The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-08-07

for the extraordinary vigor and force
OF the enemy's assault. and the ter
rife effect Of the fire Of the fleet upon
the garrison. and the continual and
tncessant ~enflading OF the whole point
from Battery Buchanan TO the fort
thereby preventing 70 a great extent
the movement of my troops. ! think
that the result might have been avoid
ed. and Fort Fisher still held. if the
commanding general had have done
his duty. / charge him with this loss:
with neglect of duty in this. that he
refused or neglected to carry out ev-
cry suggestion made to him in official
communications by me for the dispo-
sitiOn OF the troops especially that he,
failing to appreciate the lesson TO be
derived from previous attempt of But
Ter, instead OF keeping his o in the
position TO attack the enemy on his
appearance. he moves them twenty
miles from the point Of landing in
spite 81 epeated warnings. He might
have learned frcm his failure TO in
terrupt either the landing or the en-
barking Of Butter for two days with
his troops, though d~isgracefui enough,
would indicate to the enemy that he
would have the same security for any
future expedition. The previous fair
ure was due tt Fort Fisher alone, and
not to any of the supporting troops
General Whiting asked leave 20
have this report forwarded. but Gen
eral Terry, the Feneral general COM
manding, stated that it mast first Eoe
submitted to General Grant. and he
therefore decided to withhold it.
<On February 18th. while a prisoner
al Governors Island. New York. End
dying in the hospital from his wounds,
Genera Waiting wrote a suppleme Mt
a~y report. in which he stated:
General Bragg was held in check
Ey two braSadeS of Z. S. coiOred
troops, alU g a line of M impedirlent
whatever. Once at this line by the
river bank with his three batteries Of
artillery. and his whole force steadily
advancing the enemy's feet coufo not
nave fired again without hurting their
own men. The enemy Fad not & sin
gle piece"Gf artillery: altogether about
900 OF 5000 men. Pushing our bat
teries to Camp Wyatt and Colonel
Lambs headquarters, and opening
heavily Oh Shepherds battery. with
an advaIrge of our troops, and such of
the enemy as could not have escaped
in boats must have fallen INFO our
hands; but it was not 10 be. i went
into the Tort with the conviction that
it was I" be sacrificed. for the last l
heard General Bragg say was to point
GU d line to fall back on if Fort Fish
er fell.
Wounded in the hospital. with
MULTIPLICATION at the shamefui haste.
| heard Inc blowing Up of FCrt Cas-
we'll bei@ q the enemy had dared to
enter the harbor.
II demand. in justice to II oun
try, to the army. and TO myself. that
the course of this officer be Investigate
ed. TAKE his notorious congratulate
ry order No. Il, with lis numerous err
rOrS. and compare his language with
the result | do not know what he vas
sent to " ilmingtOn for. l had hoped
that L was considered competent. [
acquiesceh with feelings of great NOR
'TiticatiOn. Ny proper place vas in
command of the troops you sent to
support III. Defense: then I should not
NOW be T. prisoner. and an effort at
aeaSt wound have been made to save
a harbO Wn which l had expended for
1WO years oil the labor and skill I had.
! should not have had the mortifca-
ton of seeing works which our very
foes admire. yielding after four days
attack. given UP and abandoned with
WIt even a-I attempt to saw Them
General Bragg. in his report. states
with reference to the enemy being al
lowed to take his position and en-
tTEnch himself almost within sight of
his army, and of his own failure to
attack:
In making a reconnaissance ear
ly 3the next morning, the 14tI. toward
0ur right, whilst l was on the left.
Major General HCke was firtd upon by
the enemy betore reaching tn line as
sigBad his cavalry. Upon due inves-
tigs&riOn, he found a heavy force oc-
cupging an ~iutrenched line between US
and the fort. entirely across the pen
lnSula from Battery Anderson on the
sea 20 the river. Putting MS COM
manI in motion. and promptly report
ing What had occurred. he was order
ed 10 move upuII the enemy. and dis
lnICE him - pr-..tirn h1a III, 19,ry-A
had zen made by the enemy. under
cover of Darkness. and the cavalry
StatlOI ed on our a.ilank for the purpose
had failed to Civ any notice. Passing
TO the front with the troops. / unite0
in anoIner examination of the enemy's
line. ab I ~cOncurr11g in the ODiniOn al
ready expressed q me. | suspended
the ORD r for the attack. The enemy
largely exceeded a in number. and
Was wei e~ntrencfeu from sea 40 riv-
er, a distance not exceeding one mile.
i do not believe tfl1S change of posi-
C1On BY he enemy could have been
prevented with the enormous fleet to
cover his movements. though he might
nave bees retarded. y timely Informal
ton had been received But its sue
ceSSful accomplishments was not con-
STORED as placing the fort in much
danger, il boldly defended by a vigil
ant garrison. as VI communication
Will II ON "dltI dl IiISII NOulu III Dt
interrupted unless the fleet forced a
passage into the river
General Bragg states further: ITO
nave assaulted the enemy behind his
entertainments. covered .by his fleet,
With inferior numbers. would ave eE-
hzrusIed our means to aid the fort. ard
thereby not only have insured its ulti
mate tall, but nave opene3 the our
try behind it. To make him the as
saGltirrS part. considering our means
for attack n defense. seemed to me
the only pOlicv. and it promised his
early M complete discontinue, as
the first change of weather would
drive of the -fls ct and leave him IN
supported and cut off from supplies
1t $ somewhat notew ortfv that
the bASieged garrison was constantly
in expectation OF relief from the army
stationed nearby Even on Friday
night. n 1rst DAY of the engage
ment. after the feet lac ceased its
bOmbardElenJ temporarily. Major
Saunders. scu2red the woods covering
the approach To the fort TO prevent the