The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1881-09-01

Fort Fisher. An ontbur,t OF mu>Actry
tr ON the north meant an attack from
Wilmington upon my northern picket
line an attempt to force our northern
Inc Of works across the peninsula
And this, too. coming at the critical
hour when the assault al the tort had
,aukeued ID 4 stand still, aud the e1
L.u>ted men were losing heart.
Turning 10 the north~ard with r.
lnctzut haste and anxious forebodinss,
ran ankle deep through the loose sand,
which was dotted and spattered with
crane shot and bullets too full Of the
new danger to dodge the whrrlns mis-
-lic>. vast skIrmIsh holes, rifle PIT hines,
md sand rcdoubt>, out OF hrc at last,
aud among c1tomporiZed hospitals ami
busy surgeons. aud the coriW 81 hebeI
prisoners; and 30, hot AMI brcathIess,
~ the country road. But no more
tirlng sounded from the north II Was
absolutely still IN that direction, This
vas 80 reassuring that | slackened my
pace a. came Among the pines, and,
presently. coming upon the Idle groups
OF negro soldiers loillng about the rear
Of their uns cathei breastworks, | knew.
At last, that General Hoke haa made no
Impression on them.
However, the picket line might be
br ken, and the works therefore un
guarded; SO | hurried on 10 the left
group of pickets, next the river bank
The first station was unbrohen indeed
almost unconsciou. of any attack, the
second report firing but had seen no
enemy; and so the report grew, until,
pear the middle Of the line | got eNag
gerated particulars, and found the break
in the line. The last group had seen
line of Rebels-or they SAID so-and
had returned their fire and held Their
station pit, although the next two or
three, in among the thickets of a
swamp, had been captured, aud were
still occupied by the Rebels. Ihls last
report seemed more than doubtful,
| though. if true, the stations were unap-
proachable,- hidden as they were III
swamp and thlcket, without certainty Of
capture. But from the beach end OF
the line the way was clearer. Hasten
| ing back to the works, and passing
RAPIDLY down among the coffee boilers,
ill the firm beach and rolling wave line
were reached, a squad was soon got to-
gether, and we began to trace up the
j pickst-line once more-thc same story
growing more distinct till 1t ended al
the broken line again. But It was now
an easy matter to skirmish through the
swamp; and we soon found line OF two
or three deserted picket stations. These
we re-garrisoned, and left behind Us &
continuous chain of plckets.
The darkness of night had come upol
+, us while busy in the swamp-jungles
and prolonged our work until a lat
hour, before the line was made who'll
again. and the details and reliefs pro
perlv arranged and provided for. An'
It was still later when, at last, we go
; back to the lines and could rest, watch
ing the belated moon rising over tn
> water. And still the angry crash Q
musketry came swelling up from tn
!, !. fort; and the constant flashing gllmmel
= ed like heat lightning
:. Presently came an order to coileC
: .hovels to be sent to the fort; and,
:. we busted ourselves about it, there W.
% a new sound from below-a sound like
distant cheer-and again the same SCUM
q from the water, as if the sailors on tt
i feet were cheering The musketry, to-
II had luIled-was now, at last, silent, al
ie the heat lightning glimmered no NOR
y What was it? At once, the southel
:, sky seemed full Of rockets and man
n coiored lights; and, as the showers
CT red. white and blue stars fell into tt
a sea, we knew that the navy was pr
claiming Victory
: Our men wanted to leap Their brea7
'Is work. and charge on Wilmington
I once, midnight as it was, IN the fullne
~ of their 10Y and soldicrly ardor.
III And so fell Fort Fisher and with
: many an English blockade-runnll
Dy house, and the epbemeral prosperity
ne Nassau. Our navy gained heet
oe ships that had been tossing perlousl y
ne3 the dangerous mouths of the Cape te
40 for four years and the South lost h
III supply Of foreign arms and clothing al
!, medicines, her active foreign sylnpatI
OF and her export trade III cotton al
e eo vilmington-her only mart was clos
=. ~ at last.
Ds "7he Boston 7raueiier, SAWS 1t