The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1865-01-06
Admiral Porter's Report of the Opera /
tons against Wilmington.
The attack on Fort Fisher proves a
failure.
New York. Dec. %

! report: The attack Vas opened on the
! 24lh with all the ironc.ads and heavy yes~
/ sells of the fleet, the smaller vessels being
| held in reserve. Previous to the attack a
! torpedo on large scale, supposed 10 con
/ tain pow der enough to explode the maga-
! zIne of the fort, was carefully prepared
under the command of Commodore A. g
khind, and exploded under the walls OF
/ the font So much had been said abou!
The terrible effects Of powder explosions
recently in England, that great results
/ we're expected nom the experiment The
! boat selected Was the Louisiana, and at. er
| being prepared at Norfolk, she was towed
round to Beaufort and filed with powder.
| The Louisiana was disguised as blockade
runner b. painting her white and adding
another smoke stack. Every preparation
for her success was completed at Beaufort.
Gen Butler had arrived at the rendez>
yous previous to the concentration 81 the
! fleet, and every effort was made to have
as brief delay as possible On the 18th,
Amiral Porter sailed from Beaufort for
The rendezvous, 20 miles east of New In
! let, aud found most OF the fleet assembled
there On the 20th, a heavy gale sprung
up, which the fleet managed TO ride ont
without accident, except The loss of few
anchors The transports being short Of
water and not fitted tor severe weather,
put into Beaufort and remained till the
storm was over.
On the 23d, Commodore Rhind was or
dercd to make ready TO explode his torpe
do under Fort Fisher at 1870 p. m. he
Louisiana started in tow of the Wilder
ness As soon as the embrasures OF the
fort were in sight the Wilderness cast Oft
and proceeded under steam to within 200
yards of the beach and 500 from Fort
Fisher, where she was anchored. The
blockade runner went in directly ahead of
her 10 enable Commodore Rhind to make
all bis preparations without suspicion.
After everything was ready the fuses were
lighted and the party on board escaped to
the Wilderness, which Immediately steam
ed out to sea. The explosion occurred at
| torty>tive minutes past one on The morning
of the 9th, and was not at all like what
was expected. The vessels in the fleet
were shaken but little At daylight the
fleet moved in and at 1870 m, tie at
tack commenced 1t was opened in fine
stvic by lae New lronsides, followed by
the A!onadnock, Canonicus and Mahopac.
Seventeen guns were counted on the north
east tace, only five of which were used, and
these we're soon slehccd The Minnesota
and other large vessels next took position,
and delivered fire rapidly.
AS soon as they opened, the fire was so
severe as to drive the enemy to bomb
proof, and they replied from only one or
two guns. The smaller gunboats then
took position according to orders, and
joined in the fight. An hour and fifteen
minutes after the fight began, the enemy s
guns were completely sileuced, two mag
| azines were blown up, and several build
ings set on fire. Oar fire was then slack
ened but still kept MP in hopes OF attract
ing the attention Of the transports with
troops.
Gen. Bu'ler came at sunset with few
troops and preparations were made for re-
| newing the fight in the morning
During the hea"iest Of the attack 1l5
shots per minute we're fred. The enemy S
guns we're silcnced so qaickl ihat no one
on our fleet was injured by their fire SIX
100 FOUNDER Parrot guns on our feet
exploded, killing and woundilg in The az
gregae forty four officers and men.
These explosions were on the Wconderoga,
Antic, Jqniata, Mackinaw, Quaker City
and Susquehannah, and were attributed
to the defective character of the guns.
The Mackinaw was perforated in her boil
er, and had ten persons badly scaIded.
The Oscoota was struck near her magazine
and made water rapidly, but was saved
through the eXertions Of her officers and
crew, and those Q. the Quaker City. The
Keystone State, Sassacus, San uagG de
Cuba and Fort Jackson, are all specially
mentioned, and aIso'the Brooklyn, Colo
RADIO, Nusquehannah, Nohican, Powhat-
tan, liconderayo, Shenandoah, Pawtuxie,
Vanderbilt and Minnesota, and the MONS
tors officers and men came out Of the ac-
ton with a contempt for rebel artillery,
and were anxious to renew the fight.
On the morning Of the 10Th the trans.
fDtl' ii"I d ~ S'I, anu tOiiicI ciiCc w
held with Gems Butler and Wetzel, to De-
eide upon the place of attack. 1t was de-
cded that the fleet should renew the at
tack, while the army landed and made an
assault. Seventeen gunboats, under Capt.
Glessan, were sent to cover the landing
Of the troops. Other small yessIes were
afterwards sent, and by the use of their
small boats he troops were rapidly
thrown on shore, and Smelling was "a
sumed.
At I q. m. on the Goth firing was quite
slow, with the design Of amusing the
enemy while the troops assaulted the foIt.
The enemy fired but few shots. The
point of landing was FIVE miles east Of the
feet, About 5000 troops were landed
and moved up to within 500 yards Of Fort
Fisher. One Officer asceuded the parapet
and brought away flag. A soldier led
cut horse, killing the orderly riding him
and brought off lis dispatches, Another
fired his gun into a bom5-proot among the
rebeIe, ana several Of our men we're you'd
cd by our shells. As their ammunition
gave out, smaller vessels were ordered to
retire and iron-clads and heavy vessels
were commanded to open with great ra-
pidity.
At sunse. all but the IRON lads were
Withdrawn, the latter keeping up a slow