New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-12-06


General Weit,cl, who had been designated to command
the land forces 10 that the navy might not be detained
On the 9th Of December the following Instructions
were given:
"CIrY Poryr, Va, December 8, 1884.
"GtSERAL The first object Of the expedition under
General Wezel Is TO close 10 the enemy the port Of
Wilmington II successful in this the second will be 10
capture Wilmington itself There reasonable
grounds to hope for success advantage can be taken
OF the Absence OF the greater part of the enemys orce
now booking after Sherman Georgia. Tue directions
You have given for the numbers and equipment OF the
expedition are all right, except in the unimporant mat
ter oi where they embark and the amount of ntrenc
ing tor 10 be taken The object OF the expedition VIII
be gained by efecting andl on tie main land be-
tween Cape Fear river and the Atlantic moth OF the
north entrance to the river Should such landing be e'
feced whilst the enemy still holds Fort Fisher ard the
batteries guarding the entrance to Tic river then The
roops should intrench themselves and by cooperating
with the navy effect the reduction and capture OF those
places. These In hands, the navy could enter the
hnrbor, aud the port of Wilmington would be sealed
Should Fort Fisher and the point Of land which 1t Ia
built fall into the hands OF troops Immediately on
landing, then 1t will be worth the attempt 10 capture
Wilmington by forced march and surprise II time Is
consumed In gaming tie first object OF the expedition,
the second will become matter Of after considerations
"The details for execution are intrused to you ana
the officer Immediately In command Of the troops
"shoud the troops under General Weitzel fail to ef'
feet landing at or rear Fort Fisher, they will be re-
urned to the armies operating aainst Richmond WITH
out delay
"Mator General +. BurLgR'
General Butler commanding the army from which the
troops taken for this enterprise, and the territory
within which they were TO operate, military courtesy re-
Quired that all orders and instructions should go
through him. They were sent but General Weitzol
has since officially Informed me that he never received
the foregoing Instructions nor was he aware OF their
existence until he read General Buffers published ON
al report " the Fort Fisher failure, with my endorse
ment and papers accompanying H. had no IDEA OF
ueneral Buffers accompanying the expedt on until tho
evening before 1t got off from bermuda Hundreds and
then did not dream but that General Weizel had re-
ceived all the Instructions aud would he III command.
rather formed the idea that General Batter was actua.
ted by desire TO witness the effect OF tile explosion OF
the powder boat The expedition detained several
days a, Hampton Roads, awaiting the loading OF the
powder boat
The importance of getting the Wilmington expedition
of without any delay, IN or without the powder-toa',
had been urged upon General Butler and he ADVISED 10
80 notify Admiral Porter.
The expedition finally got or the 18th Of December,
and arrived at the place OF rendezvous, on New lhe'
near Fort Fisher, the evening Of the 10TH ADM TAI
Porter arrived the evening Of the 18th having put In
ri Beaufort 10 get ammunition for the monitors ihe
becoming rough, making IL difficult to land
r)opt and the supply OF water and coal being ABOUT
exhausted the transport fleet pui back To BeautoU 20
eplcnsh this with the state OF the weathtr DELAYED
the return TO the place Of rendezvous unii the AN.
The powder-boai was exploded on the morning OF The
2lh before the return OF General Butler froin Beaufort
but would from tho notice taken OF II IN southern
newr that ihe enemy were never ghieDed a,
10 the object OF the explosion until they were informed
by the northern press. III
On the 18th landing was effected without Opposition
and reconnaissance under Breyet Brgadler General
Curtis pushed up towards tho fort But before reeei'
ing sl report OF the result of this reconno ssance
General Butler IN direct violation OF the Instructions
given ordered the decentralization of the troops ana th'
return OF the expedition. - -,
The re embarkaiion was accomplished by Va" morning
Of the 9th
On the return Of the expedition, oficcr. and men
among them Brevet Major General Chen Breyet brgt
der GeneraD N. X. Curtis, First Lieutenant ~
Ro.e regiment Vermont volnniecrs firSt lleuteh
ant Gcorgr ". aling and S'cond Lieutenant 1eofg'
N..g yol
ported TO me that when recalled they were nearly h'
The fort and In their opinion Il could have oeeh 'ahei
without much loss 49, ,
Soon after tho return Of tie expedition received
despatch from the secrcary " the Navy, and et,e
from Admiral Porter, informing me that the meet wa
s oil Fort Fisher, and expressing the conviction tna'
under a proper leader, the place could be taken Id
natural rupposton with me was that, when TIE troop
abandoned The expedition, the navy would DO 40 also
Finding II had not, however, answered on tie 10Th
December advising Admiral Porter 10 hold on, an'
that would send force I'D make another attempt
take the place rhis time selected Breyet Major zen
era (now Major GeneraD y. N. Terry TO coninaha IN
same that composed the former with the addition OF
small brigade Numbering about 800, AMI small seg
train The latter II found necessary 10 land
communicated direct TO the Commander OF ihseiped
| err Poisr, Va, January 3, 1865
"GKxrHlL: The expedition entrusted % you, com
has been fitted out TO renew the attempt 10 cap
ture Fort Fisher n. O., and Wilmington ultimately, II
the fort falls You WILL then, proceed with a. little de
|
river and report the arrival Of yourself and command
20 Admiral d. d. Porter, commanding North Atlantic
blockading squadron.
understanding should oxis between yourself and The
naval commander. suggest, Therefore that You con
sui, with Admiral Porter freely AMI get from him The
part TO Ne performed by each branch OF the public Ger
vice. that there may b. ury OF action IL would o.
well have the whole programme aii down IN writing
have served with Admiral Porter, aud know that yoI
can rely on his Judgment and HE nerve 10 undertake
what no proposes would, Therefore, defer 10 him IA
much as 10 consistent With your own responsibilities
The first object lie attained In gc nrn rositon OF
the spt 81 land which Fort Fisher is built, IRON
which you operate aegius mat fort You want Il
look TO the practcabiy of receiving Your supplies an'
to defending yourself against superior forces zen
against YOU by any Of the avenue iet open to the On
envy. II such position can be obtained the r'ege OF
Fort Fisher viii not be abandoned until is reduction
sccofns shed, another plan Of campaign Is ofdere'
from these headquarters ,
any own views are that, /, you effect laudlng tn
navy ought 10 run portion OF heT heet mo caps f,a
river while the balance of 1t operates on the outside
nd forces cannot inves, Fot Fisher o. cut II OIL iron
supplies reenforcemens, while the river - IN POSSES
sion of The enemy
"a siege train win be loaded Oh vessels and sent u
Fort Monroe IN readiness be 10 sou II required
All other supplies can DO drawn from Beaufort Us yo'
need them.
"Kcep the ncet OF vessels with you until your position
10 assured. When you lind they csa be spared, orde
them back, such Of them You can spare to For
Monroe, 10 report for orders.
ain case OF failure 10 ercc, landing bring your com
and back Beaufort and report to these adquarter
for further Instructions You Will not de6aik at beau
fort until 80 directed.
General sheridan has been orGeyed 10 send division
of troops % Baltimore and place ,Efs eagong yes
sells These troops will be brough, To For, Monroe an'
kept there the vessels until you are heard from
Should you require them they VIII be sent TO you
| az. = GRANT, Lieutenant General
| "Brevei Major General A. II. TrKRr"
Lieutenant Colonel T.. Il. Coin-tock, aide-de-c amp
(now breyet brigadier GENERALLY who accompanied th'
former expedition assigned la orders chief en-
gincer 10 this
II will ts seen that tle>. Instructions did not III De
materially from those given Tor the inst expedition
and that In neither instance vas there an order e
assault Fort Fisher. ThH nisacr len entirely 4
the discretion Of the commanding officer.
The expedition sailed from Fort Monroe on the morn
Ing Of the 6h arriving the rendezvous OIL Beaufort
on the stb, where, owing 10 toe difficulties Of th