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

POSANAN OIs (Iol TX 4C4 10
armada was assembling at Hampton
Roads. The garrison of 500 men was,
therefore, re-enforced by about 400 from
nearby forces; this latter number in
Guiding a battalion of junior reserves.
consisting o. 40 boys about 16 and IS
years Of age, and a detchment from the
gunboats lying in the river to man
certain naval guns which had just been
placed at the fort.
The federal. fleet first attracted at
tention on the 10th, when an eager ex-
element spread among the men. Spec
ulaIion ran high as to what occurrences
might be expected in the impending at
tack. The vessels disappeared. howev-
er, on the same day, and. the men of
the fort celebrated the temporary alb
sence of the enemy by an evening of
camp song and story
On the 23rd the boats again made their
appearance, and anchored about six
miles off Fort Fisher.
On the following morning the feet
nf about fifty vessels began to form in
order Of battle. They slowly advanced.
three abreast, with the Ironsides lead
ing. 1t wa a magnificent spectacle.
The gunners at the fort waited with
ubdued interest and silent admiration.
The ironclads in the forefront took
their stand, and the frigates and gun
boats deliberately moved to their posi-
tons behind and at a distance on the
TANKS. Stiffness and silence reigned.
The Ironsides turned slightly, when a
puff of smoke displayed the signal
for the bombardment. The shell. as it
ma SSH1 pN-ar the ma 70 notS oa Wa n co,,nJ
that was most unfamiliar to the sane
hills of Fort Fisher.
a gun replied from the fort. and the
shell pierced the smokestack of the
Susquehanna. The battle was Joined;
n the terrific fire from the fleet be-
gan with the most intense vigor from
the start, the guns from the fort reply
ing very slowly.
It is a noteworthy fact that there
We're actually in service at Fort Fisher
but forty-four guns. only a small pro-
portion of which were really suitable
for the most effective work, while the
Minnesota, the Colorado and the Wa
bash each carried more guns than all
the batteries on the land. The supply
of ammunition in the fort was utterly
insufficient for a vigorous lombard
ment of several hours duration: hence.
the very deliberate espons made by
Its guns to the enemy's fire. The COM
mandant ordered, however, that, in case
any vessel should attempt to cross the
bar and enter the inlet, every gun bear
ing upon that point should be fired as
rapidly as necessary to repel the ad-
vance.
Ship after ship rounded and poured
her broadside at the nearby fort. The
shot and shell were largely directed at
the Flagstaff, which stood in the open
ground a little to the rear of the bat
Elements. Consequently, the missiles
came we'll yer the works, some Of them
falling into the river beyond. There
was no one injured at the fort for sew
eral hours. Colonel Lamb. in his graphic
account of the attack on his fort, says
that for two hours he stood on the par
apet facing the sea watching for ships
hat might attempt to cross the bar,
and that only one shell exploded neal
enough to him to endanger his life.
Finally, the flag fell. the staff being
shattered by a shell. It was ordered tc
be raised on a staff on n of the out
ward mounds. \ private volunteered
to climb the staff and secure the flag
Immediately a deadly fire was directed
toward it. and again it fell. Interest in
the occurrence held the garrison. Would
any one now dare to raise it? The
same private &C. c. Bland, of the Thir-
ty-siXth North Carolina regiment, step
ped forward and took the flag. and be-
gan the ascent of the staff. The effect
was inspiring. The men cheered the
brave fellow enthusiastically as he tied
the flag securely to it's position. from
which it did not again fall during the
two days bOmbardment. Colonel Lamt
facetiously tells how he carried anoth-
er flag to the extreme left, so as tC
attarct a heavy fire where it would dc
the least harm. The ruse was success.
full but it did not save the more vita
parts of the fort from the scathing fire
Some of the guns of the fort We're dis.
charged at intervals of half an hour
others Il little more frequently; so thai
the men. c~rOuched. during the periods
waiting. under the ~parapets and ira.
verses. were greeted with a spectacle
that beggars description. In the inte.
rIor of the fort pandemOnium reigned
The whizzing, screaming shells filled
the air with fire, smoke and fying
pieces of iron. The f~fteen-inch shell.
came at frequent intervals, and either
across to the river or filled the
air with their deadly showers. From
this size downward. the missiles pour.
ed IN all sizes and shapes, each striking
its peculiar note, while the thunder o.
the artillery rolled and reverberateC
through the smoky air. Many of the
shells found their way into the broat
sand hills of the fort. and, exploding
there, tore open large holes, which
emptied their contents into the all
above.
The officers quarters and stables were
soon all ablaze, and the fire kindIeG
some naval stores. b~lackening the at.
mosphere about it with its heav,
smoke. Several horses, terrified by thu
TURMOIL. rushed aimlessly about thu
fort, till they We're MANNED and stag.
gering, and, finally, struck dead. :
courier was seen running rapidly to