SURRENDER OF REBEL FORTIFICATIONS.

936

CHAPTER LXXI

SURRENDER OF REBEL FORTIFICATIONS AT THE ENTRANCE TO WILMINGTON HARBOR-GUNS CAPTURED THE TWENTY-THIRD CORPS SENT EAST TO AID IN THE REDUCTION OF WILMINGTON, AND TO REINFORCE SHERMAN-GENERAL SCHOFIELD PUT IN COMMAND OF THE DEPARTMENT OF NORTH CAROLINA-HIS INSTRUCTIONS-THE ADVANCE UPON FORT ANDERSON-DIFFICULTIES-THE REBELS ABANDON THE FORT, AND RETREAT OVER TOWN CREEK -THE OPERATIONS OF THE FLEET-GENERAL COX CROSSES TOWN CREEK, BOMBARDS EAGLE ISLAND-CROSSES BRUNSWICK RIVER, AND DRIVES THE ENEMY OUT OF WILMINGTON -RESULTS THE MOVEMENT ON KINSTON AND GOLDSBORO-CAUSES OF DELAY-BATTLE AT SOUTHWEST CREEK-CAPTURE OF UNION TROOPS-FIGHTING NEAR KINSTON-KINSTON EVACUATED, AND OCCUPIED BY SCHOFIELD-ADVANCE TOWARD goldsboro, AND ARRIVAL THERE-GENERAL TERRY MOVES FROM WILMINGTON TO GOLDSBORO-GENERAL GRANT DETERMINES TO CUT LEE'S COMMUNICATIONS ON THE NORTHWEST-SHERIDAN'S RAID ON LYNCHBURG, &C-HE REACHES THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC-GENERAL GRANT'S INSTRUCTIONS TO GENERALS MEADE, ORD, AND SHERIDAN-GORDON'S ATTACK UPON FORT STEDMAN-THE REASONS PROMPTING THE MOVEMENT-HE CAPTURES THE FORT, BUT IT IS RETAKEN, AND THE REBELS DEFEATED WITH HEAVY LOSS, BOTH ON THE LEFT AND RIGHT -GENERAL MEADE'S CONGRATULATORY ORDER-THE GENERAL ADVANCE UPON LEE'S LINES-GENeral granT'S INSTRUCTIONS TO GENERAL SHERIDAN-GENERAL WARREN'S REPULSE-HIS CORPS PUT UNDER SHERIDAN'S COMMAND-SHERIDAN'S BATTLE AT DINWIDDIE COURT HOUSE-THE BATTLE OF FIVE FORKS-ATTACK ON THE FORTIFICATIONS OF PETERSBURG BY THE SIXTH, NINTH, AND TWENTY-FOURTH CORPS-PETERSburg and rICHMOND EVACUATED-PURSUIT OF LEE-BATTLES OF JETERSVILLE, FARMVILLE, HIGH BRIDGE, DEATONSVILLE, AND APPOMATTOX STATION-CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN GRANT AND LEE -SURRENDER OF LEE-SKETCH OF GENERAL LEE.

THE surrender or evacuation of the Rebel works on Smith's island and at Smithville, the gateways of the two entrances to Wilmington harbor, was completed on the 17th, and by it, eight additional batteries and fortifications, mounting, in all, eighty-three guns, nearly half of them of large calibre, came into the possession of the Union troops. The Rebels had fallen back to Fort Anderson and Wilmington, as the Union forces accumulated in their front, and those points, under the command of General Bragg, were held with great resolution. Foreseeing the probability that further forces would be needed for the reduction of Wilmington, and for other operations on the coast, while the large force under General Thomas's command was not required on the line of the Tennessee, now that Hood was so thoroughly discomfitted and routed, General Grant had, on the 7th of January, directed General Thomas to send Schofield and the twentythird corps eastward. The advance of the corps arrived in Washington on the 23d of January, from whence it was sent at once to Fort Fisher and Newbern. The State of North Carolina was now constituted into a department, and General Schofield placed in command of it,

under the orders of General Sherman. The following instructions were given him:

"CITY POINT, VIRGINIA, January 31st, 1865. "GENERAL: * * * Your movements are intended as co-operative with Sherman's through the States of South and North Carolina. The first point to be attained is to secure Wilmington. Goldsboro will then be your objective point, moving either from Wilmington or Newbern, or both, as you deem best. Should you not be able to reach Goldsboro, you will advance on the line or lines of railway connecting that place with the sea-coast-as near to it as you can, building the road behind you. The enterprise under you has two objects; the first is, to give General Sherman material aid, if needed in his march north; the second, to open a base of supplies for him on his line of march. As soon, therefore, as you can determine which of the two points, Wilmington or Newbern, you can best use for throwing supplies from to the interior, you will commence the accumulation of twenty days' rations and forage for sixty thousand men and twenty thousand animals. You will get of these as many as you can house and protect to such point in the interior as you may be able to occupy. I believe General Palmer has received some instructions direct from General Sherman on the subject of securing supplies for his army. You can learn what steps he has taken, and be governed in your requisi tions accordingly. A supply of ordnance stores will also be necessary.

"Make all requisitions upon the chiefs of their respective departments in the field with me at City Point. Communicate with me by every opportunity, and should you deem it necessary at any time, send a special boat to Fortress Monroe, from which point you can communicate by telegraph.

"The supplies referred to in these instructions are exclusive of those required for your own command.

"The movements of the enemy may justify, or even make it your imperative duty, to cut loose from your base and strike for the interior to aid Sherman. In such case, you will act on your own judgment, without waiting for instructions. You will report, however, what you purpose doing. The details for carrying out these instructions are necessarily left to you. I would urge, however, if I did not know that you are already fully alive to the importance of it, prompt action. Sherman may be looked for in the neighborhood of Goldsboro any time from the 22d to the 28th of February; this limits your time very materially.

"If rolling stock is not secured in the capture of Wilmington, it can be supplied from Washington. A large force of railroad men have already been sent to Beaufort, and other mechanics will go to Fort Fisher in a day or two. On this point I have informed you by telegraph. "U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General.

"MAJOR-GENERAL J. M. SCHOFIELD."

THE ADVANCE UPON FORT ANDERSON.

937

Previous to giving these instructions, General Grant had visited Fort Fisher, in company with General Schofield, and had conferred with General Terry and Rear-Admiral Porter as to the best measures to be adopted. Schofield's corps numbered, at this time, about twenty-one thousand men; while General Terry had about eight thousand at Fort Fisher, and General Palmer about four thousand more at Newbern. On the 9th of February, General Schofield landed the third division of his corps, commanded by General Cox, at the mouth of Cape Fear river, near Fort Fisher, followed soon after by Couch's division. At this time, General Terry held a line across the Peninsula, formed by the ocean and Cape Fear river, occupying also Smithville Fort Caswell, and with his flanks covered by the fleet, under Admiral Porter. The Rebels occupied Fort Anderson, on the west bank of the river, a strong earthwork, with a collateral line, strongly fortified, running to a large swamp about three fourths of a mile. distant, and also a line on the Peninsula, north of Terry's position, extending from Cape Fear river to Masonboro or Myrtle sound. Their position was impregnable to a direct attack, and could only be turned by crossing Myrtle sound above his left wing, or passing around the swamp which covered his right. On the 11th of February, General Schofield pushed forward Terry's line, supported by Cox's division, drove in the enemy's pickets, and intrenched in a new position, so near to the enemy's lines as to compel him to employ his entire force in holding his lines. February is emphatically a month of storms on this coast, and the peril of attempting to turn the Rebel left wing by a boat expedition was from this cause so great, that General Schofield preferred to attack on their right, and thus encounter only the difficulties incident to the land. Accordingly, Cox's and Ames's divisions were crossed over to Smithville, where they were joined by Moore's brigade, of Couch's division, which had just landed, and advanced along the main Wilmington road, until they encountered the enemy at Fort Anderson and its adjacent works. Here two brigades were intrenched, to occupy the enemy, while Cox, with the other two brigades of his division and Ames's division, moved around the swamp which covered the enemy's right, in order to strike the Wilmington road in rear, and north of the fort. The distance to be marched was about fifteen miles. The enemy, finding himself in danger of being flanked, his cavalry having discovered Cox's movement, hastily abandoned his works on both sides of the river, during the night of February 19th, and fell back behind Town creek on the west, and behind a line of swamps in a corresponding position on the east. Fort Anderson and its adjacent defences, with ten pieces of artillery, and a large amount of ammunition, thus fell into the hands of the Union troops without a conflict, and the approaches to Wilmington were greatly weakened.

On the following day, General Cox pursued the enemy to Town creek, behind which he was found intrenched, having destroyed the only bridge.

Terry, who was on the east side of Cape Fear river, also found the enemy in strong force in his new position, and Ames's division was brought over to the east bank to reinforce him on the night of the 19th of February. On the 20th, Cox crossed Town creek, below the Rebel position, and reaching their flank and rear, attacked and routed them, capturing two pieces of artillery, and three hundred and seventy-five prisoners. The next morning, he pushed on toward Wilmington without opposition. On the east side, Terry could not make as rapid progress; but he held all of Hoke's force in his front, and prevented them from reinforcing the Rebel troops, which Cox was driving before him. The fleet, meantime, had been proceeding cautiously up the river, removing the torpedoes which were planted thickly along the shores, and in the main channel, by means of yawls connected to each other by drag-ropes. These being taken up or exploded, the squadron approached to a line of piles extending nearly across the river, the only opening left being protected by torpedoes, and subjected to the concentrated fire from Fort French, a formidable work, clad with T railroad iron, a line of water batteries, a high shore battery on the east side, and Fort St. Philip, on Eagle island. Having hauled off the Montauk monitor, which had grounded, and buoyed out the channel, Admiral Porter continued up the river, and on the 20th of February commenced bombarding the forts. During the night, the enemy sent down two hundred floating torpedoes, but forewarned of their approach, the admiral caused them to be caught with nets and ropes, and discharged in such a way as to do no material injury. On the afternoon of the 21st of February, General Cox reached Brunswick river, as the arm of the Cape Fear flowing west of Eagle island is called, and opening fire upon the enemy on Eagle island, caused them to burn the railway bridge which crossed Brunswick river, and cut adrift the pontoon bridge, setting it on fire at the same time. Securing a few of the pontoons, General Cox promptly crossed to Eagle island, skirmishing and establishing outposts on the causeway over the swamp, and within musket range of the city wharves. of the city wharves. The Rebels opened upon them with two Whitworth guns, but Cox's troops soon brought up their artillery, and threw several shells into the city. The enemy continued to menace Terry's position during the afternoon and evening of the 21st, but during the night he set fire to the property of the Rebel Government in and about the city, consisting of one thousand bales of cotton, fifteen thou sand barrels of rosin, extensive cotton sheds and presses, and unfinished iron-clads, three large turpentine distilleries, and the adjacent wharves, the railroad and pontoon bridges, &c., and abandoned the city, and retreated toward Goldsboro. Fifty pieces of heavy ordnance, fifteen light pieces, and a large amount of ammunition, fell into the hands of the Union troops. The Union loss from February 11th to the 22d (the day Wilmington was occupied), was not over two hundred officers and men in