The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-01-16
FORT FISHER.
Admiral Porter's Criticisms on
Gen. Buffers Report.
The Failure Placed on the Shoulders
Of the Army Commander,
&C., &c., &c.
WASHINGTON, Jan. Is, 1896.

wAsHSaros, Jan. Is, 1895
Admiral Porter, In communication to the Secretary Of
the Navy dated January Q, affords an explanation Of
various matters connected with the late Wilmington
petition, which it proper now TO make public in view
Of General Buffers ofhciL report Of that affair
He claims that his attacking the oath instead Of the
18th utmo even II had been practicable TO make tho
attack upon the earlier day, had nothing 70 do with the
result The part to be performed by the navy only
70 silence the batteries dcmoisze garrison
that the army could easily assault the works which
contends eiectualy done II the army after land
ing the 25th would assault the works. it would
not have done on the 18th. The delay gave Butler
thousand additional men, who arrived subsequently
to the 18th
He also that General Butler started with his
troops sooner than he requested him TO do and conse
quently arrived of Wilmington showing his Transports
&c. the enemy and thus exposing the plan of attack
the enemy days before the naval feet could
arrive ana prepare Tor the action the Monitors and
powder snip had 10 be towed, as he well knew. He
quotes from the log book 10 show that from the 18th to
the 23d there such surf the beach that the
could not have been landed the attack had been
made On the 23d he sent word to Butler by despatch
boat that he would make the attack the next day. But
should have arrived with his transports of Cape Fear
river at o'clock p NJ at the latest He commenced
driving the garrison the bombproofs but OF the
transports arrived until sunset and then only Buffers
headquarte boat and three the other transports
were there.
The batteries again silenced the next day. and the
driven to the bombproof and the amy landed but
without making any effort to assault The army COM
mander concluded that the work substantially unn-
jured defensive work He states that the letter Of
Lieutenant Commander Semple, and the testimony OF
prove that the works could have been had
the troops been allowed to assault they desired
What matters It, then he asks whether an attack was
made the 18th 24th the result would have been
the sameY
He also asserts that the military part OF the expedition
got up in the most unmtarylike manner the troops
placed in most inferior transports which could not
dense water, with short supply Of ra0ns, and unpro
vided with seigc guns intrcnching tools No allow
made for bad weather. for delays getting
shore It appeared that he had calculated the
powder ship and navy doing all the work. and that all
the military had 70 do TO walk into the fort and
take possession.
He comments severely on Buffers failure 70 take ad
vantage Of the work the navy had done No musketry
grapeshot fred at the military during the rst day,
and but twenty muskets and two guns after night
fall Ten OF the pckets wcre through oversight the
forts after nights and hoy quite number Of men
u
| rison leaving to prevent capture.
Until late in the day Of the 26h the forts lay at
| mercy and IL the had ma been brought of the
rebels would have surrendered when they marched
aAd the navy opened Are He argues that with the
mander Of the army alone lay the fault Of want Of
success.
In another communication dated 1lth inst, he states
that the powder boat TO have exploded the 18th,
but General Butler requested him to delay day two
The that night to render any further
operations mpracicabe until the Oath that delay
unavoidable; but he thinks II strange II Butler had
waited long TO make the attempt he should ask for
further delay
Reports OF Deserters from Fort Fisher.
BaLuMoRE, Jan. is 1885
The Amercdn's Beaufort correspondence, under date
OF the 9th inst, says
Nine descrters on from Fort Fisher a few days
since, and picked up by OF the blockading
sells They report that the fort about surrenderng
the 25t when they surprised 90 learn that The
troops being Withdrawn from the shore. They
represent the garrison greatly demoralzed Tho
tiers all destroyed and the poorly supplied with
! provisions
rioti Ia lo Th.re n,fic anfan