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THE
WILMINGTON
EXPEDITION.
REAR - ADMIRAL DAVID D. PORTER,
the commander of the naval division of the late Wilmington Expedition, is a son
of the famous Commodore PORTER of the
Essex. He is about fifty years of age, and
has belonged to the navy over thirty years. A few years ago, when he commanded
the Crescent City, he attracted considerable attention by persisting in an
effort to enter the port of Havana under the shotted guns of Moro Castle, and
against the order of the Spanish authorities. He took an active part in reducing
the forts below
New Orleans, and was afterward engaged in the memorable naval
actions on the Mississippi.
Considerable fault has been found
with the management of the military division of the expedition. The editor of
the Norfolk New Regime, who accompanied
General BUTLER, gives an account which
explains the nature of the difficulties that our soldiers had to encounter after
landing.
According to this account a
thousand men had debarked from the transports at half past two o'clock on the
afternoon of the 25th. At this time PORTER'S flag ship came alongside of
BUTLER'S, and, after the customary salutations, and as the ships were drifting
apart, the Admiral cried through his trumpet, " General, there is not a rebel
with in five miles of the fort. You have nothing to do but throw in troops and
occupy it." The General, turning to some one near him, said, quietly, " I have a
fellow on shore there, one WEITZEL, who will find that out." In fact, while this
conversation was going on, WEITZEL, with his staff, accompanied by a member of
BUTLER'S staff, was approaching the fort, the troops under GRAHAM and CURTIS
having first taken possession of the two
sand works, Flag pond and Half
moon batteries. WEITZEL and his party soon found themselves on the northern
front of
Fort Fisher, and within range of seventeen guns, some of which,
supported by musketeers, opened upon them.
It was now discovered, from the
prisoners which had been taken with the captured batteries, that, instead of
there being no rebels within five miles of the fort, there were 800 men in the
work ; and that instead of 36 guns the estimated armament of the fort there were
nearer 60; and that the garrison were securely stowed away in the case mates. He
also learned that HOKE'S division was then encamped within a mile of the fort.
Indeed, this division, consisting of a force nearly equal to BUTLER'S entire
command, was now attacking the Federal troops in the rear, though, fortunately,
the latter were covered by the fire of the
Brooklyn.
According to this account WEITZEL
was certainly not in an advantageous condition for an attack. Behind him was the
sea; before him was the fort, still uninjured as a defensive work, and only
waiting the cessation of the bombardment which must come with night, to open
upon him in full force ; and upon his flank was a rebel division outnumbering
his own, while a regiment of South Carolina
cavalry was at Masonborough inlet.
If this view of the situation be a correct one no censure can certainly fall
upon BUTLER and WEITZEL, for their de-termination to re-embark the troops. The
process of embarkation commenced at five o'clock. Not only our own men were to
be brought off, but 300 rebel prisoners also, including 10 officers ; and this
was to be accomplished in spite of a high rolling surf, which forced BUTLER to
leave 300 of his men on shore overnight, under cover of the Brooklyn. (Next
Page)
BURSTING OF THE 100-FOUND PARROT GUN ON BOARD THE UNITED STATES STEAMER
"JUNIATA," DECEMBER 24, 1864.-[SKETCHED BY JOHN EVERDING.]
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