The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1865-01-05
Admiral Pofters Official Dispatch The
Great TsrpedO.. Terrific Bomb afdment.y !.
NEW YORK, Thursday Dec.

New YORK, Thursday Dec. 20.
Admiral Porters full report of the opera
tions against Wilmington is recelv ed from
the Navy Department. 1t is dated off New
Inlet Dec 20, from the Flag ship Malvern
The following is digest Of the report: The
attack was opened on the Oath with all the
ironclads and heavy vesseIs of the feet, the
smaller vessels being held in reserve. Pre-
vious to the attack torpedo on large scale
supposed to contain powder enough to ex-
plode the magazine of the fort was carefully
prepared under the command of Commodore
A. g. Rhind, and exploded under the walls
of the fort. So much had been said about
the terrible effects of powder explosions re-
Gently in England that great results were
expected from the experiment. The boat
selected was the louisiana and after being
prepared at Norfolk she was towed round to
Beaufort and filed with powder The Lou
isiana, was disguised as a blockade runner
by painting her white and adding anosher
srnoke-stack. Every preparation for her
success was completed at Beaufort
Gen. Butler had arrived at the rendez-
vous previous to the concentration Of the
fleet, aud every effort was made to have as
brief delay as possible On the 18th, Ad-
miral Porter sailed from Beaufort for the rem
devious, 20 miles east of New Inlet and
found most of the feet assembled there.
On the goth heavy gale sprung up, which
the fleet managed to ride out without
accident, except the loss of few an
chors.a The transports being short of W ater
and not fitted for severe weather, put into
Beaufort and remained till the storm was
over. IL = r,r,rtr- s.-....- ..-.r......
On the 23d Commodore Rhind was order
ed to make ready to explode his torpedo un-
der Fort Fisher at 1920 p. III. The Louisi-
ana started in tow Of the Wilderness. AS
soon as the embrasures of the fort were in
sight the Wilderness cast off and proceeded
under steam to within 200 yards of the
beach and 800 to Fort Fisher, where she was
anchored. The blockade runner went in di-
rectly ahead OF her to enable Commodore
Rhind to make all his preparations without
suspicion. After everything was ready the
fuses were lighted and the party on board
escaped to the Wilderness, which immedi-
ately steamed out to sea. The explosion
occurred at torty-tive minutes pastE onelthe
Oath, and was not like what was expec-
ted. The vessels in the feet were shaken
but little At daylight the feet moved in
and at 11;90 a. m. the attack commenced
1t was opened in fine style by the New
lronsldes, followed by the Monadnock, Can
onlcus and Mahopac. Seventeen guns were
counted on the northeast face, only five of
which were used, and these were soon siien-
ced. The Minnesota and other large vessels
next took position, and delivered fire randi
~ As soon as they opened, the fire was
SO severe as to drive the enemy to bomb
proof aud they replied from only one or two
guns The smaller gunboats then took DO
sitlon according TO orders, and joined in the
"a light. An hour and fifteen minutes after
the lfght.began, their guns were complete
~ sllenced, two magazines were blown 10
aud several buildings set on fire Our fire
was then slaekened, but still kept up in
hopes OF attracting attention of the trans
ports with troops
Gen. Butler came at sunset with a few
troops, and preparations were made for re-
newing the fight in the morning.
During the heaviest Of tie attack l15
shots per minute were fired. The enemvs
guns were silenced so quickly that no one
.s on our feet was Injured by their fire.
Six loo-pounder Parrott gums on our fleet
exploded, killing and wounding in the ao-
gregate forty officers and men. These
explosions were on the Ticonderoga, Ante,
Juniata, Alackinaw, Quaker City and Sus.
quehannah, and were attributed to the de-
fective character Of the guns. The Mackin-
aw was perforated in her. boiler and ten rer-
sons badly scalded. The Osceola was strncl,
near her magazine and leaked rap1dIv bnt
was saved through the exertious of her diff
GERS and crew, and those of the Quaker Citv.
u The Keystone State Sassacus, Santiago de
'Caba and Fort Jackson, are all specially
mentioned, and also the Brooklyn, Colorado.
y Susquehanna, Mohican, Powhattar, Ticon-
derago, Shenandoah, Vanderbilt and Mime
sofa, and the monitors officers and men
came out OF the action with contempt for
rebel artillery, aud We're anxious to renew
the fight.
ga ON the morning ottbe Goth the TRANSPORT
had arrived and a conference was held with
.Gens. Butler and Weitzel, to decide upon
the place OF attack. 1t was decided that
. the teet should renew the attack. while the
army landed and made an assault, Sew
teen gunboats under Capt. Gleason. were
sent to cover tie landing of the troops.
Etner small vesseIs-wero afterwards sent
and by the use of their small boats the
troops were rapidly thrown on shore, and
sheliing was resumed
5rsa AT z sa.om. on the 25th firing was quite
slow, with the design of amusing the enemy
while the troops assaulted the fort. The en-
Z envy fired but few Shots About 8, 600 troops
were landed and moved up to within 600
yards of Fort Fisher. One officer assembled
the parapet and brought away flag. A
soldier fired on horse, killing the ORDERLY
riding hun and brought off his dispatches.
Another tired his gun into a bomb proof
among the rebels, and several of our men
wounded by our shells AS their amrnnni.
tien gave out smaller vessels were ordered
, ytoretire and iroR-clads and heavy vessels
were commanded to open with great ranid.
ity. i So asa} aeg 1as~N : :
At sunset all but the iron-cladss were with
drawn helatter keeping up a slow fire until
daylight, expecting to cover the assault in
the morning. General Weitzel sent word
shat aniassault was impraciicable. The arm -
ulanded about o'clock and commenced re-.
embarklng at o'clock one brigade stavino
on shore during the night covered by the
gunboats Sixty-five rebel soldiers s,irre,,-
20 dered as our troops landed and 200 gaye
party. '"' 80
The loss of our land forces I i ; ,,,4a 55
A detaehment of gunboats were sent ~ f;nJ
ID Tue entrance n TO the harbor, but the cbannaI
Y pas pas been , 90 changed that itwas not dis
eoVefed-H5lzormi blows g.
Where the original channeii i existed tb.-
rs now shallow bar. Several offcAr ''i s-o
highly complimeDted, among them c.
modore Rhind and Lieut. Preston r.
managed and exploded the tornado -.