The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-01-18

mn WASHINGTON, jan ~,
u MS lonoWllg las pss oeen feGelVed al the
Navy Depa1rtneIG rom Aol1iral Forter;
90, :, FL rLA a.Hsa =, M a
hovo ,ha honnr r., ;ns,ra, ao,, .hat asr.
lions baye haan Tesnn,ed /. aa;nst tho for,s a.
IN csoas tss, S;na tha
s,rs+ ,tsri ~, ,s,,,.a H.
~i,hdrswaJ If tho troons I ,baua- heeni en- am.
olored in tilIino Tho sbins with srnnnnn;t;on
md md coal n on- 'vorL had 70 ba done With
tba LARGE. 5vessaIs ancl ored IN he cosst A.
nosad you NAV almost GOV 40 Of 500 10 tho
g;nlo,.t gsios t.t hIo,s s,.
lv, o. fhasa soalas the anamv demanded to
rreak mn onr prenarat;ons We viii 500 W.
nave cone tbronqh the worst of II. have beld
an II III yaIes haavSv e5o,,sb todr;1a anvS
hing to,sea' and We have Sustained nof,a,naoe
whatayar - Fl
After the troons arrived the weather set in
bad, and the gale was very heavy. AS soon
as it was over got under way on the 18th,
and forming the vessels in three lines. with
he transports In company, steamed for Fort
Fisher. On the morning OF the 18th. the feet
look its station in their lines close to. the
beach. and boats we're sent at once To take off
the troops. Tdese were landed. with about
twelve DAYS provisions. at about 2 O'Clock p.
NJ. At this time Ipursued a different plan in
attacking the rebel works. sent in the new
Gommander Bradford, leading sthe monitors
Saugus, Canonicus, Monadnock and Mahopac.
At 73O the forts opened on them as they ap-
preached, but they quietly took up their old
positions within 1000 yards of Fort Fisher,
and when ready they opened their batteries.
In this way / tempted the enemy to engage
the monitors, that we might see what guns
they had, and seeing where they were, might
be able to dismount them by our fire. Quite
a spirited engagement went on between the
forts and the Ironsides and monitors.
IL was soon A APPARENT that The iron vessels
had the best Of it. Traverses began to disap-
pear, and the southern angle Of Fort Fisher
commenced to look very dilapidated. 1 aThe
guns were silenced one after another, and only
one heavy gun 10 the southern angle kept up
IT'S fire. The FIRE of this gun was not at all ac-
curate. and it inflicted no damage on the iron
s9essels.s They were hit. thouell several Times,
By way of letting the euemy know that we
had some shell left on board the wooden ships,
and did not intend to take any unfair adyaD-
tspe by using iron vessels alone. ordered
line No. on the plan, ia by CAPT. Alden, of
the BROOKLYN. and line No. 8. led Inv Commo-
dore MAfHers Of the1 ColoraanY " 90 and at
,ack the batteries. This was done in The
handsomest manner. Not mistake was com
mitted except iflrine too rapidv and ,naIFine
ZOO much smoke The heavy Are of the large
iVpSRols ahnt nm the enompJs Ollne aft onpo and
after arino until alter dark tha woodsn YES.
sells dropped out to their anchorage,
The Ironsides and monitors maintained their
position through the NIGHT firing = she'll now
and then. gThey are now lpinse svithjn 1000
gards ofTthe fort. and the monifors' ara within
| 700 yar,is and the fort does moi fire q pnn al
them thinking. no doubt. that rs Is a waste of
powder. The firinv viii I'd. commence "a soon
as we get breakfast. and be kent mn as long as
the ordnance Recruitment provides ,,s with
shells and puns. slisT ,1arsis Y Isdarfa H9is'h
There is a perfect understanding, bstgeen
Gen. Terry and myself. and / believe every
thing has been done to suit him. Ihaye heard
| no complaints. and know that we have fell
every disposition to hello the army along. A
detailed report of our Operations here win be
sent in when we get through. i see no reason
to doubt our success. The forts will he used
up. We have a respectable force landed on
the strip of land, which our naval guns COM
pietely command. 1t is . placeeof defence
which would enable US to hold on against q