East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1865-01-18

leaving the lron-cluus 10 iire throuSn
the night, expecting the troops would
attack in the morning, when we would
commence again. / received word
from General Weitzel, informing me
that it was Improbable to assault,
and herewith inclose a letter from
General Butler, assigning his reasons
for Withdrawing the troops. / also
inclose my answer.
am, Sir, very respectfully,
Your obsdient servant,
DAVID ID. PORTER,
Rear-Admiral.
Hon. Gideon Welles, Secretary of
the Navy, Washington, ID. @.
Correspondence Between Gen. But
Ter and Admiral Porter.
GENERAL BUTLER TO ADMIRAL PORTER.
HEApouARrEns DEPARTMENT OF VIRGINIA
AND NORTH CAROLINA, Dec. 25. 1864
ADmIRAL-Upon landing the troops,
and making thorough reconnaissance
of Fort Fisher, both General Weitzel
and myself are fully of opinion that
the place could not be carried by as
sault, as it was left substantially un-
injured as a defensive work by the
navy fire. We found seventeen guns
protected by traverses, two only Of
which were dismounted, bearing up
the beach and covering steep Of
land, the only practicable route, not
wide enough for a thousand men in
line Of battle.
-Haping naptnrad FLAIR Pond Bat
terry, the garrison of which (sixty-fve
men and two commissioned officers
were taken off by the navy, we also
captured Half Moon Battery and seven
officers, and two hundred and eight
men of the North Carolina Junior Re
serves, including its commander, from
whom l learned that portion Of
Hoke's division, consisting of Kirk
lands and Hapgood's brigades, had
been sent from the lines, before Rich
mond on Tuesday last, arriving at
Wilmington Friday night.
Gen. Weitzel advanced his skirmish
line within fifty yards of the fort,
while the garrison was kept in their
bomb-proofs by the fire of the navy,
and so closely that three or four men
of the picket line ventured upon the
parapet and through the sally port Of
the works, capturing horse which
they brought off, killing the orderly
who was the bearer of dispatch from
the chief of artillery of Gen. Whiting
fort; and also brought away from the Il
parapet the flag of the fort This was
done while the shells of the navy wers
falling about the heads Of the daring
men who entered the work; and it
was evident, as soon as the FIRE Of the
navy Scss;s~sca becc..".scss Of the darkness,
that the fort was fully manned again
and opened with grape and canister
upon our picket line.
Finding that nothing but the opera
tons of regular siege, which did not
come within my instructions, would
reduce the fort, and in view of the
threatening aspect Of the weather, the
wind arising from the southwest rem
dering it impossible to make further
landing through tho surf, l caused the
troops, with their prisoners, to re-em-
bark; and l see nothing further that
can be done by the land forces. i
shall, therefore, sail for Hampton
Roads rs soon as the transport fleet
can be got in order.
Ny engineers and officers report
Fort Fisher to me as substantially un-
injured, az defensive work.
have the honor to be,
Very respectfully,
Your obodicnt servant,
BENZ. L. BUTLER,
Major General Commanding.
ADMIRAL poRrEn's REPLY.
NoRrH ATLANTIC SQUADRON, !
U. s. FLAe-SmIp MALVERN,
Orr New INLET, N. O., Dec, 26.
GENERAL beg leave to acknowl-
edge the receipt of your letter of this
date, the substance of which was COM
municated to me by General Weitzel
last night. have ordered the largest
vessels to proceed off Beaufort to fill
up with ammunition, to be ready for
another attack in case it is decided to
proceed with this matter by making
other arrangements. We have not
commenced firing rapidly yet, and
could keepany rebels inside from show
ing their heads until an assaulting col
umn was within twenty yards of the
works. / wish some more of your
gallant fellows had followed the officer
who took the flag from the parapet
and the brave fellow who brought tho
horse out Of the fort. / think they
would have found it an easier conquest
than is supposed, i do not, however,
pretend to place my opinion in oppo-
sition to Gen. Weitzel, whom know
to be an accomplished soldier and en-
gineer, and whose opinion has great
weight with me.
i will look out that the troops are
all off in safety. We will have west
wind presently and a smooth beach
about three o'clock, when sufficient
boats will be sent for them. The pris-
oners now on board the Santiago de
Cuba will DO delivered to the Provost
Marshall at Fortress Monroe, unless
you wish to tako them on board one
of the transports, which would be in
convenient just now.
remain, General, respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
DAVID ID. PORTER,
Rear ADMIRAL.
To Maj. Gen. B. +. BUTLER, Com
handing, &C., &c.
Tho Wilmington Failure.
Dispatch TO the Associated Press
WASHINGTON, Jan. 10.
Tho NAVY Denorf,nanf boa roceived