The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-01-20

had been abandoned; that matters remained
in the same condition On the morning Of the
26th, and throughout that day that we could
easily have possessed ourselves of the forts un-
til late in the afternoon, when Gen. Bragg ar
rived at Wilmington with 6 900 men from Lees
army at Richmond, and that finding our troops
were re-embarking Bragg decided not to mo-
'''' 1sisneD WIN. G. TEMPLE,
Lieutenant Commanding
NEW York, 17.-Fort Fisher was cap
tured by assault on the 18th. Our loss is
about 500. There were seven hours Sc
we're fighting. The official report will be
sent soon.
BALTIMORE, Jan. 16.-The special cor
respondent of the american, under date
of the 9th inst, communicates the follow
ing important information relative to the
renewal, or rather continuation, of the
great movement against the defenses of
Wilmington, situated at Federal Point, at
the mouth of New Inlet.
This correspondence has been withheld
from the public here until it should become
known that the attack had actually been
commenced:
STEAMSHIP SANTIAGO De CUBA,C
OFF BEAUFORT, Jan. =. }
Having ridden out a heavy southeast
storm at our anchorage during the past
two days off Beaufort harbor, we are now
enjoying calm peculiar to this latitude,
which can scarcely be expected to last
more than twenty-four hours.
Yesterday morning the wind having
got around into the northeast, and the sun
shining out brightly, we were blessed with
q quiet sea, and our eyes were delighted
with the approach of the fleet of trans
ports with the troops furnished by General
Grant to cooperate with Admiral Porter's
fleet in the capture of Fort Fisher.
The first vessel that arrived was the
flagship of the commanding general which
crossed the bar at once and proceeded up
Beaufort harbor to communicate with the
flagship of Admiral Porter. Next came
the steamers Baltic and Atlantic, each
with near 2, 900 men on board. The other
transports also arrived soon after.
All the transport fleet, as / write, are
anchored outside the bar along with the
naval vessels.
The plan of battle is fully arranged, and
the commander of each vessel has been
supplied with new chart, indicating not
only his exact position, but the precise
point of the works of the enemy on which
his fire is to be directed.
The Santiago being commanded by the
senior Captain of the gunboat fleet, Capt.
O. s Gibson is stationed at the head of
the line of vessels of her class, eleven in
number, and whilst others of the line are
to concentrate the fire on the outworks of
Fort Fisher our guns are to throw flank
fire into the fort.
The positions of the vessels are nearly
the same as in the former fight, excepting
that the iron clads will take position about
a quarter of mile nearer to Fort Fisher
than at the first attack and the Dictator
will also join them with her two 15-inch
guns, making the monitor fleet twelve guns
strong, including the four guns of the
MonadnOck. -.
Then the Ironsides with her tremendous
11-inch broadsides and the Minnesota,
Wabash, Brooklyn, Susquehannah, Tusca-
rora, Seneca, Ticonderoga, Mohican, Col
orado, Shenandoah, Pawtucket, Macinac,
Manumee, Powhattan, Juniata, Yantic,
and Kansas from the second line.
The New York, Unadilla and Huron
which act as tenders to the Monitors, are
also in the inner line. The gunboat fleet
is to form line in front of the shore bat
teries, extending to the right of Fort
Fisher. .....,
The reserves of tho various divisions,
consisting of the smaller class of gun
boats, are assigned to position outside
the line of battle.
A steamer just arrived from Inner har-
Dor reports that at noon to-day signal
was hOisted on the flagship for the entire
fleet to prepare for sea. The probability
is that we will sail tomorrow morning if
the weather continues favorable.
We also have the gratifying intelligence
that Gen. Terry has arrived and is in
command of the troops. His presence is
hailed by the feet as an assurance that all
energetic and determined effort will prove
that Fort Fisher can be taken.
The fleet outside the bar are all ready to
sail at a moments notice. The larger
transports are also outside abcnt fifteen
miles, awaiting the movements Of the
fleet. ,s
BALTIMORE, Jan. 1.-THE attack upon
Fort Fisher commenced Friday, when the
troops were successfully landed.
Gen. Terry commanded the troops, who
occupied the entire width of the peninsula.
The forts were entirely cut off from Will
mington.
FORTRESS MONROE, Jan. 1.-THE steam.
er Atlantic has just arrived from Whining
ton, and confirms the capture of Fort
Fisher and the works on Federal Point.
Our losses are heavy. Two heavy To-
inch guns burst on the monitors. We cap
tured about 800 prisoners.