The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-01-16
WEDNESDAY. JANUARY is, 1870.
There can be no excess to love;
none to knowledge; none to beauty.
when those attributes are considered
In their pu1,est sense.-Emorsor.
Fort Fisher.


many years. at Fort Fisher. There were
brave men on both sides IN the historic
battle OF Fort Fisher. and tho survivors
on both sides must have profound respec,
each for othor.
"The enemy seems at this time" says
Mr. Jefferson Davis in his hook, ito
have conceived a new means of destroy
Ing forts; 1t was to place large amount
of powder In ship, md. having an
chored Off the fort, to explode the pow
der and so destroy the works and in
capacitate the garrison as to enable the
storming party to capture them. How
near to Fort Fisher 1t was expected to
anchor the ship do not know. General
Whiting, the brave and highly accom-
plished soldier. who was In command Of
the defenses of Wilmington, stated that
the powder-ship did not come nearer to
Fort Fisher than 1900 yards He fur
the explosion at Wilmington. and sent a
telegram to Colonel Lamb, the COM
Itlanding officer of the fort, to inquire
what 1t meant, and was answered,
'Enemy's gunboat blown up No effect
was produced on the fort.
From the same source 1t is learned
that the combined force of the expedi-
ton was about $500 land troops and
fifty vessels of war of various sizes and
classes, several iron-clads and the ships
charged with 235 tons OF powder. Some
of the troops landed, but after a re-
connaissance OF tho fort, which then had
n garrison of $500 men, the troops were
re-embarked and thus the expedition
ended"
But this was not the only attempt
"on January 49, continues Mr.. Davis
''the attempt was renewed with a larger
number of troops, amounting, after the
arrival of General schofcld. to twenty
pdd thousand. Porter's fleet also re-
ceived additional vessels, making the
whole number fifty-eisht engaged IN the
attack. The garrison at Fort Fisher
had been Increased to double the num-
Der of men there on the oath of Decem-
Der. The iron-clad vessels of the enemy
approached nearer the fort than on the
former occasion. and the fire OF the fleet
was more concentrated and vastly more
effective. Many OF the guns in the fort
were dismounted, and the parapets Sc
riously injured by the fire. Tho garrison
stood bravely to. their guns. and when
the assault was made fought with such
determined courage as to repulse the
first column and obstinately contended
with another approaching from the land
side. continuing the fight long after they
had got into the fort. Finally, over
wtelmed by numbers and after the fort
and Its armament had been mainly de-
strpyed by commandments bellows
greater than ever concentrated upon a
fort-the remnant of the garrison sur
rendered.
Whiting WAS nortaly and the gallant
commander OF the fort, Colonel Lamb,
was seriously wounded. SO fell Fort
Fisher, and other forts fsu with 1t. Gene
raj Hoke smit!. came to the rescue, but
his small force was too weak to meet
tho enemy and he retired through Will
1nington after destroying public prop
erty to keep 1t from falling into the
hands of the Federals. Tho land force
of Butler and the heet OF Porter had
overwhelmed tho little band OF Confede-
rates
Tho gallant Colonel Lamb" the
hero OF Fort Fisher. is Colonel William
Lamb OF Norfolk, and his gallantry
richly deserved the recognition of Presi-
dent Davis. Colonel Lamb Is taking
part in tho reunion, ana will have the
lions share OF tho honor OF the occasion.
Tho brave and highly accomplished
Gsnsral Whiting was William Henry
Chase Whiting, whose father was a ma
tive Of Massachusetts. He was grad
uatcd from thu United States Military
Academy IN 1876 at the head OF q class
In which wore Charles r. Stone, Fita
John Porter and Gordon Granger. He
became captain and was assigned 10
work In the West and South, but when
tho war broke out he resigned and en-
tsrsd the Confederate service. lie
was taken to New York. after being cap.
tuTed at Fort Fisher, and fingered unt!
March TO- 1865. when hs died. Ono Of
the most touching Incidents OF the whole
war Is connected with his death II,
was Confederate soldier. but he wa,
an Episoopalian in good standing. ant
when he died his funeral took place from
Trinity Church according to the impress
uipe service for the burial Of tho dead.
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Is It Intcrnlinable?