Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1865-03-03

| very strong, and rendered almost inaccessible
by swamps. A small force could have held then
| till the supplies were exhausted.
Ny impression is that the rebels have lines o
defense behind Tom Greek, where they propOs,
to make stand. If so, it can probably only b
| a short one.
am, General very respectfully,
Your Obt servt
| J. NJ. ScHoFTELD.
War Department, Washington February "a
lS65-IO Maj. Gen. Di1:-The following off.
cial report of the capture of Wilmington ha,
been forwarded to this Department BY Genera
Grant.
L. M. STANTON, Secretary of War.
| Fort Monroe, February "a P MO Gen.
erGt q. s. Grant City Point:-Our troops enter.
ed Wilmington on the morning of the Odd
After the evacuation of Fort Anderson General
Schofield directed Cox to follow its garrison to-
wards Wilmington, while Terry followed Hoko
on the east side of the river. The latter took
| up new line four miles from Wilmington, but
was so hOtly pressed by Terry that be could
| send no troops 10 the west side.
| The rebels made stand behind Owen Creek
| but on the Doth, Cox crossed his troops below
them on flat boats, and attacked them in the
rear, and routed them, taking two guns and
300 prisoners. On the 2lst, Cox pushed TO Be-
rumerick River, opposite Wilmington, where
| INC DriuSeS were on Ere On MS arrival The
rebels began burning cotton and rosin in the
| city, and left it that night
Our captures including Fort Anderson amount
to about 700 prisoners and % guns.
Citizens stated that the rebels burned 10000
bales of cotton, and Is, 600 barrels of rosin
The Union feeling showed itself quite strong
\ ly in the city.
| General Terry followed Hoke northward
G. B. COMESTOCK,
| Lieutenant Colonel A. D. c., and Brevet Brig
adler General.
Washington Feb. 25.-The following has Just
been received at the Navy Department:
| Flag Ship Malvern. Cape Fear River, Februa-
| ry "a, lS65.-SIR:-I have the honor 10 inform
you that Wilmington has been evacuated and is
| in possession of our forces After the evacua-
tion of Fort Anderson, pushed forward the gun
| boats as far as the water would permit; the ar
| my pushed up at the same time on the right and
/ left banks of the river. After sounding and
buoying out the middle sound at Big Island
! succeeded in getting the gunboats over and OPEN
| ed fire on Fort Strong, the work commanding
! the principal distractions where the rebels had
also sunk large steamer the North EGsteTW-
/ Our Ere soon drove the rebels away from the
| fort. Now and then they would fire shot, one
| of which struck the SdSSdcuS below water mark
and set her leaking badly. No lives were lost
that night.
On the Doth the rebels sent down 200 floating
torpedoes, but | had strong force of picket
| boats out and the tOrpedoes were sunk with
musketry. One got in the wheel Ofthe Osceola
| and blew her wheel house 10 pieces and knock
| ed down her bulk head forward. There was no
damage TO the hull. Some of the vessels pick
ed up the torpedoes with their torpedo nets
The next morning spread to fishing nets across
the river.
Yesterday evening General Ames, with this
division, moved within short distance of the
On hearing the musketry and seing where our
troops were Iopened fire on the Fort and along
the enemy slime. The fort responded with three
or four Shots but was soon silenced.
This morning we heard that Gen. Terry was
within their works and the road was clear to
Wilmington. The MO7stG't6 could not go across
the shoals without tightening, which was work
of some labor. had the pleasure of placing
the flag on Fort Strong at noon to-day. We all
fred salute of thirty-five guns. this being the
anniversary of Washington's birthday.
am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient SER
want. DAVID d. PORTER.
Rear Admiral.
GIDEON, WELLEs, Sec. of Navy.
special to the Cincinnati Gazette from Will
mington, 22d, via Washington 26th says:
About forty pieces ofheavy artillery were left
in the works around the city and in the batter
les on the river ana five hundred stands ofrifies
were found at the City Hall, and one Whitworth
gun at the depot. Some $4,000 worth of COM
missary stores We're also abandoned, and three
locomotives and dozen cars fell into our hands
Seven hundred bales of cotton were burned in
Government Sheds and about three hundred
belonging to private individuals. 4 rebel ram,
partly finished; three steam mills; three large
| turpentine works and adjacent wharyes, and the
railroad and pontoon bridges were destroyed
| The railroad depOts, car houses, machine shops,
and most of the warehouses were uhiniured,-
The extensive Government stables were set on
fire. but promptly extinguished by the citizens
The ram Chickamauga and two transports es-
capped up the river
The Raleigh Confederate two days before the
evacuation, charged that 1900 bales of cotton
were concealed in the city Citizens and mer-
chants place the number at 10000 and put a
high estimate upon the turpentine concealed
Both the cotton and the turpentine will be sent
North by Gen. Schoheld.
New York, February 2S.-Though the rebel
papers are retieent in regard to Sherman where
abOuts, still enough is dropped TO indicate that
he was some day ago within easy marching dis
| tance of Fayetteville, which is situated on Cape
Fear River, ninety five miles north west of Will
miDgton. The water communication is uninter-
rupted between the two places at all seasons, and
as our latest advices from Porter stated he was
pushing up the river as rapidly as possible with
his gunboats. 1t is probable the junction of
Schotield' s forces with Sherman may take place
at Fayetteville. One of the largest arsenals in
the Confederacy Is established there.
The Commercials Washington letter says that
a corps of surgeons and nurses with hospital
stores has been sent to Wilmington. North Caro-
lima, which is to be Sherman's s new base of sup
plies.
1t is evident that battle is expected by good
military judges.
OmciaI War BuIIetin-The BrtIlIance of the
Victory at Charleston.
WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON,
March $50 P. NJ.
To .Kqj. Gen. Dir;
The following telegram from Gen. Gilmore
has been transmitted to this Department:
E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War.
HEADoUARTERs DEPARTMENT or THE SoUTH,
CHARLESTON, S. c., February 96.
General o. s. Grant and MAJOR General HaIlecLr
Cliefof STAT, Washington:
An inspection of the rebel defenses of Char
lesion shows that we have taken over $50 pieces
of ordnance, being more than double what |
first reported. The lot consists of & and 10 inch
OOluIuoiAue; SieaL hduy y anu X pOunders,
some inch Crooks rifles, and many pieces of
| foreign make.
Wealso captured eight locomotives and great
number of passengers and platform cars, all in
good condition.
Deserters report that the last of Hardee's
army was to have crossed the Santee river yes-
terday, bound for Charlottee, North Carolina
and that it was feared that Sherman had already
intercepted their march. 1t is reported on sim
liar authority that the last of Hoods army, H.
600 strong, passed through Augusta last Sunday
the 18th, on their way TO Beauregard.
Georgetown has been evacuated and is in our
possession.
Deserters are coming in constantly We
have over four hundred already
Q. A. GILMORE, Ma. Gen. Com.