The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-05-01
Capture of
Fort Fisher.
Continued from Third Page)

III NAcA -
part OF the garrison hastily climbed TO
the ramparts to meet the assallants,
and the guns which could bear in the
direction of the advancing enemy were
AIMED The assailants were divided
INTO two sections; One consisting OF sail
ors and marines to the number of p
600 appeared before the northeast part
Of the work.: the other composed of
military forces sought an entrance
near the extreme left at the river
The naval men had undertaken the
more difficult task; inasmuch as the
fort was best prepared to repel an at
tack at that point. On they came,
steadily and solidly. Not a rifle shot
from the fort greeted them; but shot
after shot of grape and canister was
poured into their faces from the guns,
Telling a large lumber Still the ad-
vance was pressed. The ramparts
We're reached; then Colonel Lamb. who
commanded in person this point. order
ed the infantry to fire. VOlley after
vOlley was discharged upon them. The
fire was murderous; and hundreds fell
at the foot of the parapet. The ad-
vance was checked; the lines were
broken, and in a few moments the
marines were in route. The Confed-
crates shouted for triumph.
The result of the storming of the
left flank was quite different. The
dIIIy leu ny COlOIlCl CuTllS, anu uIluCT
the immediate supervision Of General
Terry, drove the men from the papa
pet; and several Union flags noated
upon the rampartS. Genera Whiting
led a small detachment of men against
the enemy, and was soon in the thick
of the fight. This brave commander
received several rifle shots, and was
carried off the field. His men recOv-
cred a gun At the right, the
men who had repulsed the marnes
turned their rifles with great effect
upon the invaders. But the movement
of the enemy was not checked. They
came in large number into the fort
fort from the road near the river. A
large number of the garrison fell into
the hands of the foes. The fate of
Fort Fisher was sealed; since it was
now imposible t check the incoming
stream Still the garrison was I'M
daunted, and fought with redoubled
energy.
Once more General Whiting appealed
to General Bragg. Fe telegraphed
him.: 1.-The enemy are assaulting US by
land and sea. Their irfantry outnum-
Der us. Can't you help US? I am
slightly wounded TIE appeal was of
no avail: but the c. nfederates fought
desperately, n soon removed every
federal flag from tie ramparts. Hope
began to spring in lie hearts of the be-
sieged soldiers. Rut their e~xhilarat1on
was of short dur 1tiOn. Suddenly the
b~Ombardment of the fleet changed from
Il desultOry firm upon the other parts
of the forts to " fearful raking of the
land face, whicl a lust been almost
completely re "ssessed by the confed-
crate forces. This drove the garrison
from the works. killing and wounding
q large NUM- er of men. These retreat
ed only to find themselves confronted
by another obstacle. The Union troops
who had entered the works by the river
road had formed a compact column,
n were marching steadily toward the
confederF tie forces. These latter found
shelter Eahind some old breast works:
and. from behind their cover. me- the
advancing troops with a CALLING infan-
try fire. Also the guns at Battery Buch-
anan on the extreme southwest of the
fort were also levelled at the advancing
II and gave them an unlocked for
and destructive fire. HI column halt
ed More gums from the sea face of
the fort discharged their fire at the
column. Eventually it was broken, and
the men scattered.
At the parapet there was a fearful
light at short range, in many places
literally hand to and Colonel Lamb
went along the galleries and urged the
sick and slightly wounded to come out
and help make one supreme effOre 10
save the fort. 1t was a night or car
mage cruel and fearful. Destruction
reigned supreme.
The federal troops in the rear, within
the fort. hurriedly erected entrench-
ments- a vigorous attack would have
driven them from the fort; but the SD
preme need for soldiers was at the
ramparts. Nevertheless, in a short
while. Colonel Lamb determined to
charge them with ~bayonets. HI sprang
upon the breastwOrks and gave the or
der, when he fell seriously wounded by
a rifle ball. He was taken to the hos
pital, where he found General Whiting
suffering from his wounds The bayo-
net charge accomplished little in the
face of the overpowering pressure on
all sides.
At about eight o'clock it was found
that the available ammunition of the
garrison was about exhausted: and
that it was impossible to continue the
fight unless reinforcements from Zen
eral Bragg should arrive.
Union troops pressed into the fortih-
cation in large numbers. The confed-
crates were forced to retreat to Battery
Buchanan, to which the wounded COM
manders were carried. After n slight
resistance there. the fort was surren-
dered.
Even to the last m the defend
ers of the fort looked for assistance
from General Bragg, who probably
could have forced his way to them, and
played havoc among the federal SOL
diers, exhausted as they then we're by
the many hours of hard fighting.
About LOO men became prisoners; q
humble escaped to find their way to the
other Notifications along the river.
General Whiting fell into the hands Of
the enemy. and died in a northern
prison. Colonel Lamb also became a
prisoner.
The federal fleet celebrated the VIC
tory by a blare of whistles n a great
pyrotechnic display. 1t was a victory
dearly won: costing the federal forces
1,445 killed and wounded. while the con
federate casualties numbered several
hundred.
Early the next morning a most fear
full catastrophe occurred at Fort Fish
er. y reserve magazine, containing a