The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1905-01-19

d footing on the ruined parapet of
Fort Fisher. Ames had put in Gener-
er Curtis brigade first and followed VI
with the brigades of Colonel Louis Bell
and Colonel Pennypacker This col
umn drove The Confederate garrisoe
headed Big General Whiting and Colo
mel William Lamb from about one
quarter of the land face. \ charge
Of the Federal naval brigade along the
sand beach had Just been repulseI.
The Federal commander of the land as
sault on Fort Fisher, General y. H.
Terry. had detached General Paine's
division to hold line across the PENN
sula upon which Fort Fisher stood in
order II prevent Confederate attack
in the rear by troops from Wilmington.
While the garrison had been deyoting
its fire TO the repulse of the naval bri-
gade on the sea face Amcs' brigades
stormed the land face, and before dark
the opposing ranks occupied contigu-
GUS portions Of the same parapet.
1t now became a soldiers fight in
every sense of the word. because there
was but little chance of unity of action
either with the Confederate or Federal
troops. The travcrses, ranged all along
the main parapet and extending thirty
feet to the rear, with their shot proof
sides and numerous passages, were s.
many little forts, and the capture of
any one of them by Ames' men simply
drove the defenders back to another
one. The COnfedCrates, having the in
terror and knowing the ground, were
able to haul cannon out of the gun
chambers and fire across the space
where the ASSISTANTS must advance.
But the entering wedge had been driv-
en- by Curtis brigade. The portion of
the works held by him was a protec-
ton to 4 danking column which form
ed on the interior of the main parapet
and swept around in rear of the row of
traverses. This compelled the @arri-
son to come out of their citadels and
fight in open ground or be captured in
them.
For a time the Confederates met this
flank attack from behind an old breast
work that extended along the interior
plane of the inclosure. Colonel Lamb.
who was alive to every opportunity 10
dispute Ames advance, now went
along the batteries south toward the
point and directed a heavy fire to be
thrown into the northwest portion Of
the work, where the danger was so
threatening. On his way he ordered
every available man forward to the
first traverse ahead Of Ames' men, and
on his return he found that traverse
still held by his stubborn soldiers. al
though the slaughter among them had
been appalling The fire from the fleet
had scooped out graves in the sand.
and his dead We're lying in them as
they fell, half buried by the showers of
dust thrown out by the bursting shells.
Great timbers, gun carriages and even
cannon, broken by the huge missiles
from the fleet, were lying in heaps,
and on and around them We're the
dead who had vainly tried to defend
them.
The advance Of Ames' mon had been
arrested. and Colonel Lamb summoned
all his force to the front traverse, with
the determination to charge upon the
assailants and drive them out. Signals
were sent to the gunners in the fort to
withhold their fire on the position held
by the Federals during this counter
charge. The distance between the COM
batants was not above Il hundred feet,
0nH limo ApE 10 foI
low, Lamb leaped the breastworks,
with the order: Charge bayonets! For
wardi Double quick. March, Instant
ly Federal bullet entered his right
hip, and he sank on the works. Ames'
men poured heavy volley of bullets
into the Confederates, and the latter
fell back behind cover.
Colonel Lamb was taken to bomb
proof, and the command was given to
Major James Reilly, Tenth North Car
DINA artillery, who agreed to continue
the struggle so long as he had man
left. General Whiting had previously
been disabled by a mortal wound
Colonel Lamb at once telegraphed to
his chief, General Bragg, at Whining
ton, for assistance, and Major Reilly,
taking up the fight where it had halted
through the wounding of the comman-
dant, succeeded by brave rally in
driving out the Federal flanking col
umn that had got inside the works.
But this effort of the Confederates de-
pleted their numbers engaged on the
traverses, and an advance of new
force, under Colonel Abbott of General
Paine's division, on the left of Ames'
brigades, which until now had con-
tended alone, captured some of the
traverses between this point and the
sea.
The Confederates still looked to their
wounded leaders, Whiting and Lamb,
for inspiration, and at 8 o'clock word
was carried to them that the ammuni-
ton was giving out, the cartridge
boxes of the dead having been emptied
to supply the men on the works. Both
Lamb and Whiting replied that help
would come from Bragg and the work
must not be surrendered. In an hour
word was brought that the sally port
had been carried by the assailants, and