Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1865-01-27
MIS0ELLANhoUs DISPATCHES.

MiOOELbdNGO OOD DIDEA lCHbps
WAsnISoroN, Jan. rs.
The following was received at the Navy
Department this morning
FLAG SHIP MALVERN,
off Fort Fisher. Jan, Is.
TO Hon. Gideon Wenes. Sscy Of the Navy
Sir, have the honor to inform you that
we have possession Of Fort Fisher, and that
the fall Of the surrounding forts will soon
follow
AS informed you in my last, we have com
menced operations with the iron vessels,
which oombarded the fort while we landed
the troops.
On the 14th, ordered all the vessels car
rying 1l-inch guns to bombatd with the
l-onsides, the Brooklyn taking the lead By
sunset the fort WAS reduced to pulp. Every
gun was silenced by being injury or covered
up With earth so that they would not work
On the 18th, Gen. Terry and myself ar
ranges for the assault, Snd l ordered 400
sailors and marines to participate At day light.
The iron vessels, the Brooklyn aud IL inch
gunbosts commenced batte1ing the works,
while the troops made lodgment within $50
yards Of the fort At ten o'clock oil the ves-
sells steamed 10 and took their stations, open
ing heavy fre, which was kept up until
three p. M. when signal was made to as
sault, the soldiers taking the land aide aud
the sailors the sea face The ships changed
but did not stop firing at tho other works.
The rebels met ue with courage worthy Of
a better cause and fought des perstely. About
80 Of the sailors and officers succeeded in
getting to the top OF the parapet amid mur-
drrous FIRE Of grape, canister aud musketry.
They had planted the flag there, but were
81. 80 -
get up the steep psnoopee. The marines
cuuld have cleared the parapet by keeping up
steady fire, bur they failed to do 80 and the
suilors we're repuIsed Many gallant fellow
fell trying to emulate their brothers in arms,
who we've fighting TO obtain an enuance in
the northeast angle, as it appears in our charts.
The enemy mistook seamen's attack for that
OF the main body Of troops aud opposed a
most vigorous resistance there, out / wit
messed it all and think the marines could have
made the assault successful.
In the meantime our gallant soldiers had
gained foothold in the northeast corner Of
the Fort, fighting like lions and coutssting
every inch of ground. The lrousides aud
monitors kept throwing their shell into trav-
not occupied by our men, but still held
by the rebels. Ia this way our troops fought
from traverse to traverse from 8 p. NJ. until
10 p. M, wheu the Joyful tidlngs was sig
nailed to the fleet
We stopped our FIRE and gave three OF the
aesrtiest cheers ever heard. II has been
the most terrific struggle | ever saw, and
there was very much hard labor. The troops
nave covered Themselves with glory. and Gen
srsl Terry is my be, ideal of soldier and
General. Our corporation has been most
harmonious. ! think the General will do the
navy the credit to say that this time, at least,
we substantially injured the fort as a deien-
,ive work" Gen. Terry has only a few more
troops than we bad on the last occasion, whe n
he enemy had only so men in the works.
This time the works we're fully manned, and
contained about 500 men at the tine OF the
assault
II is a matter of great regret to me TO see
my gallant officers and men So cut up, but
vas unwilling to let the troops undertake to
capture The works without the navy sharing
with them the peril that all were snxious to
undergo and we should have had the honor
Of meeting our brothers in arms in the works
had the sailors been properly supported. We
nave lost about two hundred killed and
wounded, and among them some gallsnt
officers. I-regret to announce the deaIh Of
Lieut.. S. w. Preston and Lieut. B. II. Por
ter. They were both captured together in
the attack on Fort Sumter and died together
IN endeavorng to pull down the Gag that has
20 long Aaunted in our face. Lieut. X. b.
Ssnderson was severely wounded. Lieut..
Geo. A. Bache and number OF others we're
wounded, the former not dangerously. The
assault only took place few hours ago and !
am unable to inform you OF our casualties.
they were quite severe from the assault, but
We had no casualties from the enemy's cam
non.
Knowing the impaiience of the Depart
! inent to receive news from Fort Fisher, /
have written these few hurried lines No one
can conceive what the army aud navy have
gone through to achieve this victory, which
! should have Teen ours on Christmas day with
out the loss OF dozen men. This has been
day ofterrifo struggle, and is not surpassed
by any event of the war. We are nearly all
worn out, and you must excuse this brief and
unsatisfactory account. will write fully by
the Santiago De Cuba, which goes North to-
morrow to carry the wounded.
Besides the mon in Fort Fisher there were
about 500 in the upper fort, aud relief OF
abont 1900 men was brought down by steam
ers this morning. So far believe we have
captured only the garrison Of Fort Fisher.
don't suppose there ever was work subject
ed to such terrific bombardment, or where
the approach of fort was more altered
There is not spot Of earth about the fort
that has not been torn up by our shells.
don't know yet the lumber of killed and
wounded by the FIRE, but one l5-inch shell
alone pierced bom-p proof and killed l6 and
) severely wounded 20 rebels. presume we
are in possession of all the forts, as Fort Fish
er commands them all
II is 40 late now that can learn nothing
more until morning.
(sigpsd) DAVID D. PoRrER,
Rear Admiral.
) HEADQUARTERS AENy OF PoToMAo,
Jan. l6