Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-04-05

retired list. but pleading for active SER
vice. a joint resolution was passed Ly
both houses of Congress restoring him
to the active list and exemptng him
forever from physical examination IS
to disability. He is the only officer in
the navy who has been thus honorcd
Fighting Bob" as he is called, de-
serves, no doubt. the appellation even
though the above is frilled with sew
eral small errors. There was no storm
ing party of 100 men toled off The en-
tire force of some $500 sailors and
marines were detached from their re-
spective ships and landed for that pur-
pose. Neither was there a scaling lad
Ger. Neither was the fort captured the
r.ext day. The gallant commandant sur
rendered about eight-not later than
nlne-o'clOck p m. on the day Of the
attack. The historical fact as recalled
by the writer may not be out of place
in this connection.
The commanding officer of each ship
of the squadron making the attack up
on Fort Fisher. detailed, as prearrang-
ed by General Terry and Admiral Por-
ter, at the close of the bombardment,
a portion of his ships crew based upon
the ships complement of men-to
unite with the Grmy in the land at
tack upon the disabled fort at a given
signal. The sailors and marines form
ed the storming column on the sea
face or shore side of the fort and con-
sisted of some $500 or $500 men, not
100 as stated above. The army made
the attack simultaneously upon the in
terror or land side.
General Whiting who was in COM
mand of Fort Fisher. concentrated his
garrison upon the sea face of the fort
TO resist the gallant assault of the
sailors, whom he supposed was the
principal storming party. and the other
feint, as all its movements were on
the open beach and could be plainly
seen. while the army's movements were
quite hidden from view by clumps of
woods and being several miles farther
off. The sailors made their as
of the van had succeeded in reaching
the Chevaux De Frise and passing
through the battered openings made by
the ships guns. Notwithstanding the
murderous fire of the sharp shooters,
and the only two guns undismount-
ed which were hurting their fire of
grape and canister at point blank
range into the ranks of the blue jack
cts with great execution. Through
understanding of orders the storming
party were compelled to halt right I'M
der this decimating fire and men and
officers were falling thick and fast. as
the marines who were deployed to pro-
tect the sailors from the sharp-shoot-
ers were unsuccessful in their efforts
Until that moment victory seemed GER
tain for the dash and the confidence of
the column was superb. This halt was
fatal. Confusion and uncertainty took
possession of the rear Of the column
tsome declared that they understood
the order for retreat had been given)
and a panic ensued Perhaps fifty or
more of the van guard OF the column
were all that held their ground, which
may be accounted for from the fact
that they were better protected from
the garrison's terrible fire by the high
and thick pailings of the CIrevaux De
Frise, and the immediate proximity
of the counterscarp which condition
was rapidly improved by digging
trench in the wet sand with swords,
bayonets, hands, etc.
Well Among the wounded was the
brave Evans. There were many others
too and many who received their NOR
tai wound in that eventful charge, the
details of which are history; and be it
said to the credit of the blue jackets
that Commandant Whiting admitted
that the assault of the sailors was the
cause of this most formidable works
on the Atlantic coast falling at that
time into the hands of the Union
forces, as in order to resist it he had
concentrated nearly all the garrison to
this one point, and by the time the
sailors were repulsed the soldiers had
gained so strong a foothold inside of
the works at the other end of the fort,
fully half a mile away, that all efforts
to dislodge them proved unavailing.
In this short Renaissance of those
stirring times and scenes there is no
intention of detracting from the repu-
tation for bravery which Captain
Evans so justly deserves, but simply
to show how the facts of history be-
come distorted and mixed up with the
lapse of tire. Captain Bob. in all
probability did not step forward for
the perilous honor" He was simply
assigned to duty as were nearly. if not
all. the detachments from the other
ships crews But like all the rest, he
cheerfully did his duty, and deserves
well of his country.
THE SITUATION.