Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1865-01-12

But if he declares this, why did be begin his attack
Fort Fisher thirtysx hours before the troops ar
rived
when the land operations failed, Admiral Porter
took to have it announced through the press that
be dissatisfied with General Buffers ef,rt a ex
pressed his determination TO stsy and fight it oct with
the sailors and Marines He seemed to have persevered
in this heroic resolve during about two days General
Butler lett on the 25th 26h, and Admiral Porter
followed in bis wake on the p or % b. What Ad-
mra Porter may have accomplished with bis sailors
and marnes " in the interval, we are not informed.
AS to the matter of combined operations we have q
single remark to make. Admiral Porter either began
too soon or ended If the troops were CT auy
consequence he should not have ordered the attack be-
fore they arrived If they were of DO consequence ne
should have ccntinued the attack after they left, and
until Fort Fish ar bad surrendered to his fleet
We are not anxious to defend Gen. Butler from crit
icsm. So far as We now know, he does not stand IN
need of defense When the time for explanation ar
rves, be will probably be found abundantly able to
d. fnd himselt But nee these matters get into the
it is worth while to notice who most
ous to present bis apology to the public And 1t Will
perhaps be found that he who is swtest to make an
apology is be who stands in need OF one AS fCr
Gen. Batter. he seems to think be can wait. His re-
port not yet published nor has be employed 30 lar as
koow the newspaper correspondents to disseminate
the sentiments of it in unofficial form. are not
aware that be has yet caused imputaons upon Ad mi
RAJ Porter to be published in any shape But when
Inc causes OF lne w failure W
passed upon, Gen. Butler Of whose conduct 10 just
impeachment has yet been made will be entitled TO
hearing.
THE DEMONSTRATION AGAINST WILMINGTON.
letter from Washington TO the New York Her.
aid says:
Much modification is felt here, both in private and
official circles at the ridiculous faz|e of the military
part of the Wilmington expedition. The naval officers
claim that Fort Fisher could have been taken without
ii rpOUrPd
works should be moved on to deliver them into our
hands Commodore Rodgers, who has arrived here,
says theG In bis opinion the fort already taken and
only required that somebody should go in and occupy
it, be fact that seven hupdred of Buffers force re-
manned two days the beach without being attacked
shot being fired towards them is cited sut-
tcient evd that the enemy not in fore to re
sist determined and persistent advance OF the
comparatively small of troops employed, which,
there s to 2eve, exceeded the numhe available
for the defcrce OF the point
THE RESPONSIBILITY,
From the New York World.J
Whether General Butler, anc the military officers OIL
whom he took counsel, responsible for the check
which this colossal expedition has received in the very
outset OF lis it is not tor yonr correspondent to
say. Certain it s, that 10 the feet he is universally
blamed, In vehement and emphatic terms, for continual
delays when the expedition pre- 'aring and for lack
Of enterprise when the action 10 progress. AS aD
indication OF the intensity OF feeling against General
lion that but just naval officer, whose name l.
familiar 10 every household in the land, denounced him
either black hearted traitor arrant cow
ard"
| Aootker. equally we'll known, said " He 'orced
himself into the expedition and, believe, cine down
With the deliberate purpose Of defeating the enterprise
| He determined to have his way and, seeing
that he could not, was bent thwarting every hing
Naval officers assert that the fire OF the Fl oet bad
senced the FORT and driven its defenders seek ary
hole for shelter, AID that bold dash you'd have Ell
ecled the capture OF the place, amost without resist
ance. On the other hard 50 Admiral Porter admits
General Weizetl is accomplished engineer, and biz
opinion is W rhy Of consideration den1 raj w 3i'z i
ispa young ard ambitious Cficer. wlo you'd scdrcel
throw way likely cbanc Of disting uiGhing bimself
Yet, the 4et did such Tremendous work and seemiug
with much OF succss Tar as lta share OF To
gagement concerned hat tbs public will be apt
cast the odun Of failure General Butler and bis al
| visers.
RETURN PART OF THE FxPFDITIoNARY FLEET TIL
LATEST ADvICEs FROM ADMIRAL PORTER.
| Fort MONROE, Dee 30.-Nearl0 ali the ste 'mer
comprising The portion of the expedition airy feet unde
The command OF Najpr General Butler, which sae
bence several weeks since, have returned in safety not
withstandipg the storms expere need along th
coast and while anchored eff Wilmpgt,n IN, North Car
DINA.
The Santiago de Cuba and Fort Jackson bav1 bee
the only vessels attached the naval et which hav
yet arrived from eff Wilmington, and the latest ad
vices received from Adnrai Porter present him
Stlli suDecGGg Fort FlSDer 10 vigorous DomOaTu
ment.
The Hoo Montgomery Blair add Frank P. Bai
arrived here yesterday, and left at late hour las
evening, Gu visit to the army operating ag aiDst Rct
mond.
The Nerfolk Regime of today &C obtains the follow
ing correspondence from off Fort Fisher, dated th
18th iost.:
The shore is strewn with broken boats, which hav
| been wrecked in way and anobr They lie scat
tered along the beach from Fort Fisher to Maso lbo
rough
The North Carolina Salt Works, at Masonborough
were desu Dyed by fire last Saturday.
Many Of the vessels have withdrawn from these wa
ters and be bombarGment may be said to have com
to an end.
Two hundred end fifty of the L" North Carolina Ri
Serves" captured by Major General Butler, in tie vi
cinity of Fort Fisher, dsembarked from tue steamsh
Baltic yesterday afternoon, route to Point Lockout
Md Ibe condition of these prisoners exceedingly
wretched, many OF them being without blankets an
overcoas, and in shoeess and hatless Two
thirds OF the number apparently had not reached tn
age of q, while the aiming third of them ra uge
| between tie years of II and Is.
From the New York Tribune, I'd inst.
| PEACE MOVEMENT.
Our last dispatch from Washington states thu
Messrs. Flancis P. Blair (senior) aud his Mont
gomery have gore to Richmond, and that it is under
ocd that their errand is OF peace-or, rha!s "
should more accurately say, to whether any ermi
nation of national struggle is attainabe. We pre-
sumo their mission is not 10 official but it wer
absurd to pretend-consdering who they are and Rha