The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-07-24

others monthly.
on the landing of the troops If did not fall then they
intrench; enter upon siege OF the pee and re-
main there until il did fall And the capture Of VIII
nngton would thus bccome matter for future considera
ton. Gen. Buer away from Fort Fisher in viola-
ton OF the instructions which gave him. From bis own
official report 1t evident that he forgot his instructions
in that particular his report shows that
The Rebel Gen. Whiting states
Question l9Please state whether, with force hold
ing the beach, from the nature OF the ground ana from
the eonguraon of the channel OF Cape Fear River 1t
would have been possible for the Confederates to have
reinforced or preyisioned the fort TO any extent2
| Asver-5No difficulty at all by the river
"oueaton sl-In view of the condition of the weather
Immediately following the demonstration of the 25th of
December and in view the force that might have
eentraed upon the Peninsula, we'll above below tho
place Of landing, would it, in your Judgment have been
possible for 100000 men, without artillery have held
out from the 26h of December to the 18th Of January
Answer-No and it matter OF grave charge against
General Bragg that the whole force captured on
the 10th ofDeeember lie had the force and the position
"Question 2i-would you have doomed It the part of
wisdom on the part Of the commander Of the Federal
forces to have exposed bis troops in the situation
ferred to in question twentyroneY
| "Answer-I donot. Neither attack was practicable in
been under competent officer The first landing ought
asuredy to have been captured entirely and for the
Second although deriving much greater advantages from
the different mode of attack by the fleet, and though
pressed with great Ygor II Is due TO the suppneness of
the Conedeate General that not destroyed in tho
| act VI assHuits
ORIGIN OF THE PoWDER-BoAT SCHEME.
A novel feature was introduced into
the first expedition against Fort Fisher,
viz: "a vessel loadedwith large quantity
OF powder to be exploded as near the
| fort as possible The idea appears to
have originated with Gen. Butler, in
consequence of reading of the terrible
effects of the explosion of q large guam
| tity of gunpowder at Firth, England,
some time before. He suggested il to
the Department at Washington, and
they Submitted it to their ablest engi-
neer and ordnance officers for eXamina-
ton and report. Those officers, while
not anticipating any very wonder
| full results from this new experiment,
| still deemed it of such importance
| as to recommend its trial. A suita-
BILE vessel WIS accordingly selected
for the purpose and loaded with pow
der, taken down to Fort Fisher and
exploded. But the arrangements made
Tor the instantaneous explosion of the
powder We're not such as to ensure COM
piete success, and the result of the trial
was not as satisfactory as was expected.
. The time for the explosion was not such,
i'll the opinion of your Committee. as
was proper to allow all the results which
would have been attained by moro
: complete explosion to have been taken
, advantage OF by the cooperating land
force.
The resolution under which your COM
mittee have conducted this branch of
their investigation had reference only to
the Hlst expedition against Fort Fisher.
| But the two expeditions We're so init
mately connected, it was so necessary to
ascertain the fact in regardt to the second
and successful expedition, i'll order pro-
perly to understand the first and unsuc-
cessiul one, that your Committee have
taken what testimony they could obtain
i'll relation to it. Some of the important
witnesses they Were unable to examine,
in consequences of their absence in the
field on active service. But enough tes-
timony has been taken to elucidate all
the leading important facts.
The naval force remained in the vici-
nifty during some very stormy weather.
while a second military force was organ
lied under command of Gen. Terry
This force consisted of some $500 men,
with siege guns and intrenching tools.
On the 18th of January, the troops were
landed on the. beach above Fort Fisher,
and proceeded to throw up intrench-
| mentS. The bonlbardment of the fort
was resumed by the navy on that day.
and was continued during the next day.
| The fire of the fleet was very heavy and
exceedingly effective, disabling all the
guns, except, perhaps, one or two on the
land face of the fort, where the army was
to attack.
On the 10th the bombardment was
continued, and in pursuance of previous
| arrangements the fort was assaulted.
The assault was begun about three
o'clock in the afternoon by column of
sailors and marines, 1000 strong, attack
| ing the fort on the sea face. This as
sault, though made with great bravery,
was repulsed with considerable loss. III
proved beneficial, however, by attract
| ing the attention of the enemy in that
direction, enabling the army the more
easily to effect Judgment upon the
other side. The contest was very severe,
the rebels fighting obstinately, but were
driven from traverse after traverse by
the force of our troops, aided by the fire
of the navy. After some seven hours
desperate and continuous fighting the
fort was taken, and the garrison cap
tured. Our troops and officers fought
most bravely, and are entitled to the
highest credit for their gallantry and
daring. The navy co-operated most
heartily with the army, and rendered
every assistance in their power.
1t will be observed from the testimony
that there are several points of difference
between the two expeditions. In the
case of the first expedition, while the
navy We're prompt and active in the
bombardment and the landing of the
troops, there was want of cordiality
| and cooperation between the two arms
of the service which must have seri-
ously impaired the efficiency of their
joint action. The testimony of officers
and the records ofthe Navy Department,
herewith submitted, are referred to by
| your Committee as containing ample
evidence of that fact. In the second ex-
| petition no such feelingwas manifested,
| but the most cordial spirit of co-opera-
| ton appears to have actuated the conf
handing officers of the army and navy,
and to that may be attributed thesuccess
which attended their efforts.
In the case of the first expedition, the
bombardment by the feet does not seem
to have seriously impaired the efficiency
Of the fort But few of the guns of the
fort were injured, and the garrison seems
70 have suffered but small loss. In the
case of the second expedition, the bonn
bardment was far more effective. AL