The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-03-04
THF GATE CITY


-4s rUrum The L0D0o0 ~ 4
rhe ran 81 rsss Ulster . AsssS-
Europe. .
To the student Of the art Of var Me
the story Of Fort Fisher TOT ~ !
scientific value, and to the general reaaet
for the exceeaiog interest Of the naresivs'
Tia fail Of this place, aftsr Ioss aad Ter
!; !. ere. nav not BE- deadly blow 70 tee
sa,,h. hut the Federals w look upon ~
.;ih instiee. a. brilliant success. ana o
en- sonraeed by il 70 persevsre 10 tnel, oP
er. tions against the seaport towns 49,.
still remsin 10 the hsndS OF their enemy
Tn this second expedition there was'
thanks. To the sterBness Of the Washing
tom Government, no disagreement OF op'n-
ion. or, at any rate, Of sctios, between
,he com mspders. From 6rst 10 last the
navy and tho land force were fully 20 sc-
cord. and when the place had been GRIP
pled BY the incessant FIRE OF the strongest
fl.et which has been engaged during the
war. the troops of Gen. Terry advanced
to the attack with spirit which showed
that the disgrace Of Gen. Butler bad NOS
failed as warning. Yet the praise -
not all on one side. As the oetails oe'
come more fully known, there is 'ncress'
iuy reasen . TO admire the perinacity OF The
Confederates. Seldom has SO small gar
risoo in SO limited space had TO support
.uch a fire for 80 great . length OF time.
The bravery of Gen. Terry's troops is un-
doubted; but they only advanced to the
attack when their opponents had been sl-
most crushed by the bombardment OF the
Federal irou-clads.
The effect of this occurrence on the
contending parties can hardly be estima-
ted. According TO their usual habit. the
Southerners do not attempt to conceal
their cha grin at such loN and one OF
their organs confesses, what some have
been disposed to deny, that the capture Of
Fort Fisher will make the port Of Will
miugton useless for the purposes OF for
eign trade. But how far this new defea
will increase their disposition for peace re-
mains as yet unknown. Not, 40. how
ever. with the North. The exul,ation pro
duced by this victory rather exceeds wha'
nigh, have been expected at time wheI
the Federals have achieved so many sue
cc.ses. This is, perhaps, to be explained
by the previous failure, which had itsei
followed the bootless naval operations
Charleston. The revolution in publ
feeling tends to make the North overvalu
it's last exploit. The power of the feet
the accuracy with which it was brough
into action, friga,es and gunboats, iron
sides and monitors. each taking up thei
position and doing their work with th
precision of machines, the successful al
sault on the place coming hard upon th
discouraging arguments Of General Blu
Ter, the ferceness of the struggle. and
finally, the prospect of closing the Ia'
great port of the South, have combine
to Gil the North wi b new cob6ienc,
The navy especially is highly gratiied I
having played SO distinguished and usef'
part 1t is the exploits Of this branc
of the service which will be Of most int
est TO our professional men. 1t seems
be ascertsined tina. the FIRE Of the tort ha
little effect Oh the hulls of the America
iron clads They are said to have SUITE
ed little, the MARKS of the Confederate ti
being only certain indications on the
sides and the shooting away of their boa
and the lighter parts of their equipmen
ia dispatch which we publish to-day
to be trusted. Admiral Porter believe
that he possesses vessel which could de
troy any ship OF the British or French D
w: Law our towns under contribution, AT
chase away anything which we mig
send TO blockade American ports. II
iron .clads lay for five days within Gig
hundred Yards Of Fort Fisher and receive
no material injury. Ii the Confeders
guns are capable of comparison with o
own, the question of ships against fol
may prove to have been considerably a
vanced by these experiments. Eve
fight across the ocean should be less
for us, and this last deserves to be studi
with unusual attention.