CHAPTER XXXVIII.

FORT FISHER.

THE TROOPS LAND. THE BOMBARDMENT AND ASSAULT.-COMMENTS.-WILMINGTON

FALLS.

WE come now to the consideration of a very important movement, in which Grant was more immediately interested than in those just referred to the combined movement of the fleet and army to capture the strong works which defended the entrance, by the Cape Fear River, to Wilmington. This city was by far the most valuable of the few seaports yet left to the enemy;-a snug harbor for blockade-runners, which carried in those articles of vital need to the Confederacy, and paid themselves liberally with the cotton which they brought out. Its strategic value was the greater because our navy could not seal it by a blockade. It was necessary to gain possession of a long strip of land north of New Inlet, and ending at Federal Point. Upon this the chief work was Fort Fisher, which presented a strong front to the sea, joining with another which looked northward. To take this, land troops were necessary, and these the lieutenant-general provided as soon as they were asked for. Admiral Porter had collected in Hampton Roads the largest flotilla ever assembled for an assault on a single point. Universal attention was attracted to it, and with that freedom of speech, which all the terrors of a military law could not curtail, journals at the North gave

full publicity to the army of the South concerning its purpose. The enemy was thus enabled to strengthen his lines of defence to their utmost. On this account, the movement was postponed until the latter part of November. When all things were in readiness, Grant was called upon for an adequate force, which the winter inaction to the armies' operations against Richmond enabled him to provide.

The lieutenant-general went in person to Hampton Roads with General Butler, from whose department the troops were to be taken, to confer with Admiral Porter. In that conference it was determined that a force of six thousand five hundred men would be sufficient; and as it was believed that Bragg had gone to Georgia, with the troops from Wilmington, to make head against Sherman, Grant and Porter were very anxious that the purpose of the expedition should be effected before he could return. The arrangements for the embarkation of the troops were confided to General Butler, but General Weitzel was designated as commander of the expedition. The following are Grant's instructions to Butler:

CITY POINT, Va., December 6, 1864.

GENERAL-The first object of the expedition under General Weitzel, is to close to the enemy the port of Wilmington. If successful in this, the second will be to capture Wilmington itself. There are reasonable grounds to hope for success, if advantage can be taken of the absence of the greater part of the enemy's forces now looking after Sherman in Georgia. The directions you have given for the numbers and equipment of the expedition are all right, except in the unimportant matter of where they embark and the amount of intrenching tools to be taken. The object of the expedition will be gained by effecting a landing on the main land between Cape Fear River and the Atlantic, north of the north entrance to the river. Should such landing be ef fected whilst the enemy still holds Fort Fisher and the batteries guarding the entrance to the river, then the troops should intrench themselves, and by cooperating with the navy, effect the reduction and capture of those places. These in our hands, the navy could enter the harbor, and the port of Wilmington would be sealed. Should Fort Fisher and the point of land on which it is built fall into the hands of our troops immediately on landing, then it will be worth the attempt to capture Wilmington by a forced march and surprise. It time is consumed in gaining the first object of the expedition, the second will become a matter of after consideration.

The details for execution are intrusted to you and the officer immediately in command of the troops.

Should the troops under General Weitzel fail to effect a landing at or near Fort Fisher, they will be returned to the armies operating against Richmond without delay.

MAJOR-GENERAL B. F. BUTLER.

U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General.

It may here be stated, on the authority of General Grant's report, that the instructions thus sent by courtesy to General Butler, or some of them at least, did not reach General Weitzel; nor did that officer know of their existence until General Butler published his report, after the failure of the expedition. It further appears Grant did not intend Butler to go in command, and thought, even after the expedition started, that Weitzel was in command, with full instructions, and that Butler had gone as a spectator, and principally to witness the explosion of the powder-boat, which he considered a valuable adjunct to the expedition.

Several days were still occupied in putting the powder-boat in order. Time was very valuable, and Grant became impatient. At length, on the 13th December, the transport fleet was under way, and, on the 15th, in the evening, arrived off New Inlet, near Fort Fisher; but without a proper arrangement of time with the navy, for Porter, being obliged to put into Beaufort to get ammunition for the monitors, his fleet did not arrive off Fort Fisher until the evening of the 18th. Another vexatious delay now occurred. The transports were declared to be out of coal and water; they must go back to Beaufort for these. At length, on the morning of the 24th, they reached the rendezvous. But, before the arrival of Butler, the powder-boat was taken in and exploded, with no results whatever. She had been brought around from Norfolk in tow of the Sassacus; her dangerous lading had been adjusted at Beaufort; she had been placed under the command of one of the coolest and most intrepid officers of the navy— Commander A. C. Rhind; had been deftly carried in in the track of a blockade-runner; had been anchored two hundred

yards from the beach, and four hundred yards from the fort, and skilfully exploded, and "nobody hurt."

THE TROOPS LAND.

On the 25th the landing of the troops commenced, above Fort Fisher, and ateconnoissance was at once pushed towards the works. The opinion of General Weitzel was adverse to an assault; and upon this, without waiting to learn the effect of the naval bombardment, and without landing in person to see the position of affairs for himself, Butler re-embarked his troops, and returned to Hampton Roads, to the utter surprise of General Grant, as well as of most of the officers of the expedition. Some of these officers volunteered the report to Grant that they were nearly in the fort when the reconnoissance was withdrawn to re-embark.

Without entering further into the controversy, we may say, that there were two men who were not inclined to abandon the project in such a light and summary manner; these were Grant and Porter; and both were stung by the exultation of the rebels at our voluntary and unnecessary retreat.

The admiral still lay off the fort, and wrote to Grant for another leader, to bring the same number of troops, with whose co-operation he was certain of success. Grant now selected General Alfred H. Terry to lead the expedition, and sent down with him the same force which Butler had taken, adding only one small brigade, and, as a precaution, a small siege-train, which, however, it was not found necessary to land. The troops were principally Ames's division, of the Twenty-fourth Corps; Terry's First division, now commanded by Hawley; and Paine's (colored) division of the Twenty-fifth. The same chief-engineer, Colonel (now General) C. F. Comstock, accompanied the expedition, the fortune of which was to sit in judgment on the former one.

Grant communicated direct to the commander of the expe dition the following instructions:

CITY POINT, VA., January 3, 1865. GENERAL The expedition intrusted to your command has been fitted out to renew the attempt to capture Fort Fisher, N. C., and Wilmington, ultimately, if the fort falls. You will then proceed, with as little delay as pos sible, to the naval fleet lying off Cape Fear River, and report the arrival of yourself and command to Admiral D. D. Porter, commanding North Atlantic Blockading Squadron. It is exceedingly desirable that the most complete understanding should exist between yourself and the naval commander. I suggest, therefore, that you consult with Admiral Porter freely, and get from him the part to be performed by each branch of the public service, so that there may be unity of action. It would be well to have the whole programme laid down in writing. I have served with Admiral Porter, and know that you can rely on his judgment and his nerve to undertake what he proposes. I would, therefore, defer to him as much as is consistent with your own responsibilities. The first object to be attained is, to get a firm position on the spit of land on which Fort Fisher is built, from which you can operate against that fort. You want to look to the practicability of receiving your supplies, and to defending yourself against superior forces sent against you by any of the avenues left open to the enemy. If such a position can be obtained, the siege of Fort Fisher will not be abandoned until its reduction is accomplished, or another plan of campaign is ordered from these headquarters.

My own views are, that if you effect a landing, the navy ought to run a portion of their fleet into Cape Fear River, whilst the balance of it operates on the outside. Land forces cannot invest Fort Fisher, or cut it off from supplies or re-enforcements whilst the river is in possession of the enemy.

A siege-train will be loaded on vessels, and sent to Fort Monroe, in readiness to be sent to you if required. All other supplies can be drawn from Beaufort as you need them.

Keep the fleet of vessels with you until your position is assured. When you find they can be spared, order them back, or such of them as you can spare, to Fort Monroe, to report for orders.

In case of failure to effect a landing, bring your command back to Beaufort, and report to these headquarters for further instructions. You will not debark at Beaufort until so directed.

General Sheridan has been ordered to send a division of troops to Baltimore, and place them on sea-going vessels. These troops will be brought to Fort Monroe, and kept there on the vessels until you are heard from. Should you require them, they will be sent to you.

BREVET MAJOR-GENERAL A. H. TERRY.

U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General.

This new expedition sailed from Fortress Monroe on the 6th of January, and was at Beaufort on the 8th. Owing to stress of weather, it did not rendezvous off the fort until the