Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-09-01

fort the enemy commence firing Cd Fort
Fisher from the mould, every three men
will soize O prisoner, pitch him over the
walls, and get behind tho fort for rr0tec-
ton, or in ~ the bomb-proofs." (5ee pages
1914 and 1875, Report OF Committee on tho
Conduct Of the War;
Sunday, the 18th day Of January, 1865,
proved to be bright and beautiful Dag.
The air was mild aud bamy as 4 May day.
TIE sun shed its bright rays upOn the
scene through q cloudlcss sky. What little
wlud there was blew oil shore nAttenIug
the surf and OCEAN to II calm seldom .xge-
repced off the c Iast. Bat this was not to
be day of rest for tho boys in blue on sea
or shore before Fort Fisher. The storm
of human conh CT was soon to bJrst forth.
Early in the morning General Am4s.
at the head of Bells md Penuypacker's
! biigades Of his division, took up hi line
| OF march towards the I TT. As this adj.
vance was made the L llHha6see, reboi
| cnuboat IN the Cape Fear River opened
fire upon this body If men. numbered
! CfficeIs and men ware killed and wound
| ed a captain was obj cd 10 have lis leg
annotated This vessel was soon after
ward driven off and dtl no, make her ap-
pearance again. Immediately upon the
arrival of Pennyp cker's brigade. directly
/ in front of the fort tn FIRST Brigade was
Il moved forward iii line OF battle to new
position about two hundred yards from
the fort the right res'ing near the Cape
Fear River, aud the left extending toward
the ocean and parallel TO the front Of the
tort, and covering one half its Iaad face.
;, The skIrmi~hers VIZ re about n hundred
= yards IN advance Of his inc. This move
ment had to be executed under Il sharp
, mus kerry fire and al Occa 'ioual discharge
of grape and canister. The Second Bng-
edo, under command Of Col, mel Penny
) packer, was now moved forward, also In
line of battle. to position of five bundled
t wards from the fort aud parallel to the
y line formed by the First Brigade. Tie
@ Third Brigade, under command Of Colonel
il Bell was formed Ia Il similar manner about
Is seven hundred yards from the fort. This
q column Of brlgade9 was form u on the
|. open sandy beach, dir, city III front Of the
q land face and opposite the west .rly siG4 Il
d tue fort. The men Were moved up quick
t. IL, and as soon rs thy were properly
: placed, they threw up small tle-plts for
,e ten porary protection. While Nh Sc opera
.e tions Were takirg pl &c, General Terry and
a staff and Genera, Amrs and hi, s,atf Cccu-
- pied prominent position near an d
,e earthwork about five hundred and fifty
ID yards from the fort. G5Ccral Ames
N gave O personal snpt rvlslOl 10 every
i detail Of these preliminary mann lVfe';
id going himself, and senning his staff 10
I'd the front aud to the ii inks Ia order 10
of correct snI esfabi.h tho lines Of at
in tack. All these evolu'iOus wcre exc
&c cuted with the precision 0n1 order OF q
CT parade. At tDlS tImo humUCr OF bt-Vc
at men volunteered 10 g. FIR yard IL ad'a @;
en OF the skIrmi-hers and cut away the pal
u isade. They were provided with axes fer
nd this EurpUs9. Ia the mean time, while
Dis the o operations Of the amy bad been 60
ag ing on, force of sailors aud m4rlnes,
a numbering two thousand men, were land
,er ed on the eeabe ach under the command OF
id Fleet Cap,ain K. r. Bteese. Toe head Of
at this column b d been pushed up to wihi:l
az a few hundred yards OF the fort, by m a' n
Of of @ succession OF iutreuchme nts and rife
.ys pits, which ~ ere p empty occupied by tao
in United States Marine Corps. The navy
ect had kept up It's teCrldc fire upon the iort
on Nevertheless at no time was IL entirely ST.
S. fenced. The IrJpsides and IN 1Dltors hurl
q ed forth their immense rOjecti ,es ; tLC
ZEN grand old frlgates doomed out their heaFJ
zoe bcoadsides and the Runboats poured Ii
es- ir wins Ii q shots upon til,
1d, doomed stronghold. Probably the 1ir
III of the navy vas not s. rHpid as e.!
&C some of the previous days OF the a.tGc5
div but it was cerraiuIy far more accurate aul
self effec i've. 1t was the wonder OF the am.
1t artIIlerists to eee how it was possible TO
of ships at sea to direct an artillery fro viii
CHI such precision. by means of army 6lGDaIs
Of General Terry was in continued converse
,er ton with Admiral Porter, who Was over
red mile distant. Iu tbis way the navy Wer
I'm requested TO dire their fire either aGalnf
.es tue para pet or against the pa lrade. u
.th this time the asraulting column IF )ldler
It's sailors, aud marines, numberIt 6 about Us
- thou and two hundred men, Were III read
and ness to charge. Ii Abhott'e br G tde, whlc
ced was brought up toward ito ciOSe OF u
,ed, action, be countCi, then the asaauitil
left column numbered in the aggregate O.
lout thousand three hundred N u. A. half IA
The three O'Clock the signal was given 20 tt
tn TP n n NJ
hey steam whistles thiicked out this slBnl
at General Curtis vino comm n lie the 6r
@ of line, spraug to his feet and shouted Il
the order Of advance to lis brigade. WI
we're q wild Cheer his mon cha ged fo.~arc
we're many slug through the apertnres in Il
fifty pailsede, across the ditch end up 10 q
out parapet, the iest charRi & across IL bird
ssful which led around to tue It and retr
; the the fort. This charge weS under the q
ions rection of staff flicer CT General Anne
g Ct who was the first 50 on the parap~t
wing the fort, and was stricken down, sever
the wounded, while planning co or on {
)ard- top If one of tie nav rises. Three oth
i ~ member Of hi. staff were struck at I'll
hich time of these Oaptail Dawson after va
dam died of his juries. The Second Briga
ming was now ordered forward and eucce = fu
oard entered the fort. The most of this br
niral ado entered by the bridge alrea ly m
the toned. The planks were torn up, il aVl
(see the soldiers TO cross upon mo SUI
the pieces. A. this jancture COonel Penn
ar packer was so seriously wounded that
" Sc life was desp4ired Of for many months
, aud This charge Or the Two orl8aoFS was IL -
il the the en- my with vigorous re- l''auI g.
hour They sprang to their guns ana 'o"B :"
xfeen desper 4tion, coAtesting each traverse .
rines bomb-proof inch by loch' a nan
sault, fighting gave tue army pos9s ''oo VI az
10 the five or six of the 1mmehs7 traV Soo SO
3 lol- also fem footing to the lett and rear
were the fort.
regu- Tho brave sailors and marines at the s
each, mol bed rn.hed to the attack. They q
zee of w;th q murd.rous grape and canister q
mngketry fire. Their raLks were raPi
|. Trimmed beneath the fearful storm OF II
500. but the survivors pressed brav ly forw.
IN the to close up the gays. Grea' galaht
will displayed by the officer who led mes q
Lrnnnh - lIlPulEuu