The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1895-02-02

LEFTY anu
bered 5000 men. Terry's orders were
scaled and were to be opened when he was
out at sea. His destination was not known
to any one in the army or navy, except
those who had to know It. Terry himself
was ignorant Of IL until he broke the seals
OF his instructions out at sea In these In
struotions be was told to communicate
freely with Admiral D. d. Porter and
seek to have entire harmony between the
army and navy In the expedition.
Porter had O total OF 4S vessels which
he formed In three lines, with q reserve.
During the night they anchored on Fort
Fisher, and on the morning OF the 18th
the new Ironsides ran up TO within ], 200
yards. Some Of the ironclads reached as
near as 700 yards and got into position
under q heavy fire. The landing Of Ter
rvs men was covered by several vessels
not engaged In the bombardment. The
troops went ashore on the sea beach about
five miles above the fort and between it
and the intrenched camps Of Bragg's army
of Wilmington. BY 3 O'Clock p. IN. the
troops and stores were safely landed, and
General Paine's colored division pushed
forward to Cape Fear river, the other side
of the peninsula. Here line Of defenses
was begun in order to repel any advance
of the Confederates from Wilmington. 1t
was seen that the fire from the navy was
doing much damage, and an assault was
determined upon for the afternoon Of the
18th Terry was to send in three brigades,
in columns OF a brigade front, to storm
the land side, while 2, ZOO sailors and ma
rines should assail the works on the sea
side.
The Confederate garrison of the fort
numbered 800 men. General Whiting
had entered the fort from Wilmington on
the 18th, after the Union armada and
and had told the
Inandant, Colonel Lamb, that he and his
command were to be left to their fate, for
General Bragg was looking for position
to which to retreat.
The preparations for assault were dis
covered in the fort, and an attempt was
made 10 confuse the columns by firing
grape, but the storms Of shot that swept
the works from navy guns cut down the
Confederates' cannoneers at an appalling
rate and &c was evident that the danger
could only DO ayerted 10y hand TO hand
struggles on the walls. At O'Clock
promptly tho signal was given by tho noise
Of more than 90 steam whistles OF the
Union feet, and the land column sprang
forward % tho charge.
General Curtis brigade had the lead
and pushed forward TO tho northwest bas-
ton, near tho river. The Confederates
were seen 20 man the parapets the mo-
ment the naval fire ceased, which was
done to allow tho Union troops to move
up. Colonel Lamb Judged by the soul
stirring whistles that the hour had comc,
and ne desired 60 receive the assailants on
his torpcdoca n soon as they reached the
yEniia leaving instructions with the com
mAndGr OF the northwest front, no went %
the angle OF tho works where the naval
column had been sighted. fearing that
that was the vital point. The sailors had
landed successfully and halted beyond
rife range under cover OF the sand hills
that formed the surface Of the beach. The
men were In one long line and made a
formidable show, deceiring the enemy into
the belief that this was the main assault
and dividing his garrison. At the signal
the sailors moved down the beach, shell
tered by a line Of sand hills, and then
turned squarely upon the fort. But the
batteries farther down the Confederate
line could sweep the stretch of beach,
which at that point was nearly half q
mile wide, and the muskets in the fort did
terrible execution. Three cannon in the
fort poured canister into the assailants,
and both General Whiting and Colonel
Lamb stood on the parapet cheering the
men at their work.
The sailors were unaccustomed to land
maneuvers and very soon showed the Sc
robustness of this defect. Their officers,
among them the gallant Lieutenant w.
B. Cushing, rallied and led them as well