The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1865-01-27
LATE WAR NEWS.
FoRTREss MONROE.
Jan. ITO II. nj.
To The President


The rebel flag on Fort Fisher was
delivered to me on board the steamer
Spaulding, of that place yesterday
morning, Jan. l6, by Maj Gen. Terry
An acknowledgment and thanks for
their gallant achievements vas given
in your name to Admiral Porter and
Gen. Terry, from whom the following
particulars were obtained
The troops arrived off Fort Fisher
Thursday night. Friday they were
all landed under cover of heavy fire
from the squadron. A reconnaissance
was made by Gen. Terry on Saturday.
A strong defensive line against any of
the enenys force coming from Will
mington was established Saturday, and
held by 1000 men, chiefly colored
troops. The assault was made Sunday
afternoon at half past g. The sea
front of the fort had been greatly
damaged and broken by continuous
and terrible fire of tho fleet for three
days, and the front was assaulted ut
the hour mentioned by a column of
seamen and marines, 1900 strong,
under command of Capt. Breeze. They
reached the parapet, but after short
conflict this column was checked and
, driven back in disorder and was
afterwards placed ON the defensive
line, taking the place of the brigade
that was brought up to reinforce the
assaulting column of troops. Although
/ the assault ON the sea front failed, it
performed very useful part in divert
ing the attention of the enemy and
weakening their resistance to attack
by troops on the other side.
The assault on the outer and most
difficult side of the fort was made by n
column of 1900 troops of the old 10th
corps, led by Curtis, under the imme-
diate supervision of Gen. Terry. The
enemy's force in the fort was over
1900 The conflict lasted seven hours
The works were SO constructed that
every traverse afforded the enemy a
new defensive position from whence
they had to be driven. There were T
in number, and the fight was carried
on from traverse to traverse for hours
by skilfully directed fire thrown into
/ the traverses. One after another they
were occupied by the enemy. Admiral
Porter contributed to the success of the
assaulting column by signals between
himself and General Terry at briei
intervals.
The fire was so well managed as to
damage the enemy without injury to
our own troops. At about 10 o'clocl;
at night the enemy were entirely
I driven from the fort, forced down tow
ards Federal Point, followed by a
brigade of our troops, and about II
o'clock at night Gen. Whiting surren-
dered himself and his command to
Gen. Terry Internationally as pris-
oners of war, numbering over 1900
the remainder of his force being killed
and wounded.
Our loss not accurately ascertained
Monday afternoon, but estimated be.
tween 700 and 500 in killed and
wounded, besides naval loss, which
was slight, not exceeding 100 killed
and wounded Not ship or transpor
was lost. Curtis is severely but MOI
mortally wounded. Col Bell died OIL
Monday evening. Col. W. j. Moore
and Lieut.. Col. Lyman were killed
Col. Pennybacker is badly wounded
also Lieut.. Col Coan.
On Monday morning, between 81,
and seven O'Clock, the magazine o
Fort Fisher exploded, killing anC
wounding 200 or 300 persons. Aftei
the capture of the fort all the troops
We withdrawn except one brigad,
iei1 J. charge of the works. How Tia,
! eNpiosi''9 occurred is not known bu
Terry beh,yes that it was occasione,
! by accident o. neglect.
hoke divlsIrl, reported at 5000
. was at Wilmington. A portion of j
was thrown into the fort not Ion,
4 before the assault, and Vale that wa
d going on demonstration weis made b
n Hoke against our defensive line but
: was found too strong for anything NOR
G than a skirmish attack.
: About IL o'clock Monday morning
4 a heavy cloud of smoke was observe
over Fort Smith on the south side ,
New Inlet. The naval officer con
i handing that station reported thu
: they had fired their barracks an
= evacuated that fort
: You viii be pleased to know tia
n perfect harmony and concert of actio
n existed between the land and nav,
n forces; and their respective command
a ers. Admiral Porter and Gen. Terry
II We'd in their commentators of eac
i other. Each seemed more anxious t
# do justice to the other than to clair
i anything for himself, and they unite
in the highest commendations of til
) naval and military officers and force
+ engaged To this harmony of feelin
4 and the confident spirit inspired ma
a perhaps be attributed in some degre
q the success of our attack, with nearl
II equal numbers against a resolute enc
my In works unsurpassed if ever equal
led in strength, and which Beauregar
a few days before pronounced impree
!, nable. The armament of the fort wa
! n guns, some of large calibre an
rihed, and one Armstrong gun. tn
troops in the fort had rations for 81,
teen days. Their loss in killed an
= wounded is between 400 and 500
q Con \[bifipfr boJ tb.oo - !.