The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1865-01-30

sssAessssA s41O Va<SSs
!. . Tho. movement Of the ensmy VS.
sudden, IS We al know. Alfcr the pre-
vious failure It was not anticipated that..1
so quick repetition Of the, effort would
be made: General Hoko had been with
drawn towards Xilmington, or aboye II. !
On Saturday, q Mr. McMillan- as our
informant heard discovered, from, near
'Topsail sound, the approach Of the enc
my, and sought to communicate BY tele-
graph; to General Bragg the fact but
tho operator was not in condition TO
send the dispatch, and it became neces~
sary to transmit the news by = messen-
ger. In two hours after the Intelligence
was received. General Hoke was on the
march to confront the enemy ct his point
Of landing.
On Friday, the enemy landed, under
cover Of his feet, hear battery Gatlin,
about nine miles from Fort Fisher
While he was landing, General Hokeap
peared and dfew up in line parallel, to
watch his movements, and intercept
them when possible to do SO. It was
not possible to prevent the landing,
owing to the situation Of the point chosen.
The enemy landed on the banks, just
above the neck Of the sound, thus inter-
posing small surface of water between
them aud an attacking force; or COM
pelling such force to circle around the.
lower extreme Of the sound-either Of
which movements would have.t0 be done
under the fire Of the whole fleet.
When General Hoke found this to be
the situation, he established line facing
the sea, and threw out what cavalry he
required Gf he had it) on his right flank,
towards Battery Anderson, which was
down the beach, towards Fort Fisher,
about four miles. The intervening coun-
try here ia broken; and the low places
are grown dpWith chick busheS and dafes
marshy The purpose Of this cavalry was
to observe the movements, and give the
signal Of the first advance Of the enemy
towards establishing line across the.
neck Of land to.the river, it being tho Or
der and purpose Of General Bragg to have
General Hoke attack him assoon IS he adj
vanced. In this condition matters
rested until Friday night During the
night, the enemy, passing between
the cavalry, and threading their way
through the thick, marshy underground,
made their way to the river, and on Sa
turday morning General Hoke found an
entrenched line on .his right flank, ex-
tending across. the peninsula, from the
sea to, or near to, the river. He sue
ceeded, however, in maintaining his base
at Sugarloaf, Immediately changed his
line, and informed General Bragg of the
status. Then General Bragg gave the
order to charge the enemy in their works.
In the meantime, General Hoke had
made close reconnaissance, under the
FIRE Of the enemy, and discovered the
strength Of their JORGE and position. On
receiving the order to charge, he commu-
nicated the result Of his observations,
and asked General Bragg to reconneitre
in person, which he did; and both Of
these officers concurred that it WAS not
proper to assault the lines Il was then
determined to reinforce the fort and
steps we're taken which, but for natu-
raj, but, as far as we can see, unblamable
miscarriage, ought to have succeeded,
failed to 3 great extent By this limo,
the enoany, four thousand strong, were
secure behind their works and TIL
feet proceeded TO bombard Fort Fisher,
which was done unintcrruptedly until
Sunday about 6 P. H. +
On Sunday, the column Of assault
numbering about four Thousand, moved
| from the encmY's lineSN and aa they ID