Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1865-01-27

liyered very important speech oi luglcal
and fearless character.
a rebel paper referring TO the recent failure
Of Gen. Butler to take Fort Fisher states that
il is Of the highest importance thai it should
be held for the reason that more than one
half Of their supplies had been received
through the blockade Of Wilmington.
LouIsvILLE, Jan. S.
Forty guerrlas under Pratt and McGreg-
or, q consolidation Of several bands, yester-
day made a dash into Bardstowu to recover
one Of their men who was nfued in ths
jail. Pardst.wn is garrisoned by detach-
ment OF Federal soldiers under Capt. Nich-
OILS. The guerrilas set the depot 90 FIRE and
burned it to the ground The garrison had
heavy fight with the guerrilas, during
which Capt Pratt, Patrick Buell. and Lieuts.
Moniy and MSrston were killed, and several
wounded The gaerrillas we're finally driven
from the town.
NEW YoRK, Jan. 10.
The Richmond Whig, Of Monday says
JEFF Davis sent an authograph letter to Mr..
Blair expressing his willingness 70 receive
commissioners authorized to negotiate peace.
The boat which took Mr.. Blair fcum Rich
mond on its return carried TO that place Col.
Singleton from whose visit the Richmond
papers are hoping mueh in the way Of pacl-
hcalion.
Notwithstanding the fact that the military
have shu, up the prinsipal highways leading
to the Yankee lines. the negroes continue
ghtly to fee from Richmond in gangs, ia
apprehension OF being conscripted into the
rebel service
The Tribune's special Washington dis
patch of last evening says The President
has been all day coseted, denying bimself to-
all comers, and II is sai3 that two Als5ams
peace commissioners bad an audience
The same dispatch says tue government ex-
poets news Of more and most important sue
cesses hourly
The Times special Washington dispatch
says; Gen. Thomss writes to the War De-
partmant very encouragingly OF military af-
fairs in the southwest. He says Hood can
not gather an army Of 10000 men aud that
the south h-west is practically conquered.
Fortress MONROE,
Jan. l7-l0 p. NJ.
To The President
The rebel flag on Fort Fisher was deliver
ed to me on board the steamer Spaldlng, of
that place yesterday morning, Jan. Is, by
Mai Gen. Terry. An acknowledgment and
thanks for their gallant achievements was
given in your name TO Admiral Porter and
Gen. Terry, from whom the following paru-
culars we're obtained
The troops arrived off Fort Fisher Thurs-
day night. Friday they were all landed un-
der cover OF heavy fire from the squadron.
A reconnaissance was made by Gen. Ferry
on Saturday. A strong defensive line against
any of the enemy's force coming from Will
ming'on was established Saturday, aud held
by 1000 men. chiefly colorcd troops. and an
IA. II 10
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 the feet for three days, and
the front was assaulted at the hour mention
ed by column Of sesmen and marines, 1900
strong, under command Of Capt Breexe.-
They reached the parupet, but after short
conflict this column was checked and driven
back in disorder, aud 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 tue sea front failed, It performed
very useful part in diverting The attention Of
+ the enemy and weakening their resistance to
attack by troops on the other side.
Il The asssult on the outer and most difficult
side of the tort was made by column of 81
600 troops OF the old 10th corps, led by
Curtis. under the immediate supervision of
Gen. Terry. The eneny's force in the fort was
over 2200. The conflict lasted seven hours.
, The works we're consructed that every
traverse afforded the enemy new defensive
position from whence they had to be driven.
There were 10 number, and the hght was
earned on from traverse to traverse for z
hours by skilifully directed FIRE thrown into
the travsrses. One after another they were
occupied by the enemy Admiral Porter con-
tributed to the success of the assaultng
column by signals between himself and Gen.
Terry at brief intervals.
The fire was so well managed as to dam
age the enemy without injury to our own
troops. At about 10 o'clock at night the en-
emy were entirely driven from the tort. forced
down towards Federal Point, folio owed BY
brigade OF our troops. and about - o'clock
at night Gen. w hitting surrendered himself
and his command to Gen. Terry uDeondltlon-
ally as prisoners Of war. numbering yer 1900,
( tue remainder of his force being killed aud
wounded.
Our loss not accurately ascertsined Mon
day afternoon, but estima cd between 700 anu
500 in killed and wounded. besides naval loss.
which was slight, not exceeding 100 killed
and wounded. Not ship or trans port was
: lObt. 0uIlib 10 btNotti1 oub hpt AhohNaAll
wounded. Col. Bell died on Monday eT,-
, ming. Col. w. j. Moore and Lieut. Col.
/ Lyman were killed. Col. Penny hacker 10
1 badly wounded also Lieut. Col. Coan.
On Monday morning, between six and seven
o'clock. the magazine OF Fort Fisher explod-
ed. killing and wounding 200 or 500 PERSONS.
/, After the capture Of the tort all tue uoops
we're Withdrawn exoep. one brigade left IN
charge OF tne works. How the explosion oe-
curred is not known but Terry believes that
i, was oocasioned by accident or neglect.
Hoke's division, reported at 5000. was at
Wilmington. A portion of ii was thrown
8 into the fort not long before the assault, and
E while that was going on demonstrations were
made by Hose against our defensive line,
bat il was fooG to strong for anything more
than sklrming attack.
About | o'clock Monday morning,a heavy
cloud of sm oke was observed over FoTt,
Smith on the south side OF New Inlet. The
naval officer commanding that station report