The Washington herald., 1915-02-21
STARS AND STRIPES RAISED
AT FORT ANDERSON.
February 10.

Fifty years ago today the Stars and
Stripes were raised over Fort Anderson.
last of the Confederate works defending
Wilmington, n. G., on the lower Cape
Fear River. which had been evacuated
in the night
The advance of an army corps under
Gen. John NJ. Schofeld. which had been
landed on the coast for the purpose OF
taking the fort in the rear. and a three
days bombardment by ships of the Fed
eral fleet under Admiral ID. ID. Porter.
which had entered the river after the
fall. on January Is. of Fort Fisher (at
the rivers mouth, had rendered the
evacuation of Fort Anderson by its gar
rison inevitable.
The defenders of the fort had made a
gallant resistance, however. in the face
Of heavy odds, keeping Porter's feet at
bay under very severe fire and not quit
ting the works until Schofield's force was
upon them.
rhy ;iCal obstacles had made the prog
ress OF the Federals upon Wilmington,
twenty miles up the Cape Fear River.
one of much labor. The first of this had
ships into the river. There were two
channels, widely separated. and both
shallow. crooked. and obstructed.
Fort Fisher. on the east of the river.
had guarded the northern channel. New
Inlet Its fall was followed in three days
by the evacuation OF Fort Caswell. guard
ing the southern channel.
This had given the Federals complete
control of the mouths OF the river and
nf NilIagp nf Sn,ifhyit1r its
bank above Fort Caswell. and other
points where the water was deep enough
for landing troops. But between them
and Wilmington lay Fort Anderson, a
very strong work on the west bank. ten
miles above Smithvilc and six above
New Inlet
4 Dummy Monitor.
The naval forces found the channels
over the sandy bars at the rivers en-
trance shallow, unbuoyed. obstructed in
places with the wrecks of blockade rum
ners. and strewn with torpedoes.
Only the lighter draft vessels could en-
ter the first. and some of these were
three days dragging their keels in sand
and mud in clearing the bar.
When finally channel had been
cleared and heavy rains had raised the
rivers level. heavier vessels crossed New
Inlet bar. including the monitor Montauk.
With force of about twenty ships
over the bar. Admiral Porter was ready
to push on up the river. moving in con-
junction with Schofield's troops. All be-
ing ready on February Il. the leading
ships had movred up and begun a bonn
bardment of Fort Anderson.
This bombardment was heavy for two
days. but its moral effect was greater
than the physical This was partly due
to a ruse employed by Admiral Porter.
of sort characteristic of that COM
mander.
The ruse consisted of the employment
of dummy monitor. such as Admiral
Porter had first employed in the siege
of Vicksburg The manner in which the
original dummy had passed the Con-
works had disconnected. the
men in the NiCksburg batteries When
the character of the ''turreted monster
as the vessel was termed by them. was
made known. Vicksburgs defenders We're
ridiculed by the Southern press for al
lowing themselves to be gulled.
The moral effect of the dummy en-
ployed in the Cape Fear River was all
that could have been wished by its pro-
jectors The bogus ship. made of a
scow. canvas and barrels. was put in
charge OF Lieut. W. r. Cushing-of AL
bemarle fame-and that officer. doubtless
the adventure. placed 1t In a
position in which it would have its great
est effect.
Killed by . Torpedo.
Starting at night. with a fiotiIla Of
small boats. Gushing conveyed the dunn
nv monitor to a position near the fort
and cast 1t of to float upstream with
the flood tide.
The monitor passed near enough to
the fort for its dim outline to be seen.
A heavy IRE was directed at it. but il
kept its way. unframed. until it grounded
on the east bank of the river. within
range of batteries below Wilmington and
On their fank-a position that. occupied
by a genuine monitor. would have made
he batteries untenable.
Discerning the black form OF the dunn
NY In the uncertain light of dawn. the
defenders Of the upper works withdrew
INTO Wilmington. leaving Fort Anderson
alone to guard the river against the |
Yankees
schofeId's advance sealed the fate OF |
Fort Anderson and opened the way for !
Porter's ships to follow the dummy mon
tor up the river to Wilmington (which |
vas occupied by Schofeld February 90. !
But the advance Of the feet was not |
without hazard and loss OF life. The |
,nemy was active in employing torpedoes. |
md as a final blow at the Federals |
hey released iarBe humper on tne ebb
ide the day the fort was evacuated. A |
,egro had warned Admiral Porter that /
he torpedoes would be sent down. and /
were made to catch them l
~ stringing nets across the river.
This method resulted in the gathering !!
n OF number Of barrels charged with
Explosives, which were exploded HARM
essly by musketry from the banks. One.
however. got past the nets and hoated
monG the fleet where II was secured.
In officer In a small boat fired his pistol
nto II. exploding Il. with the result that
he boat was DESTROYED. the officer seri-
N ia. ,uat,nded and fNa men killed