Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-09-01
these works will fall exactly as Fort Nor

gan did"
There were q number Of captured block
ade-ruDners in The fleet that had been fit-
ted mp rs gunboats. 1t had been thought
that these vessels might have been utilized
in this undertaking, but the Admiral de-
cided otherwise, and the idea of making
this another Mobile affair was abandoned.
Preparations we're now made to recon-
nence the bombardment, and if possible
to effect q landing of the troops. The
transports had continued to arrive during
the night, and by the morning of the 25th
of December were in their proper posi-
tions off New Inlet. At about eight e. m.
the navy formed in line of battle, the
Ironsides leading in the attack and the
monitors following. The firing from the
vessels was great deal slower on
this day than on the day before. It
was half past one in the afternoon be-
foIe the Flag Pond Battery was entirely
silenced, and arrangements were completed
by the naval brigade, under command of
Brigadier-GeneIal @. K Graham, to COM
mrnce the landing of the troops. To cover
tits landing tie Brooklyn and seventeen
gunboats opened fire on the strip of woods
Just back of the beach which hid the enc
my from our view. They also sent boats
to the troops and rendered every assistance
the conid, 1t was grand sight to see the
Brooklyn open her broad sides. The
enemy did not ceem to relish the fire, and
soon retreated and allowed the army to
make their landing without further resis-
tence, but not uuUll they sent a few shots
whIs ling through the rigging of the Ben
Deford and lhe Baltic and other vessels of
the army fleet. The landing was effected
IN the vicinity of the Flag Pond Battery,
which was situated about three miles north
of Fort F.@ho.. rive hundred men Of
General Curtis's brigade of General
Ames's division were the first troops
to land on the beach, General Cur
tis being the first man to touch the
land. AS this successful Decentralization
took place, prolonged cheer went up
from the decks of the transports. By the
energetic efforts of Gen. Graham the re-
mainder of Curtis's brigade was speedily
and handsomely landed. Skirmishers
were thrown out into the woods In front
to cover the Decentralization which con-
tinu, to take place. Gen. Curtis imme-
diately formed his brig de and marched
toward the fort along the sea beach. AS
this brigade approached Flag Pond Bat
tcry the garrison ran up the white flag of
surrender. The troops pushed on rapidly
through the sand, for they were naturally
anxious to take the prisoners. However.
ere this could be effected a boat was sent
ash0rse and the garrison. to the number
of siXtv-fve men, carried off on board of
the Santiago de Cuba. Tue prisoners be-
longed to the 17lh North Carolina Regi-
meut, which regiment our troops had left
IN front Of their lines near Rich
mond, Va, before starting upon the
expedition. By the time Ourtis's bril-
gade had been landed and formed, it was
quite evident tha: the surf was rapidly be-
coming heavier; already many boats were
swamped. 1t wes with the greatest diff
GUILTY that nnniIi4lrA .-@<Ar1Al ho GOT
through the SURF without becoming dam
0ary Inn. MT
BY three o'clock large number of the
boats had been overturned either in pass
ing Though the surf to the shore or in at
tempting to return through it to the ships.
Although by repeated efforts many were
rgbtcd, still some of them were hopeless
" lost. One boat was SO suddenly over
turned that Q number of mon were caught
under il. 1t was sOmO time before they
could be rescued. None of the men after
three O'Clock reached the shore without
getting thorough drenching. The men
struggled gallanty with the elements, and
all that nesxmnRd strength could do was
done IN OF ID get the boats through
the still rapge1y rising surf. by the Her
cuIean eff ,rts of all, the most Of Penny
packers brigade was landed and marched
forward 10 support Curtis, who in the
mean time had been pushed up to the at
tack. Tue sand being very deep, the
marching WIS necessarily slow. 1t was an
utter impossIbiIity to march the men on
the double-quiGk.
On It's way up to tho fort General Cur
tis's brigade captured q battalion of North
Carolina Junior Reserves, numbering
about two hundred and fifty men under
the command Of d ma iOr, who had been
sent out Of the fort because there were not
O. suflic ent number of bomb-prOofs there
TO contain them. They had been ordered
/ Atn<
day and to return at night after the fire of
the navy had ceased. This an important
fact 1t seems to prove that there must
have been garrison large enough to man
the parapet of the fort without drawing
upon these reserves. This taken together
with the other facts, clearly shows that
there was u well-disciplined garrison with
| ia the walls alway ready to man the para
pet and palisade as soon as as the bonn
| bardmeEt should end. The prisoners were
| sent Uff on board the transports. While
Curtis brigade was preparing for the as
| sault, some of of the men came upon
| line of telegraph, the wires Of which were
| cut. Taey also captured n Rebel mall
! bag The letters were written by mem
| beIs Of the senior reserves to their tam1-
| lies about domestic matters, and to proml-
! nent men asking for thcir influence to get
retired from further military duty. Curtis
marched rcsolutely on, but notwithstand-
ing bis great efforts to force march his
men, the day was fast growing to an end
| before he had advanced his skirmlshers up
to the fort and found himself In position
to charge This line was pushed up to
within two hundred yards of the fort, the
garrison being kept IN their bomb-proofs
j by the fire Of the navy. Ten men were
wounded at this time by our own Shells
Immediately upon the cessation of the
fire OF the navy the garrison of the fort
remained the works and the palisade. The
land front had only two of its guns dis
abied, and the fort was ''substantially un-
injured as q defensive work. The enemy
CDsucd on our skirmlsh line and fired
through the loophules of the pelisade.-
General Butler IN his report dated Head
} quarters Department of Virginia an6
North Carolina, December %, 1864. say
I that sit was evident as soon as the fire oi
! the navy ceased. because of darkness tina
the fort was fully manned again and open
| ed yvitb and canister ODOn Our Dick6