down volunteers They went IN Inc
n n Nd hal.a..Gd - alarLlL !. .,..ar.