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

ing too contracted, to- proceed in shore to
cover the encampment of the troops from any
| assault by Bragg from Wilmington.
The troops are 10 high spirits, and anxious
to be led forward to assault the fort They
with to wipe out the stain cast upon them by
the withdrawal of Butler, and to prove to- the
country that they did not believe the fort
could not be taken.
The announcement received here to-day
that Butler had been relieved from the COM
mand of the Army of the James, caused great
rejoicing throughout the feet.
1 regret to learn that one of the Is inch
guns on the Mahopec bursted to-day, but
am glad to say that none of her crew were in
jured by the explosion. She remained in the
fight throughout The day. - 49,. =
( Some good shooting was made by the rebels.
and all the from ciads show numerous indenta-
tions of their armor, and perforations of their
smoke stacks. e3 g
SECOND OAK. 9oor
Saturday Morniug, Jan. l4-Another
bright and beautiful day has dawned, scarce
ly cloud dining the heavens. The Mont
tors and Ironsides have continued through
out the night to throw a shell every ten
minutes into the fort, disseminating their Work
only as daylight approached.
t. The troops on shore are having a fine time
and are In most splendid spirits.I A foraging
party has justretarned tocanp with neary
100 head of cattle and horses, which they sue
ceeded in picking up during the night. {9sh
A number of the troops advanced during
the night to the abandoned Fort Anderson,
and now hold possession of the whole breadth
of the, peni6sular to- Cape Fear River. The
advanced picketsl are already within mile Of
Fort Fisher, preparing to storm it when the
proper moment arrives. sIs..
The Santiago de Cuba, with the division OF
Capt. Gibson, consisting offourteen gunboats,
is anchored this morning close .Under the
beach, with instructions 10 protect the troops
as they advance, and follow them as they move
forward. 1'.
II A. M.-Up 10 this hour nothing has been
done. The Monitors are lying quietly with
the ironclads under the guns of Fort Fisher
Not shot has been exchanged since o'clock.
A gun burst on the, Mahopec yesterday,
slightly wounding two officers, and one man
seriously. These were the only casualties in
II p Pm M.-Tne Monitors have just opened
on Fort Fisher, ara
The division Of wooden vessels are in short
range OF Fort Fisher, and firing rapidly upon
it, elcting no reply.
SECOND DISPATCH. Enc
40 The American has the following from its
special Correspondent upon the Wilmington
expedition who has just arrived at Fortress
Monroe:
,,F0rtress Monroe, Jdn.-.l7--6,30 P, M-Af-
ter three days and nightseof bombardment,
Fort Fisher is .urs with all all the contiguous
works, commanding New Inlet. Doc
= The assault was made by the army and
naval brigade at 3o'clock on Sunday after
noon. One corner of the fort was secured in
shalf an hour, but we had hand TO hand fight
with the garrison, which lasted until 8 o clock
at night. 1t was very stubbon and bloody
resistance, and the fort was strewn with the
3lead. The garrison had been strongly re-
inforced. The number of prisoners taken was
over 1000, and, the, number of guns captured
70. Aifthe forts including Mound and Zeke
Island batteries surrendered. 'aai lenss
The rebel loss in the assault was 500 dead,
besides the wounded, "a lga,Ts af,%o 4
Our loss was about 900 in killed and wound
ed. 4
Fleet Lieut., Preston, and Lieut.. Porter
{. commandant Of the flag ship, were both killed
in the assault. ga D'-'s -"
Gen. Whiting and Col Lamb are both
prisoners and wounded, 30
g The rebel pirates Tallahassee and Chicka-
manga were both in the fight and driven up
river. Our gunboats went up the river on
Monday Morning. Our prisoners will be Inn
mediately sent north. IN
< The magazine in the fort exploded by ac-
cident on Monday morning. killing and wound
ing 200 of our men. hn
The Santiago de Cuba brings the bodies Of
sLieuts. Preston and Porter, and the wounded
of the navy. .s
.sIIaW Hyft q. ADNA2s df1eW