The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1865-01-21
The Capture of Fort Fisher.


On last Tuesday the country was electrified
by the announcement of the capture of Fort
Fisher, situated on peninsula, at the mouth
of Cape Fear river. eighteen miles from
Wilmington. This victory is considered by
military men one Of the most important VIC
tories of the war. The New York Tribune
has the following in relation to the storming
and capture of this important post
The history of this war does not afford parecl to
the c.+iul assault ON Fort Fishernd of course
other does, for in till the Cvimcan had the
present system Of e;.rthwork defcnses been tested,
and i'll the Crmea there is no instance of success
FIJI assault upon any work till it had been regularly
approached by elaborate and prntracted siege opera
enrthwork carried by direct assault and in mill
t.ry view, therefore the storning Of Fort Fisher is
probably entitled to no reckoned the most brilliant,
as It surely Is IT, most remarkable of the war
Fort F'"':'r was the strongest fort in the South,
with lS extensive system of outworlls, constructed
ut leisure by the best engineering talent of the Con
federacy relied on Tor the sure defense of the sole
remaining port into which blockade runners regrl-
Larry attempted to enter, UNNECESSARILY important to
and within a fortnight has been proclaimed by the
General who commands all the Rebel forces, abso-
lutcly mpregnahlc. Its intrinsic strength may be
Judged FRI IN the fact that has remained uniniurcd
after the most tremendous naval bomhartlment which
any fort has endured, that its paraprt and stockade
parspet was in possession Of the assautng column,
the remainder Of the fort deicd their efforts for seven
hours and until rcnforccments had been brought up.
The carrying by storm OF such u work Is epoch
il. mllitary history.
The capture Of Fort Fisher will doubtless
be followed, ere long, by the capture of the
city Of Wilmington, the principal blockade
running port in the $50 called Confederacy,n
and with the capture of this point the most
important railway communication between
Richmond and the cotton States will be
placed in our possession.
From indications given out by the Charles.
ton Nerc"y, Sherman is expected hourly to
visit that hotbed of secession and treason.
to cross out the long standing account which
the Union has against that Sodom of Rebel
dom.
This loud knocking at the back door of
the Confedcracy must be heard with alarm.
ing distinctncss by its inmates, as the intrud
ing Yankees approach nearer and nearer
becoming louder and louder at each success
sive blow. In the meantime jeff Davis,
Lee, and the other ringeaders of the Rebel
lion, find themselves at Richmond confront
ed by Grant, in a prcdicament similar to
that Of thief who finds bulldog in his
path, barring further progress, and grimly
threatening to seize him from behind if he
turns and attempts to escape, while he hears
his enemies approaching slowly but surely
to seize and bear him off to Judgment
This is the condition of the Rebellion at
this hour, and no man can be so blind as
not to perceive it. Since Grant commenced
his campaiu on the Rappahannock in the
Spring of last year, and Sherman in Tennes.
see, it has been succession of disasters to
the Rebels, with but few and slight momcn-
tary advantages. They are being penned in
on all sides and their sole dependence rests
in the army under Lee defending Richmond.
How long can it afford to lie there inactive,
with Savannah, with Charleston, and VIII
mington falling before the victorious, and
almost unopposed armies of Sherman and
Foster? But where can Lee dare move to
The true condition of the Rebellion be-
comes more manifest every day, and that
condition is one dying from exhaustion. 1t
cannot much longer withstand the power of
the Government, and the great braggart and
bully of three years ago, rises more faint
after each successive blow, to be hurled back
again to the earth with increased Violence
A few more home blows and he slavehold-
ers' conspiracy ingloriously dies.
1t is pleasant-yes decidedly refreshing for
a Union man to look round at present omong
his secession neghbors. Three years ago
they laughed in derision at men who told
them so sure as the sun shone, the Rebels
would be wiped out and the South either
conquered or annihilated. They "roar like
sucking doves now. They pray earnestly
for peace. They learned treason rapidly,
but are terribly stupid at learning that while
a single traitor holds musket or raises an
arm against the Union, there shall be no
peace. The people have sworn it and will
fulfill their VOWS.