CHAP. III. down the river to within six hundred yards of the fort, where Terry, Curtis, and Comstock made a careful reconnaissance. Curtis felt himself at home on this ground; he was as ready as ever to assault, and an attack was arranged for the afternoon of Jan., 1865. the 15th. Ames was to move on the land face with his division, and the navy, inspired by a noble emulation, undertook to attack the bastion at the sea-angle at the same time. In the morning Col. William Porter began and carried on perhaps the most "Southern tremendous fire to which a fort has ever been subjected from a fleet. Nothing could withstand the rain of projectiles which he poured upon Fort Fisher. At first the Confederate cannoneers stood stoutly enough to their guns, while the infantry huddled in their bomb-proofs; but the fire was too hot for human endurance; one by one the guns of the fort were dismounted or destroyed, until hardly a response came from the parapets to the thunder of the ships. Lamb, in Historical Society Papers." Vol. X., p. 356. Jan. 15, 1865. At two o'clock Curtis began to move forward against the land face of the fort; Galusha Pennypacker and Louis Bell following in close support. They went forward rapidly, availing themselves of every inequality of the ground, under a severe fire of musketry, until being near enough for the final rush the fleet was signaled to change the direction of its fire, and Curtis led his brigade directly at the bastion by the river. At the same instant the naval force gallantly led by Commander K. R. Breese attempted to storm the bastion on the sea beach. This attempt failed, with the loss of many brave men; notably of Lieutenants S. W. Preston and B. H. Porter, two of the most brilliant and Terry, p. 429. promising officers in the service; but the diver- CHAP. III. sion thus made was of great advantage to Curtis in distracting the attention of the garrison at a critical moment. The irresistible rush of his brigade carried them over the parapet and Penny- Jan. 15,1865. packer gained the palisade from the earthwork to the river. They were both now inside the works and ready to take them in reverse; but here they found that their labor was only begun. The system of traverses was so complete that it required nearly a dozen separate actions to carry the fort. The garrison under Colonel William Lamb, an officer of high bravery and intelligence, fought with desperate courage; but the progress of the National soldiers, though slow and hotly disputed, was never once checked. The routed sailors and marines took charge of the line in the rear and Abbott was set free to reënforce the storming party in the traverses. It was growing dark when the last rush was made which cleared the fort. It was a well-won victory, not lightly gained. Curtis was terribly wounded in the head; Pennypacker had a severe wound, the gallant Bell was killed at the head of his brigade. The garrison fled to Fort Buchanan at the southern extremity of Federal Point, where late in the evening they surrendered. Colonel Lamb and General W. H. C. Whiting, the latter having taken part in the action, though not in command, both severely wounded, were taken prisoners. The forts at the mouth of the river were immediately abandoned, rendering the victory complete and extremely valuable. One hundred and sixtynine cannon in all were captured, and more than Ibid. CHAP. III. two thousand prisoners. But, better than all this, the fleet could now enter the harbor, and the days of blockade running were at an end. A comical afterpiece-here, as at Savannah-followed the great drama. Two English vessels after the fort had been taken made their way by night through the fleet and gave the customary signals, which were answered satisfactorily by General Terry, under the dictation of an intelligent negro; the vessels came in, their officers reported, and were informed that their ships were prizes. On the day that Terry was preparing to storm Jan. 14,1865. Fort Fisher General Schofield received his orders from Grant to move the Twenty-third Corps to the east. He came as rapidly as possible by river and by rail to Washington, and reporting in person to Grant at Fort Monroe went with him to Fort Fisher, where, with Terry and Porter, the plan of the coming campaign was arranged. Schofield was placed in command of the new department of Apr. 3, 1865. North Carolina, and the first task assigned to him was the capture of Wilmington, to serve as a base for Sherman if anything should interrupt his march to Goldsboro'; and next, to open the route from New Berne to Goldsboro', and concentrate his army there to meet Sherman and be ready for any duty which the exigencies of the campaign might require. Schofield, Report. The first division of the Western troops that arFeb. 9, 1865. rived was that of General J. D. Cox, followed a few days later by part of D. N. Couch's; and with these and Terry's force Schofield moved on Wilmington. The Confederate general Hoke had intrenched himself with his own and what was left of Whi Ibid. ting's troops across Federal Point, on a line from CHAP. III. Myrtle Sound to Cape Fear River, and beyond the river a heavy earthwork called Fort Anderson guarded the right bank. Cox and Ames marched against this position on the 17th, by the right bank of the stream; Terry moved up the left bank, a strong force of gunboats between them; Schofield kept his headquarters on a steamboat. The fort was attacked by the fleet at long range; and two of Cox's brigades demonstrated against it, while the rest of his force made a detour to the west to come in upon its rear. Thus threatened from every side the Confederate garrison evacuated the place, Feb. 19,1865. abandoning ten pieces of heavy ordnance and retreating to Town Creek, half way to Wilmington, halted in a strong position well covered by swamps. Ames, with his division, went back to the left bank, where Hoke's principal force was opposing Terry. Cox cleverly turned the Confederate position at Town Creek, and, coming in upon their rear, dislodged and routed them, capturing two guns and nearly four hundred prisoners; the rest of them made their escape to Wilmington. Cox pushed on with great energy the next day and came opposite to the city, which was shrouded in smoke, and gave other signs of evacuation. Terry had been stoutly resisted by Hoke-who was covering his purpose of retreat by this judicious action- and Schofield had ordered Cox to cross the river and join the army on the left bank; but Cox, seeing that Wilmington was in extremity, took the responsibility of disobeying his orders and explaining the situation to Schofield. His conduct was approved, and at daybreak on the 22d of February Schofield cele 1865. CHAP. III. brated the birthday of Washington by an unopposed Schofield, entry into Wilmington. Report. "Rebellion Record." p. 383. Cox, "The March to the Sea," The next thing to be done was to gain possession Vol. XI., of Goldsboro', the point designated for the junction with Sherman. It was decided that New Berne afforded a better base for that movement, as well as for Sherman's subsequent operations, than Wilmington. Cox was therefore sent to New Berne to prepare it for that purpose, and to set on foot the necessary repairs to the railway between New Berne and Goldsboro'. In the prosecution of this work he advanced to the neighborhood of Kinston, on the Neuse River, about half way to Goldsboro', where, on the morning of the 8th of March, he was attacked with great spirit by the Confederate forces, under General Bragg, consisting of Hoke's command and some of the débris of Hood's army. One of Cox's regiments, in advance of his main line, was routed and captured. The ease with which this success was achieved was most encouraging to Bragg, who came up energetically against Cox's force in position, but was easily repulsed. The attack was renewed the next day with unabated courage, and although the Confederates were again repulsed, General Schofield, who had arrived on the field, sent urgent orders to Couch to hasten his march across country from Wilmington. Before he arrived, Bragg had retired through Goldsboro' to concentrate with the rest of Johnston's force, who were preparing to resist Sherman's northward march. Schofield occupied Kinston March, 1865. on the 14th, bridged the Neuse, and opened up communication with New Berne by river. Terry, marching directly upon Goldsboro' from Wilming p. 159. |