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

a victory at hand Thank you for so
promptly trying to rectify the blunder
so lately committed" He wrote furth-
er: They think they have whipped
US. l made the ships go off as if they
We're c~rippled-some in iowa remark
which was very natural to make under
the circumstances. to cover a little of
the gallant admiral'S evident chagrin.
Admiral Porter, however, enjoyed the
utmost confidence of Genera Grant.
General Butler had hardly returned
from the expedition when he received
the following from the assistant ad-
jutant general: BY direction OF the
president of the United States, Major
General B.. F. Butler is relieved from
the command of the department OF
North Carolina and Virginia." etc. The
assistant secretary of the navy wrote
General Grant cOnfidentially: THE
country will not forgive us for another
failure at Wilmington. and so | have
informed Porter" The government was
truly ashamed of the failure: the official
correspondence plainly disclosed this
fact.
The military authorities were arous-
ed. Fort Fisher must be taken at any
cost. It was still shielding the com
merce of blockade running, which sup
piled the Confederate armies with food,
clothing and ammunition, and was a
strong and constant barrier to the sub
jugation of the Confederacy. General
Grant was absorbed with the subject.
He expressed himself rather APOLOGIZE
cally with reference to the former eX-
II
petition, writing to Mr.. Stanton, the
secretary of war: Il will state that the
former expedition was put under Welt
eel by order. and | never dreamed OF
Butler going until he stopped here on
his way down the river. The operations
taking place within the geographical
limits of his department, | did not like
to order him back" General Grant
was entrusted with the responsibility
of a new ~eXpendition; n at once form
ulated his plans with great energy and
decision.
The strictest secrecy was observed in
making preparations. President Lin
coin imprisoned the man who caused &c
be published the former Wilmington
expedition, and threatened to deal sum
marily with any one who might publish
information concerning the new move
ment
General Grant promptly chose Major
General A. H. Terry to command tn
land forces, and arranged details fol
the operations of the fleet with Admira
Porter. He wrote General Terry: 81
is exceedingly desirable that the mos
complete understanding should exist be
tween yourself and the naval comman
der. I suggest, therefore, that you con
suit with Admiral Porter freely. &c
.. from him the part to be performed b!
each branch of the public service, 81
that there may be unity Of &C
ton. My own views are
that, if you effect a landing, the nav.
ought to run a portion of their fleet int,
Cape Fear river, whilst the balance o
it operates on the outside. The LAM
forces cannot invest Fort Fisher, or Gu
it off from supplies or reinforcement
whilst the river is in possession of tn,
enemy. y In case of a failur
to effect a landing bring your command
back to Beaufort and report to thes
headquarters for further instructions
General Sheridan has been ordered |
send a division of troops to BaltimGr
and place them on sea-going vessels
Should you require them, they will b
sent to you"
Orders were issued for the embarka
ton of 5000 infantry and two b~atterie
of artillery. These forces We're late
supplemented. Major General Teri.
was entrusted with the command; an
everything was put in readiness for a.
immediate setting forth of the exp
dition.
At Fort Fisher, at once upon the with
drawal of the federal fleet. there was in
tense activity in still further strength
ening the works. General Whiting an,
Colonel Lamb thought that it wa
scarcely possible that the enemy woul'
altogether abandon ar enterprise Whicl
had received such extraordinary prep
arations. To provide and place add
, tionaI guns was impossible; since Their
were one to be had. A greatly increas
ed force of men was desired; but a sufi
i cheney was not to be secured. Genera
BraXton Bragg, in command of the de
partment, nursed his forces it wa
thought, TO the ignoring of the needs O
: Fort Fisher. His plans were never un
derstoOd. General Whiting, who was il
: immediate command of the lower Cap
Fear Notifications, communicated di
rectly with the war department at Rich
mOnd; but he received the following an
| swer: Your superior in rank, Genera
Bragg, is charged with the comman,
: and defense of Wilmington"
; RumOrs or the impending attack III,
,.xAH~ saslgn