New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-01-26
From Our Special Correspondent
FoRT FISHER N. C.. Jan. le, lses.

From Our Special Correspondent.
FogT FISHER N. C.. Jan. le 1906.
The sad work Of exhuming the dead who were
killed By the magazine explosion II Monday morning Is
slowly progressing Tho immense amount Of sand dis.
placed and the wide extent Of ground covered over,
renders the labor very great and necessarily slow.
Eleven were dug out to-day. Most Of them were reoog
nzed as belonging 10 company OF the 20od Penn.
syyaua. They were asleep at the instant OF the
explosion and know no wakisg The positqn Of { Sir
limbs indicated that ey were reclining In dhcohscicas
slumber when death overlook them. Many wero Dor
riby disfgured and scarcely recognizable fragments
OF human limbs enras sealps, ETC., which mast have
belonged TO dozen or more bodies, were gathered in
one pile and buried together in one collin Rebel dead
lay scattered about--some Of them eIhumcd IRON the
sand. others who lad died from wounds In the dark
passagc. ways and corners Of the bomb-pToof where
they bad crawed after being wounded.
The losses SUSTAINED by this catastrophe viii not 10
so large a. was at hrt reported Many who were miss
ing and supposed TO have been buried have been nc
counted for For instance tie total loss OF tie 10th
New.York In the assault and by the explosion Is
but 49, This is the largest loss sustained by any
regiment The losses Of the 18Th Newlork, 4th New
Hampshire and 203i Pennsylvania not so heavy by
the accident but they each lost largely particularly
in officers during the terrific fighting for the
mastery Of the place The total loss by official report
is rising seven hundred. send fall list herewith.
The men are resting from their late excessive abors,
and recruiting their wasted energies. The two sea
VOYAGES and gales Of wind 10 which they were exposed
during the two expeditions rapidly following each
other.
The weather continues very pleasant, and todny is
almost Summer like. Officers and men from the Navy
and Army are everywhere seen inspecting the vast
work which has just fallen trophy 10 their join; ynlor
No description can convey adequate idea Of the
stupendous strength and almost Titanic proportions of
the combined works of Forts Fisher Mound Fort-the
Mdan Of the main line-ond Fort buchanan, the
crownng work Of tho whole. The latter 10 pronounced
by competent officers who have inspected IT, the com
pletest specimen Of engineering skill to which the
present war has given birth. Tie name IS given in
honor Of Commodore Buchanan. who il win be
bered, fought and blew up the Meumac. and was
finally captured by the heroic Fnrraeut with loss o.
one leg at Mobile 1t naval port in charge Of
five naval officers, and garrsoned by l22 men, 1t Is
now gnrrisoned !by the 9Th United States Colored
Troops, in command OF Breyet Brig. Gen. Blackman.
The fort is about three hundred and fifty feet long
from north to SOUTH and two hundred from east to west
at the base with shelf fifty feet in length on the ends
ners with handsome sloping gacs sown all over with
beach grass Near the east front sunk in tho top of the
work is trench with steps TO descend at each end and
banqurte each side for infantry. The pit Is thirty
PAGES in length. and five feet deep On the northwest
angle Of the slnl SINK and mounted crcnlar track
on pivot Is al inch Brooks riled gun OF handsome
finish. IL is so mounted as TO sweep In any desired
direction. 1t was this gun which did such execution
upon our men after they had mounted the northwest
angle Of Fort Fisher In straight line from Fisher ii
rs about one and half miles Next to IL IS another Of
precisely the same pattern similarly mounted, and two
Oinch columbiad ell commanding the channel at half
mile west OF the fort. boat howlizor makes up tie
armament. There are entrances from the gunbeds 10
coyered.ways which pass at right angles with each
other through every portion Of The fort at least fifteen
feet below the surface Every square foot Of space
the sides Of these passageWays is filled with tire most
perfect liked ammunition. There Is besides, a lower
bombprooH in which the wounded were placed during
the fight. The main passlgeway opens toward the
East and forms saypor for entry and cgress; but II
can be closed a, pleasure. This work oxe,los the adj
miraton Of every who visits it, Il vas here that
about six hundred ofthe Rebels who escaped from the
ma wosk took refuge, awaiting the arrival Of boats TO