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 effected while the enemy still holds Fort Fisher and the batteries guarding the entrance to the river, then the troops should intrench themselves, and, by co-operating 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. If 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 immedi ately 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.

The expedition was detained for several days at Hampton roads awaiting the loading of the powder-boat. It was distinctly understood by General Grant that General Weitzel was to command the expedition, and he was not aware that General Butler intended to go until the evening before its departure, and he then supposed that he went rather to witness the effects of the explosion of the powder-boat than any thing else. Once under way, however, General Butler assumed the command of the expedition.

The expedition finally got off on the 13th of December, and arrived at the place of rendezvous, off New Inlet, near Fort Fisher, on the evening of the 15th. Admiral Porter arrived on the evening of the 18th; having put in at Beaufort to get ammunition for the monitors. The sea becoming rough, making it difficult to land troops, and the supply of water and coal being about exhausted, the transport fleet put back to Beaufort to replenish. This, with the state of the weather, delayed the return to the place of rendezvous until the 24th. The powder-boat was exploded on the morning of the 24th, before the return of General Butler from Beaufort; but it would seem from the notice taken of it in the Southern newspapers,

BOMBARDMENT OF FORT FISHER.

907

that the enemy were never enlightened as to the object of the explosion until they were informed by the northern press.

At daylight of the 24th the fleet stood in, in line of battle, and shortly before noon took up their positions according to Admiral Porter's orders, the iron-clads, of which there were four, the New Ironsides being one, forming the first line, three fourths of a mile from the fort, each having a gunboat as a tender within supporting distance. A quarter of a mile behind the iron-clads was a line of heavy frigates, comprising the Minnesota, Colorado, Wabash, and other vessels of that class, and behind these still another line of vessels, composed of the larger gunboats, the doubleenders, etc. Each anchored intermediate between the vessels of the first line. Another division, consisting chiefly of gunboats, took positions to the south and southwest of the forts and to the left of the frigates, and still another was posted to the northward and eastward of the iron-clads for the purpose of enfilading the fort.

About one o'clock P. M. the New Ironsides opened fire against Fort Fisher, followed almost immediately by the monitors; and within half an hour the Minnesota, followed soon after by her consorts in the second line, obtained the range and commenced a steady bombardment, in which, a little later, the third line joined, and all maintained a rapid, accurate, and terrible fire upon the fort.

On the afternoon of the 25th (the bombardment having been continued through this day also), the transports arrived from Beaufort, and three thousand of the troops were landed, under cover of the fire of the fleet, five miles east of the fort. A reconnoissance was ordered at once, under Brevet Brigadier-General Curtis, General Weitzel accompanying it in person. It was pushed nearly up to the fort. General Weitzel reported that the fort was not seriously injured, as a defensive work, by the bombardment, and that it was so strong that, under the circumstances, it would be butchery to order an assault. Other officers in the reconnoissance entertained a different opinion; but General Weitzel was an able officer of engineers, of known bravery and daring, and his view, which coincided with that of General Butler, prevailed, and the men were ordered to reembark, without making any effort to capture the fort. Rear-Admiral Porter was, naturally enough, greatly chagrined at this failure, and expressed himself in somewhat strong terms in regard to General Butler's management. Nor was General Grant any better satisfied. He claimed that General Butler should not have gone on the expedition, and that having, in opposition to his views, taken command of it, he violated his express instructions in ordering the hasty re-embarkation. For these reasons he requested the War Department to relieve General Butler from the command of the Army of the James, and to assign General E. O. C. Ord to that command, and his request was complied with.

General Butler justified himself by claiming that it would have been a

useless slaughter of his troops to have led them against the fort at that time, and adduced the testimony of the Rebel General Whiting, then in command of the fort, but afterward a prisoner, and mortally wounded, who stated, in the strongest terms, that at that time, and with the force General Butler had at command, the capture of the fort would have been impossible, and that the assailing force would have been wholly cut to pieces had they attempted it. The question was one admitting of doubt, and its discussion occasioned much unpleasant and bitter feeling. The commander of the North Atlantic blockading squadron, Rear-Admiral Porter, was not, however, disposed to relinquish the struggle. He maintained the bombardment for some time longer, and sent a despatch to General Grant, informing him that he was still off Fort Fisher, and expressing the belief that, under a proper leader, it could yet be taken. General Grant answered, asking the Admiral to hold on and he would send a force, and make another attempt to take the place. This time he selected brevet Major-General (now Major-General) Alfred H. Terry, who, as we have seen, had been much of the time during the autumn in command of the tenth corps, to command the expedition. The troops composing the expedition were the same that had gone with General Butler, not having disembarked after their arrival at Fortress Monroe, with the addition of a small brigade, numbering about fifteen hundred men, and a small siege train. General Grant communicated to General Terry 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 possible, 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 aban