The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-12-09

FINDING il had not however answered on the 3Oth
December advising Admiral Porter 20 hold on and tina
would send force and make another attempt 10 tax,
/ the place. This time selected Brevet Major Genera
'ow Major General) A. II. Terry to command the expe
AZ, on The troops composing consisted of the same
,h, composed the former with the addition OF a small
hri"aa numbering about 500 and small siege
The iatt. II was nsver found necessary COM
mnnIcasa direct to the commander OF the expedition
the follown instructions
expedition entrusted 1's q your sa COMMAND has
been lifted out renew the attempt TO capture Fort Fisher
& ann aroceea Nh little delay possible the naval
Ssp and Fo
North Atlantic biockadins squadron o., oomnlc,e under.
standing should betwe and the asya
Pr freely and ss re% HIM
each se sEsnch q the public Iii ss5s &c whole
laid down writing w'. n, and Mu his neGe
and know that you can rely on his ,S therefore defer
him as much as consistent n ,
s OF s sSse on to which Ss F
eSy Tscssn 1s your n.
self against sent against you BY sny q 'Ss
oSaned the ep siege Of Fisher will abasdoCed
S Saan : aedecip9 from iSese headquarter
ny es hs Of se into Gas
he o cut as % Lssa pe
forceent while the river in possession Of The
sss iss
supplies be drawn from Beaufort as Yen need .
assured When you lind they can be spared order them
In ease effect landing bring your command
Their instructions You win debak at Beaufort until so
General Sheridan has send division Of
Win Be- 70
there the vessels until heard FROM Should you
require '"'' u s. ST.. GRANT, Lieutenant General
Brevet Major General A. II. TERRY
Lieutenant Colonel c. B. Comstock, aid -de-camp NOW
brevet brigader geneml, who accompanied the former
expedition was assigned in orders as chief engineer 70
this - .e'.-rss 'f,'~ Ok -
1t will be that these instructions did not differ
materially from those given for the first expedition and
that In neither instance there an order to assault
Fort Fisher This was matter left entirely 10 The dis
erection OF the commanding officer.
The expedition sailed from Fortress Monroe on the
morning of the 9th arriving the rendezvous on Beau
fort the Sh, where owing TO the difficulties OF the
weather. it lay until the morning of the 18th, when It
got under way reached destination that evening
Under of the fleet the Decentralization OF the
troops commenced the morning OF the l3th and Dy
three O'Clock p NJ was completed without loss. On
the 14th reconnaissance was pushed TO wltnln nVe
hundred yards OF Fort Fisher and small advance work
taken possession OF and turned into defensive line
against any attempt that might be made from the fort
This reconnaissance disclosed the fact that the front OF
the work had been seriously injured by the navy hre
In the afternoon of the 18th the fort was assaulted and
after most desperate lighting was captured WIN M entire
garrison and Thus was secured by the com
ned Efforts OF the navy and army Hns s oa .nI os'
no; wounded, $50 On the 10th and 18th the enemy
abandoned and blew up Fort Caswel and the works on
Smiths Island which Immediately occupied by u.s.
This gave entire control Of the mouth OF the cape
Fear river
At request Major General b. f. Butler was relieved,
and Major General E. O. c. Ord ASSIGNED to the command
Of the Department of Virginia and North Carolina
CONCENTRATION TROOPS NORTH CAROLINA
The defence Of the line Of the Tennessee no
longer requiring the force which had beaten and
nearly destroyed the only army threatening II, !
determined TO find other fields Of operation for
General Thomas surplus troops-felds from which
they would cooperate with other movements. Cen
eral Thomas was therefore directed to collect all
troops essential to hold his communications at East
port in readiness for orders. On the 7th of January
General Thomas directed, If he assured Of the
departure of Hood south from Corinth to send General
schofed with his corps east with as little delay as posi-
the advance d tie corps reached Washington on the 2sd
Of the same month, whence II was sent to Fort Fisher
and Newborn. On the 28th he was directed TO
send General A. J. Smiths command and division Of
cavalry TO report to General Candy BY the Ith OF FeD
The state Of North Carolina was constituted into
military department. and General Schohed assigned to
command and placed under the orders OF Major General
Sherman. The following instructions were given HIM
CIIr Porsr, Va, Jan. 81, 1865.
and Ssrh Carolina The point attained
sS sSs
deem best should you not be able .9 reach Colds
s sss 81 psss
ss 81 NJ E. H. a s msss
Therefore, determine which q me two
a 1a sappss from the Interior you
a g snms 1 o as GH @
you house and protect 70 such point In the in
as has 0snS
.a o hs You on cn ne a what eps e has
n s the ss ey Of their
ess Wi.s me By and should you deem il
special boa. Fofrs.s Mon
supplies referred TO these Instructions exclusive
Of enemy justify even
duty II s a s.s so snS AXE
on your Judgment, without waiting for Instructions
xGS
% a
S %. ny yyal f Rs w 18Th TINS
iG cam Be supplied large
railroad have a been sent & and o oh s
point have informed you By .ssgsph sr.r.n, General
Major General J. NJ. scHoyIEID.
Previous to giving these instructions had visited Fort
Fisher, accompanied by General Schoned for the pur.
pose OF seeing myself the condition Of things aud
personally comforting with General Terry and Admiral
Porter s what best TO be done.
a nsIps,,n~ the arrival Of General Sherman at sayan
na-hs army entirely foot loose, Hood being then be-
fore Nashville Tennessee, the southern railroads de-
siroyed that would take several mouths to re estab
sh through line from west TO east and regarding the
capture OF Lees army as the most important operation
towards closing the rebeonI sent orders to General
sherman on the 9Th Of December that after establishing
the coast, with necessary garrison TO In
cludc all his artillery and cavalry to come by water TO
City Point with the balance Of his command
On the 18th Of December, having received information
of the defeat rou Of Hoods army by General
Thomas and that owing 10 the great dculty or pro-
curing ocean transportation II would take over two
months 10 transport Shermans army, and doubling
whether he might contribute much towards the
desired result BY operating from where he was wrote
70 him TO that effect and asked him FOR his Views - 70
what would b best 10 do few days after this re-
ceyed communication from General Sherman, Of date
18th December acknowledging the receipt Of my order
OF the 6th and informing OF bis preparations 70 carry
that he had expected upon reducing Savannah instantly
10 march 70 Coiumbis South Carolina thence 70 Raleigh
cossume about III weeks time after the fall
or savannah. where's BY sca he could proba-
bly, roach me BY the middle Of January The
march 10 and jon me pleased me- and, without whiting
for reply 70 my letter Of me 18th, directed him on