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THE DEFENSE OF FORT FISHER.
THE BOMBARDMENT OP PORT FISHER, AS SEEN FROM THE MOUND BATTERY. FROM A WAR-TIME SKETCH.
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I then passed hurriedly down in rear of the land-face and through the galleries, and although thefire of the fleet was terrific, I knew it must sooncease, and I ordered additional sharp-shooters tothe gun-chambers with instructions to pick offthe officers in the assaulting columns, and directedthe "battery commanders to form their detach-ments and rush to the top of the parapets whenthe firing stopped and drive the assailants back.As I returned, I instructed the squads that wereforming under cover to rally to the parapets assoon as the order should be given, to which theyresponded with enthusiasm. I had determined toallow the assailants to reach the berme of thework before exploding a line of torpedoes, believ-ing it would enable us to kill or capture the firstline, while destroying or demoralizing their sup-porting lines of assault. I had not quite reachedmy headquarters when the roar of artillery sud-denly ceased, and instantly the steam-whistlesof the vast fleet sounded a charge. It was a soul-stirring signal both to besiegers and besieged.
I ordered my aide, Lieutenant Charles H. Blocker,to double-quick the 21st and 25th South Carolinato reenforce Major James Reilly, whom I had putin command on the left, while I went to t-lie north-east salient, which I believed to be the vital pointof the work and the one which needed most protec-tion. I rallied there the larger portion of the gar-rison of the main work, putting 300 men on top ofthe bastion and adjoining parapets and holdingsome 200 more in the adjoining batteries. About250 remained for defense on the left, to which I sup-posed the 350 South Carolinians would immediatelybe added, and these with the Napoleon and the tor-pedoes I felt sure would successfully defend thatportion of the work. The assaulting line on the
fV Secretary Welle-, in his report of the Navy Depart-ment, December 4th, 1865, says: “Fourteen hundredsailors and marines were landed and participated in thedirect assault”; hut Admiral Porter in his report, dated
right was directed at the angle or point of the L, andconsisted of two thousand sailors and marines, -fathe greater portion of whom had flanked my torpedolines by keeping close to the sea. Ordering themound battery, and any other on the sea-face thatcould do so, to fire upon them, and the two Napo-leons at the sally-port to join our Columbiadin pour-ing grape and canister into their ranks, I held inreserve the infantry fire. Whiting stood upon thebrink of the parapet inspiring those about him.The sailors and marines reached the berme andsome sprang up the slope, but a murderous firegreeted them and swept them down. Volley aftervolley was poured into their faltering ranks bycool, determined men, and in half an hour severalhundred dead and wounded lay at the foot of thebastion. The bravery of the officers could notrestrain their men from panic and retreat, and withsmall loss to ourselves we witnessed what had neverbeen seen before, a disorderly rout of Americansailors and marines. Had the fleet helped tlieirown column as they did afterward that of the army,theirs would have been the glory of victory.
As our shouts of triumph went up I turned to lookat the western salient, and saw, to my astonish-ment, three Federal battle-flags upon our ramparts.General Whiting saw them at the same moment,and, calling on the men to pull down those flagsand drive the enemy from the work, rushed towardthem on the parapet. Among those who followedWhiting, and who gave his young life upon thoseramparts, I must mention the brave LieutenantWilliford, who commanded the Blakely battery.
In order to make a careful reconnoissance of theposition of the enemy, I passed through the sally-port, and outside of the work witnessed a savageliand-to-liand conflict for the possession of the
off Fort Fislier, January 17tli, 1866, says; “ I detailed 1600sailors and 400 marines to accompany tlie troops in theassault—the sailors to hoard the sea-face, while thetroops assaulted the land side.”— Editoks.