Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1865-01-26

a5pi the command was obeyed with alac-
ritv Clouds Of saINt were continually
rising nom some portion Of the fort,
a. the shell exploded while plOwing
tIsough the tEayerscs. At o'clock the
naval force was waiting between the
ttgt and the sea, with their centre oppO-
site the northeast face of the fart, named
nv the rebels Sand CVrrsin,' and the
Essaulting military column vas in their
hastily thrown up earthworks half
mile tIOm the other end when the anX-
iously looked for signal . , l l, was
hung upon the flagship.
Each vessel instansly ceased firing;
and the steam whistles were sounded
for several minutes. Immediately this
signal was heard, the sailors quickly
rose to their feet, and with a shout,
rushed forward toward t6r parIyet on
the sea face of the fort The stockado,
which runs from the fort to the sea, rya.
dered it impossible to scale the wall,
except within space Of about t1enty
yards
Toe enemy were prepared for the
movement and the moment the naval
force were upon their feat they appeared
in close column upon the parapet, with
only their heads in view, ana poured
most murderous fire into their adyanC-
ing column. At the saple time shells
from the Mound and water batteries
raiued upon them. The men fell thick
and fast the line wavercd, and thena
large portion of the column dropped
upon the sand so as to be below the
range Of the enemy's bullets. The Of
ticers urged the men to proceed, but a
portion OF the marines broke and ran,
and some Of the sailors followed going
pell nell upon the beach, leaving the
space behind them streWn with the dead
and wounded. Many fell into the water,
and their bodies could be seen tossed to
and fro in the surf Buta large portion
of the force kept steAlily on, till two
guns from the fort were opened on them
with grape and canister, moving them
down with fearful slaughter Here the
brave Lieutenants S, W Preston and B.
II. Porter were killed. Nearly the whole
force now fell back, and as they retreat
ell the rebels cheered eXultanly, and
some shouted after them with taunting
epithetS 4 small party of naval officers
and sailors still held their ground at the
abattis, and intrenching themselves with
a shovel which had fallen from the ram
parts, performed eficieut service as
sharpshooters. Ensign Davis of this
party shot the rebel Col. Lamb as he
against our troops ~6R6P Is haS aaS iraTerseS Ira St.
tered the fort a few sailors reached
She ramparts Of the fort; and noble
looking boy planted there 4 flag, when
he FELL pierced by seven bullets.
THE GRAND sTUGGLE.
Curtis and Pennypacker's brigades
were meantime lighting stubbornly,
and were met by the enemy in a 10 less
/ brave and determined resistance, who
fell back from traverse to traverse con
testing each one as they went with the
most desperate valCr. Twenty-One pris-
/ oners were sent in by the One Hundred
/ and Seventeenth New York about half
! past three o'clock, and We're followed by
another squad of upward of seventy
soon afterward, as well as several small
er lots Col. Bells Third Brigade, con-
slsting Of his own Fourth New Hamp-
shire, the One Hundred and SiXty-ninth
and One Hundred and Fifteenth New
York and the Thirteenth Indiana were
now ordered up to the support of the
First and Second hrigades.
Fort Fisher consists Of one inclOsed
fort or bastion, from the opposite angles
of which spread but at right angles tC
each other high parapets or curtains O
earthwOrk the sea face TO a distance o
1000 yards, and the north face about 3
third OF this distance. At regular in
tervas these curtains are crossed by
high trayerstS, which, at the same time
serve as bomb proofs, d betweel
which are mounted sometimes one. anC
at Others two heavy guns. On the NORTH
face were fifteen Of these traverses, anC
when our men succeeded in capturing
the first Of these the second was AT
earthwOrk behind which the rebel.
could retreat and 50 on successively
until oar men reached the bastiOn, which
was inClOsed on all sides, and here tn,
rebels would evidently hUddle for thsiI
final struggle
Col Bell led in hls gallant fellows
and the First and Second brigades, aug
mented with this additicnal strength
fought nebly, desperately on, until 81,
OF the fifteen had been won, and her
the advance for a time was checked
and thus the matter remained unit
about five o'clock, The fire frore "a
navy had Of course been sackened whe
our men reached the parapets at tn
Aorthern end Of the fort, and now wa
resumed but concentrated upon tn
bastiOn and the sea or southwest from
Gen. Ames sent word to Gen. Terry tina
, tSe gallanF Curtis had been seriously
) and as was then enormously though
e mOrtally wounded.
/ Col. Bell was killed, and Pennypacke
! severely if not fatally wounded, Will
g every member Of Gen. Ames' staff an
l nearly every regimental commander wa
t eith@ killed "a wounded. The loss (
: all, or at least s4 large a number Of h
= officers had disorganized and confuse
e his men, so that it was almost imposs
# BILE to get them isEo the closing labor
q which, with some three hundred fires
, organized men, to rally his men abou
it was the opinion of the general migi
IA be successfully and gloriously aCcon
a Plished. Simultaneously with the me
= I Sao64hc admiral sent anOthpr SaVir