The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-05-01

NA~ so N4lAiN ~ I'll q ofAS SAAN
awful silence possessed the coming
night.
At about 10 o'clock on the following
morning, Christmas day, the fleet retun-
ed. In addition TO the vessels which
appeared on the previous day, there
were several more to be seen. About
half an hour later, the firing was re-
newed without any abatement of it's
former fury. The fort replied as sullen-
Iy as on the day before, nursing its
scanty supply of ammunition.
The Confederate officers were con-
stantly in great anxiety lest some Of the
enemy's vessels would come in through
the inlet and subject the fort to an at
tack from the rear. This would have
meant sure defeat and destruction Of
the fort. No attempt, however, was
made; although at about half past 2
o'clock in the afternoon several boats
were lowered from the ships Of the
| squadron, and came into the inlet, with
the evident intention Of dragging for
torpedoes and inspecting the works
more closely. Each had an officer sit
ting in the stern, and presented an eE-
hibition of the utmost GOODNESS and
bravery IN the part of all its occupants.
One of the boats moved some distance
in advance of the others; and, as the
guns of the fort opened upon the little
f~lOtilla, it became an easy mark for the
shells. Its flag fell at once; the officer
Immediately stopped and picked it up,
and gaily waved it over his head. An
other shot cut his boat in two, and put
the brave occupants into the water.
They were all picked up by the other
boats, which soon withdrew from their
perilOus undertaking.
One of the large guns of the fort,
bearing upon this point, burst and
caused great havoc in the battery en-
| closing it. Strangely, a companion gun
close at hand burst o afterwards,
leaving an idle ships company who had
come to man them. Soon afterwards
they were ordered to the land face of
the fort on the left, to assist in repell-
ing an attack by the federal land
forces.
The fort was by this time all aglow
with excited expectation of the ap-
proach of the army to storm the forti-
ficatiOn. In the distance could be seen
a body of soldiers steadily advancing
from the north. The landing of the
troops had been effected several miles
uu the beach, no resistance being offer
ed. The aspect of the bombardment
from the fleet changed somewhat, and
poured it's fury almost altogether upon
the sea face, or right side, of the fort;
after, however, a furious Smelling of
the land face to weaker it into a suit
able condition for the storming forces.
IN garrison had Rugged the ~parapets,
md tho f1rN Of tho fro WAS SnanT in
ain.
AS the reserve force of the fort rallied
to the parapet, they saw a scattered line
Of skirmiSherS running ahead of the
main body; at times raising their mus
kets to fire at the men behind the ram
pants, and anon dropping behind the
small sand piles hat were u from
time to time. Darkness fell rapidly
The forces in the fort filled the ram
parts, and met the advancing Union
troops with a fusilade that caused them
to retreat rapidly.
This closed the engagement. The
troops r~e-embarked during the night
and on the next morning; and, after
lingering in the vicinity for another
day, the fleet, with the transports. dis
appeared.
1t is a fact. asserted by Colonel Lamb
that during the first days lombard
ment, Fort Fisher fired at the enemy's
vessels but 672 projectiles. and. on the
second day, 600; while the enemy dis
charged twelve to fifteen times that
number.
During the second day, the forces al
the fort were very materially re-en-
forced, raising the number to about l.
400. The land force of federals number
ed about $500.
Fort Fisher was practically uninjur-
ed; the works could have withstood 9
similar bombardment for an indefinite
period. The casualties were very small
there being but three men killed n g.
wounded. The wonder is that so pro
digious an expenditure of gunpowdel
could have done so little harm.
Colonel c. B. Comstock, United States
army. reporting to the assistant adju'
tant general, says: A few skirmisher:
went up to the work: but, when a BODY
of about 800 men showed themselves
LOCO yards away from the work, they
were fired on by the work. An as
sau!t of the work in its uninjured con,
dition. with sixteen or seventeen
SUNS S"OOP-AAS 49,
which the assault would be made, wa:
deemed impracticable, and the troop:
were ~re-embarked." Colonel Comstocl
expressed the opinion that, for a siege
of Fort Fisher, or Wilmington, a force
of rot less than 10 200 men should be
employed. The federal officers seemed
10 nave some rather exaggerated ideas
as 10 the effective resisting force of the
/ Sr-~;.. ~ ) - ;r4r
clads that were known to be in the riv-
er. 1t has been intimated that the lat
ter reason accounts for the failure &c
make an attempt to pass Fort Fisher
and attack from the rear, as we'll as
from the sea.
Admiral Porter. however, seems tc
have had a more moderate idea as to
the possibility of reducing the fort. He
wrote to General Grant: Thank God
We are not to leave here with so easy