The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1865-01-25

| At five o'clock the second signal wa
given by the flag ship to get under way
when the work OF weighing anchors com
menced, and at half past 5 signals of the divi.
ion commanders to move forward were givel
and responded to. causing brilliant porotech
! mic display The gunboat Tacony was sen
ahead last night TO anchor off the Flag pont
Battery and day not having yet dawned, he
lights can be seen as Che steering point of tn
feet in shore about three miles ahead Of us.
The three frigates--the Wabash, Minnesot'
and Colorado--moved off, the first led by Ad
miral Porter's flagship. They were followed
BY the new Ironsides and monitor fleet. Thu
signals from the army transports added to thu
scenic display. At the first dawn Of day the
whole armada was in motion. The wind hai
changed to due west during the night, and
coming off shore, tends to render the landing
of troops comparatively easy. At quarter to
I o'clock the Admiral signaled to form the line
of battle; whereupon the Brooklyn, with her
line Of vessels, moved along close to the beech,
In the followlng order:
Baooklyn, 26 guns; Mohican;7; Tacony, 10;
Kansas, 8; Nautila, 7; Huron, A; Maumee, b;
Patuxent, 10; Seneca, 4; Ponto"ue, 10; Nyack,
7; Yantic, Z; Nereus, IL. Total, 1l6 guns,
This division was ordered to prepare for action,
and move in close to the beach to shell the
woods at the point decided upon for the landing
of the troops, about three and and half miles
from Fort Fisher, near the deserted Half Moon
battery. In few minutes the whole division
was in position, throwing shells into the narrow
strip Of woods separating the seashore from
Cape Fear river, about mile inland, PARALLEL
with the besch.
In the meantime the Ironsides got into posi-
ton directly in front Of Fort Fisher, the Iron
sides about three-f -fourths Of mile and the mon
itors about half mile off, in the following
order: New Iron sides, Com. Redford, ~ guns;
Mo1odnock, Com Parrot, A guns; Mahopae,
3 guns; Saugus, Com. Coleam, 2 guns; Canoni-
Gus, Q guns. Before they got into position the
Fort opened on them but they secured their an
chorage when at $3.50 the Ironsides opened on
the Fort and was followed by the monitors with
their tremendous shell. Every shot landed in
the embrasures, and exploding threw clouds of
sand high into the air.
The Fort occasionally responded, but did
not send more than shell every ten minutes,
and at times found it impossible to work its
guns. Ats o'clock the boats of the fleet were
called away to assist in landing the troops The
woods had in the meantime been thoroughly
shelled, and no enemy had appeared. The
transports were enabled to 60 within half a
mile of the shore, and were soon surrounded
by not less than 200 boats, supplied from all
the vessels of the fleet. Severl tugs also joined
in the work, and carried the soldiers to within
100 Yards of the beach, where they were trans
ferred to small boats. Tents and camp equipage
were also landed, with several days provisions
for the entire force, 8 600 strong
At nine o'clock the boats from all the trans
ports moved for the shore, and in few minutes
the first 500 men stepped on the beach and
planted their regmental flag on one of the
highest sand hills, amid cheering from the
transports and fleet. There was not sign of
the enemy at this time in any direction. At
ten o'clock, about 600 troops having been
landed, a skirmish line was sent farward on
the beach Admiral Porter signaled to Captain
Glisson, commanding the Saratoga, to move
with his gunboat division on each side of the
line of frigates and shell the beach in advance
OF the skirmishers. The woods in advance of
the pickets were thoroughly shelled up to
within 4 miles of Fort Fisher.
The fireing on the fort from the monitors and
the New lronsides was magnificent sight.
From So'clock in the morning up to o'clock
in the afternoon the monitors poured in their
murderous shells at the rate Of four per minute,
The whole number thrown in that time was
about two thousand. Every shot struck the
embrssures or parapet of the fort, and the gun
neryy exhibited was never surpassed. During
this time the fort possibly threw 300 shells in
return. but the difficulty they had in manning
their guns amid the explosions Of ourshells and
the clouds of sand that constantly enveloped
the work from our well directed shots, doubt
lees worried their gunnery, as most of theil
shells struck beyond or short of the mark. AL
of our vessels however, received honorable
scars in the fight. The damage to the fort, BY
outward appearances, was most distinct Abou
A o'clock dense and continued smoke from
the inside OF the fort indicated that some Of tn,
rebel huts had been fired
At4 o'clock the Admiral signalled to tn
vessels in line Of battle No. /, to take position
marked out for them on the chart, and join il
the bombardment. Following rapidly was al
order to line of battle No 9 to take position AM
ioin in the bombardment. 1t immediately NOV
ed forward, presenting an array of the larges
vessels in the service, and magnificent spec
taele Of old wooden walls, with their ponderou
armame nts.
At twenty minutes to ) o'clock these tw
immense divisions, carrying 3l2 guns, in sd
dition to the Iren- -clads, joined in the csnnon