Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1865-01-20
FORT FIsHER CAPruRED-BIG THING.

Washington, Jan. l7.-Maj Gen. Di6:-Tht
following official dispatch has just been received
at this Department
/ Headquarters U. = Forces. on Federal Point
! N. O.,Jan Is, via Fortress Monroe, Jan. 18th
Brig. Gen. j. 4. Rd,otRS:-SrR: | have the hon
or to report that Fort Fisher was carried by as
sault this 7. NJ. and evening by Gen.. Ames' di
vision and the I'd brigade of the 1st division O
| the Oath army corps gallantry aided by bat.
tallion of marines and seamen from the Navy.
The assault was preceded by heavy lombard
ment from the fleet and was made at $3.50 P NJ.
when the first brigade Curtis of Ames divis-
ion effected lodgment upon the parapet but
full possessions of the works was not obtained
| till 10P. NJ s4EE
The behavior of both officers and men was
most admirable. All the works south of Fort
Fisher are new occupied by our troops. We
have not less than 200 prisoners, including
General Whiting and Colonel Lamb, command
er of the Fort.
regret to say that our loss is severe, espec-
tally in officers. j am not yet able to form any
estimate of the number of causalties.
ABFERD H. TERRY
Breyet Maj. Gen. Com. Expedition
Ft Fisher, Jan. Is, A. M.-After careful
reconnaissance on the I4th, it was decided to
risk an assault on Fort Fisher. Paine's divisiop
with Col Abbott's brigade to hold our line, al
ready strong, across the Peninsula and facing
Wilmington, against Hoke, while Ames' divis-
ion should assault on the West end After three
hours heavy navy firing, the assault was made
at P. M. on the 18th Curtis brigade led, and
as soon as it was on the west end of the land
front, it was followed by Pennebakers and the
latter by Bells. After desperate fighting, gain
ming foot by foot, and severe loss at P. M.
we had possession of about half the land 'front.'
Abbotts brigade was then taken from our line
facing Wilmington, and put into Fort Fisher,
and on pushing it forward at 10 p. m., it took
the rest of the work with little resistance, the
garrison falling back to the extreme of the Pen
insula, where they were followed and captured;
among others, General Whiting and Colonel
Lamb, both wounded | think we have quite
1000 prisoners. | hope our own loss may not
exceed 500 but it is impossible to Judge in the
night. Among the wounded are the comman-
ders of the three leading brigades, General Cur-
It's being wounded, but not severely, but Colo
nels Penebaler and Bell dangerously.
The landfront was formidable one, the para
pet in places ID or Is feet high, but the men
went at it nobly, under a severe musketry fire.
The marines and sailors went up gallantly, but
the musketry fire from the east end of the land
fort was SO 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 of the guns were injured. How many
there was on the Point ] can't say, perhaps 80
or 40.
C. B. CoMsrocK,
Lit. Col. A D. C. and Chief Engineer.
Another dispatch estimates the number of
prisoners captured at $500, and the number of
guns at 70. General Grant telegraphs to this
Department that in honor of this great triumph,
achieved by the united valor of the army and
LII hae n Into IS Ia
fired by each of the armies operating against
Richmond.
-rE @. A. DANA, Asst Secretary of War.
Fort Monroe, January I7.-Fort Fisher is
ours, with all contiguous works commanding
The assault was made by the army and naval
brigade ats O'Clock, Sunday afternoon. One
corner of the fort was severed in half an hour,
but we had hand to hand fight with the garri-
son, that lasted till o'clock at night. 1t was a
very stubborn and bloody resistance and the
forts approaches were strewn with dead. The
garrison had been heavily reinforced.
The number ofprisoners taken was over g,
600; the number of guns taken is ~. All the
forts, including Mound and Seeks Island Bat
teries, surrendered. ..
The rebel loss in the assault is 500 killed, be-
sides many wounded.
Loss in the army and navy is 900 killed and
wounded.
Lieutenant Preston and Lieutenant Porter,
commandant of flagship, were both killed in
the assault.
General Whiting and Colonel Lamb are both
prisoners and wounded, and the rebel pirates
Tallahassee and Chickamauga we're both in the
fight and driven up the river. Our gunboats
went up the river on Monday.
The prisoners will be Immediately sent North
We have had several days of delightful wealth
er. -.-.st
The magazine in the fort exploded by accident
on Monday morning, killed and wounded 200 of
our men.
The Santiago brings the bodies of Lieuten-
ants Preston and Porter and all the wounded of
the Navy.
Baltimore, January I8.-The following is ta-
ken from the correspondence of the Baltimore
american, dated off Fort Fisher, the 10Th:
The fight lasted over six hours, being a des-
perate hand to hand struggle. Each ofthe seven
teen mounds and embrasuers were taken in sue
cession. After the most fierce encounters, in
which the catacombs of the dead and wounded
were added to those that already lined the fort,
suffice it to say, by way of preface to detailed
account that notwithstanding the fort had been
strengthened and reinforced since General But
Ter decided that It could not be taken, it is now
in our possession with "a cannon, 1000 prison
ers and 700 dead, and that our gunboats have
to-day sailed up the Cape Fear River, driving
before them the pirates ChickdmaltgG and Tdlla-
hGssie and effectually closing it to blockade run
ming, and stopping the only channel the rebels
had left for the importation of munitions of war.