Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1865-01-18
OFFICIAL DISPATCHES.
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WAsHTNeToE, Jan. H.
To Major General Di4:
The following official dispatches have
been received st this Department:
HEADQUARTERS u. s. FoRcEs FEDERAL1
POINT, n. O., Jan. Is, via
FORTRESS MoNRoE, Jan. II.
Brlgadier-G General J. 4. RaUIfzs:
GESERAL-I have the honor to report
that Fort Fisher was carried By assault
this evening, by General Ames' Division
ard the I'd Brigade of the 1st Division,
and the I'd Brigade of the 1st Division Of
slU z4En Army Corps gsllautly aided by q
battalion Of marines and seamen from the
navy. The assault was preceded bv a
heaYy 0Ombsrdnaent from ths feat and
was made at about hSIf.pass tlrso ojcloCl-
P. NJ, when the first brigade, Curtiss', Of
Ames' division effected lodgment upon
the Parspet, but full possession of the work
was not obtained till 10 P. n.
The behavior of both officers and men
was most admirable. an The works south
Of Fort Fisher are now occupied BY our
troops, We Lave not less than 1900 pris-
oners, including Gen. Whiting and Col.
Lamb, the commsndant Of the post.
l regret to say that our loss is severe,
especially in officers. I am not yet able
to form any estimate of the number Of
casualties.
(Signed) ALFRED Il. TERRY,
Brevet Asj. Gen. Comd'g. Expedition.
FoRT FISHER, Jan. I6-2Am
After careful reconnaissance on the
l4th, it was decided to risk an assault on
Fort Fisher. Psines division with Colonel
Abbott's brigade, were ordered to hold our
line, already strong, across the Peninuls
and facing toward Wilmington, against
Hoke, while Ames' division should assault
on the west end.
After three hOnrs heavy navy firing, the
assault was made at three o'clock on the
afternoon of the 18th.
Curtiss' brigade took the lead, and as
soon as it was on the west end of the land
front, it was followed by PennebskeFs,
and the latter by Bells.
After desperate fighting, gaining foot by
foot, and severe loss, at five o'clock in the
afternoon we had possession Of about half
the land front.
Abbotfs brigade was then taken from
our line facing Wilmington, and put into
Fort Fisher, and on pushing it forward
at 10 P. NJ. it took therest of the work with
little resistance, the garrison falling back
to the extreme of the peninsula where
they were followed and captured; among
others General Whiting and Colonel
Lamb, both wounded. I think we have
quite one thousand prisoners.
1 hope our own loss may not exceed 500,
but it is impossible to Judge in the night.
Among the wounded are the com
msnders of the three leading brigades.
General Curtis is wounded slightly, and
Oolonels Pennibaeker and Bell are both
dangerously wounded.
The land front was q formidable one
the psrapet in places being fourteen or
fifteen feet high, but the men went at It
nObly under severe musketry fire.
The marines and sailors went up gal
lsntly, but the muskstry fire from the east
end of the land front was 50 severe that
they did not succeed In entering the work.
The navy fire on the work, judging from
the holes, must have been terrific. Many
guns we're injured. How many there were
on the point cannot say, perhaps thirty
or forty.
GSigned,l O. B. CoXsTocK,
Lieut.-Col., A. D. O., & Chief Eng.
Another dispatch estimates the number
of prisoners captured at $500 and the
number of guns at 72.
General Grant telegrsphs to this De-
psrtment that, in honor of this great tri-
umph, achieved by the united valor of the
army and navy, he has ordered salute of
one hundred guns to be fred by each Of
the armies operating against Richmond
[Signedl O. A DANA,
Assistant Secretary Of War.