The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-12-18
The "SiIenced" Fort Heard as
Well as Felt
rforat d Bailers, Pue Man-of-War in
Sinking Condition and Did Other
Damag TO Blockading File t-Thr G
Big Frigat s Driven From Their Po-
sition in Front of the Fort by TIL ir
Own Official Statements.
(COntinued.)

N~Ay AoNAa LC"Ns wv DAA~ IA " u
the line omitted. 1t reads: "CarrvingI
dispatches through the feet, naval
brigade made an assault (at 3 D. ~;
were repulsed. A few minutes after
wards the land forces made an ~assault)
and succeeded in capturing several
federates now released from the attack
to q %standstill holding what they
gained" This renders my comments,
which we're as follows, intelliglb.e:
THANK you acting master, for stating!
that last fact, and you might have
truthfuIly added in our log" and then
the feet resumed its fearful fire direct
ed by signal, and prevented the CON-
federate now released from the attack
of the naval brigade from recOyeringI
the works. /
Admiral Porter i'll his first report toI
Secretary Wells, December oath. 1864,
says: | attacked the forts at the
mouth of the Cape Fear river this
informing at 1870 and after getting the
ships in position, silenced it in about
an hour and a half, there being mol
troops here to take the position. | am
merely firing at it now TO keep up prac-I
tice." Again on the 25th instant heI
says: I'VE again took VI our pOsitiOnI
within a mile of the fort (the iron YES
SeIS HlIUIN 1,ZUU ' dluSj "1lllOuI q IN
being fred at us, shell it all day, with
now and then a shot from the rebels,
and stopped firing after sunset
The fort commenced firing at the
iron vessels as soon as they got in
range on the 25th, and Commander
Belknap, OF the ~Canonicus, while not
mentioning the effect of our shots the
oath admits we hit his ship our times
Christmas day, one Of the shots peri
fOrating her SmOkestack while nrOvlngl
in. which witnesses in fort and feet
will remember.
From the fagship Malvern the adml-I
raj reports December Goth, to the Hon.
Gideon Wells, secretary of the navy
cat II 80 on the Oath signal was made,
to engage the forts, the lrOnsides
leading and the M%onadnock, Canonl-
Gus and MahOpec following. The
IrOnsideS took her position in the most
beautiful and seamanlike manner. ana
opened deliberate fire on the fort, which
was firing with all its guns. which did
not seem numerous in the northeast
face. though we counted what appeared
to be II guns, but 4 Or B OF these were
fired from that direction, and they We're
silenced almost as soon as the lrOnSlde3
opened her terrific battery. "
The Santiago de Cuba, Fort Jackson,
OsceOla, Chippewa, Quaker City, ana
Iosco, dropped into position according
to order and the battle became general.
In one hour and fifteen minutes after
HE first shot was fired not q shot came
kArom the fort. Two magazines were
KSlown up by our shells and the fort
tRset on fire in several places and such
a torrent of missiles were falling INTO
and bursting over it that it was I'M
possible for any human being to Stanl
If , x = One or two vessels having
made the mistake of ~anchOring too lar
off, caused those coming after them to
commit a like error; but when they al
got into place and commenced WORK n
earnest, the shower Of shell Ola PEI
minute was irresistible, SO quickly
were the enemy's guns silenced that not
an officer or man WAS injured.
The admiral, forgetting what he had
written. probably stopped for dlhlie-
at quarters" having retired Dehlnd =
frigate. discredits the first portion o.
his report by adding: Some OF the
vessels were struck once or twice. Inc
Mackinaw had her boiler perforated
with a shell, and ten or twelve were
h3dlv scalded. The Osceola was STRUCK
with she'll near her magazine II was
at one time in a sinking condition.; gu
her efficient commander stopped III
leak. while the MackinaW fought on
the battle. Notwithstanding the danaS+
she received. The Gantic was the onlN
vessel that left the line to report lam
ages. i * = Our men were at WOri
at the guns five hours and glad to Se
Il little rest. They came out of actor
with rather a contempt for the rebe
batteries and anxious to renew the bat
tie next morning" Official Report
Union and Confederate Navies, Vol. Il.
p. 256.
The Mackinaw reports the Shel
which penetrated her boiler and scalG
ed ten men, struck the vessel at 2:3o 2
m. The Osceola reports at Adv p. m
owe received a ten-inch solid shot a
about three feet below the water line
which passed through the side, through
the sand bags placed to protect tn
hoiler and into the starboard bollel
nassine into number 4 furnace l
consequence of this misfortune 81
men were scalded, two very badly.
She first signaled disabled, The
sinking. The A. d. Vance n Ia
cony came to her assistance, the 1ol
mer towing her to a safe anchorage,
Mirible dictu! What Il fort! VIVA
earrisoni Silenced, but able to pc
forate boilers, put a man-of-War III
SINGING condition, and causing anothe
10 leave the line to report damage
And coming out Of sand holes TO 90 II
commodore Thatcher, commandln
FIRST division on frigate Colorado {
flagship, reports to Admiral Port
about the 25th: "I do no suppose TN
it was deemed possible entirely 10 q
molish a casemated earthWork it
Fort Fisher (there was not a casema
in the defenses-W. Id, but am sa
isfed that everything was done IN
could be done on the parton the na'
.1o - --+onahIn fhp enemy ma