The Third New Hampshire and all about it, pt 2, Part 10

Author: Eldredge, D. (Daniel), b. 1840 or 41. cn
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Boston, Press of E. B. Stillings and Co.
Number of Pages: 1164

USA > New Hampshire > The Third New Hampshire and all about it, pt 2 > Part 10

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The loss of the opportunity of Friday, Saturday and Sunday. the 16th, 17th and Isth, was the immediate cause of the failure of the expedition. It is not my province even to suggest blame to the navy for their delay of four days at Beanfort. I know none of the reasons which do or do not justify it. It is to be presumed they are sufficient. I am happy to bring to the attention of the Lientenant-General the excellent behavior of the troops, both officers and men. which was all that could be desired. I am under special obligations to Capt. Glisson of the Santiago de Cuba, for the able and efficient manner in which he covered cnr landing: to Capt. Alden of the Brooklyn, for his prompt assistance and the excellent gunnery with which the Brooklyn cleared the shores of all opposers at the moment of debarkation. Lient. Farquhar of the navy, having in charge the navy boats which assisted in the landing, deserves great eredit for the energy and skill with which he managed the boats through the rolling surf. Especial commendation is dne

587

THIRD NEW HAMPSHIRE REGIMENT.

Jan. '65.]

Brig .- Gen. Graham and the officers and men of his naval brigade for the organization of his boats and crews for landing, and the untiring energy and industry with which they all labored in re-embarking the troops during the stormy night of the 25th and the days following. For this and other meritorious services during the campaign since the Ist of May, which have heretofore been brought to the notice of the Lieutenant-General in my otlicial reports, I would respectfully but earnestly recommend Gen. Graham for promotion. The number of prisoners captured by us was 300, including 12 officers ; also 2 heavy rifled guns, 2 light guns and 6 caissons. The loss of the army was one man drowned, two men killed, one officer captured. two accidently wandered through our pickets, and ten men wounded while upon the picket line by the shells of the navy. Always chary of mentioning with commendation the acts of my own personal Staff, yet I think the troops who saw it will agree to the cool courage and daring of Lieut. Sidney B. DeKay. Aide-de-Camp, in landing on the night of the 25th and remaining aiding in re-embarkation on the 25th.

For the details of the landing and the operations, I beg leave to refer you to the reports of Maj .- Gen. Weitzel. commanding the division landed. Trusting my action will meet with the approval of the Lieutenant-General, the report is respectfully submitted.

To Lient .- Gen. U. S. GRANT, Comdy. AArmies of the U. S.

BENJ. F. BUTLER, Major-General.

Inasmuch as Admiral Porter didn't seem to like Gen. Butler very well, we give his reports (24th and 26th Dec., 1864) the next place.

NORTH ATLANTIC SQUADRON, U. S. S. MALVERN, OFF WILMINGTON, N.C., Dec. 24, 1864.

Sir: I have the honor to inform you that I attacked the forts at the month of the Cape Fear River this morning at 12.30, and after getting the ships in position sileneed them in about an hour and a half. There being no troops here to take possession. I am merely firing at them now to keep up practice. The forts are nearly demolished, and as soon as troops come we can take possession. We have set them on fire - blown some of them up; and all that is wanted now is troops to land to go into them. I suppose Gen. Butler will be here in the morning. We have had very heavy gales here, which tues, monitors and all rode ont at their anchors. The transport- have all gone into Beanfort, N.C.

I am, sir, etc., DAVID D. PORTER, Rear Admiral.

To Hon. GIDEON WELLES.

Secretary of Nacy, Washington, D.C.

FLAG-SHIP MALVERN, OFF NEW INLET, N.C., Dec. 26, 1864.

Sir: I have the honor to forward with this a somewhat detailed re- port of the two engagements with Fort Fisher and the surrounding works. We attacked with the whole fleet on the 24th inst., and silenced every gun in a very short time. On the 25th inst., we again took up our position, with- in a mile of the fort (the iron vessels within 1,200 yards), without a shot being fired at us. Shelled it all day, with now and then a shot from the rebels, and stopped firing after sunset. The army landed, and re-embarked, considering it impracticable to assault the place. I shall remain and keep shelling the enemy's works on every occasion when the weather will permit. I am, etc., DAVID D. PORTER, Rear Admiral.

To Hon. GIDEON WELLES. Secretary of Vary, Washington, D.C.

FLAG-SILIP MALVERN. OFF NEW INLET, N.C., Dec. 26, 1864.

Sir : I was in hopes I should have been able to present to the Nation Fort Fisher and surrounding works, as a Christmas offering; but . . . . it has not been taken yet. I attacked it on the 24th inst., with the Ironsides,

588

THIRD NEW HAMPSHIRE REGIMENT.

[Jan. '65.

Canonicus, Mahopac, Monadnock, Minnesota, Colorado, Mohican, Tuscarora, Wabash, Susquehanna, Brooklyn, Porchatan, Janiata, Severa, Shenandoah, Parturet, Ticonderoga, Mackinnon, Maumee, Yantic, Kansas, losco. Quaker City, Monticello, Rhode Island, Sassaens, Chippera, Osceola, Tacony, Ponton- sur, Santiago de Cuba, Fort Jackson and Vanderbilt, having a reserve of small vessels consisting of the Aries, Howquak, Wilderness, Cherokee, A. D. Vance. Anemone, Eolus, Gettysburg, Alabama, Keystone State, Banshee, Emma. Lil- ian, Tristam Shundly, Britannia, Gor. Buckingham and Nausemond.

Previous to making the attack, a torpedo on a large scale, with an amount of powder on board supposed to be sufficient to explode the powder magazines of the fort, was prepared with great care and placed under the command of Commander A. C. Rhind, who had associated with him in this perilous service Lient. S. W. Preston, 2d Asst. Engineer A. T. E. Mullan of the U. S. S. Agarram, and Acting Master's Mate Paul Boyden and seven men. So much had been said and written about the terrible effects of gunpowder in an explosion that happened lately in England, that great results were ex- pected from this novel mode of making war. Everything that ingenuity could devise was adopted to make this experiment a success. The vessel was brought around from Norfolk with great care and without accident in tow of the U. S. S. Sassacus, Lieut .- Comdr. J. L. Davis, who directed his whole attention to the matter in hand; and though he experienced some bad weather and lost one of his rudders, he took her safely into Beaufort. where he filled her up with powder and perfected all the machinery for blowing her up. Gen. Butler had arrived at the rendezvous before us; and I hastened matters all I could so that no unnecessary delay might be laid to my charge.

On the 18th inst., I sailed from Beaufort with all the monitors, New Ironsides and small vessels, including the Louisiana (the powder-boat) dis- guised as a blockade runner, for the rendezvous. 20 miles east of New Inlet, N. C., and found all the larger vessels and transports assembled there, the wind blowing light from the northeast. On the 20th inst., a heavy gale set in from the southwest; and not being able to make a port without scattering all the vessels, I determined to ride it ont. which I did, without acci- dent of any kind. except the loss of a few anchors, the monitors and all be- having beautifully. Only two vessels went to sea to avoid the gale, and fared no better than those at anchor. The transports being short of water, put into Beaufort, N. C., and were not suitable for riding out at anchor such heavy weather.

.. On the 23d I directed Commander Rhind to proceed and explode the vessel right under the walls of Fort Fisher, Mr. Bradford, of the Coast Survey, having gone in at night and ascertained that we could place a vessel of 7 feet draft right on the edge of the beach. Lient. R. H. Lamson, con- manding the Gettysburg, volunteered to go in the Wilderness, Acting-Master Henry Avey in command. and tow the Louisiana into position, having assisted in the gale in taking care of the Lonisianna after she and the Nausemond (the vessel having her in tow) had lost all their anchors. At 10.30 p. M. the powder vessel started in toward the bar, and was towed by the Wilderness until the embrasures of Fort Fisher were plainly in sight. The Wilderness then cast off and the Louisiana proceeded under steam until within 200 yards of the beach and about 400 yards from the fort. Commander Rhind anchored her securely there, and coolly went to work to make all his arrangements to blow her up. This he was enabled to do, ow- ing to a blockade runner going in right ahead of him, the forts making the blockade runner signals, which they also did to the Louisiana. The gal- lant party, after coolly making all their arrangements for the explosion, left the vessel, the last thing they did being to set her on fire under the cabin. Then taking to their boats they made their escape to the Wilder- wess, lying close by. The Wilderness then put off shore with good speed to avoid any ill effects that might happen from the explosion. At 1.45 A.M., the 24th, the explosion took place, and the shock was nothing like so severe as was expected. W shook the vessel some and broke one or more glasses, but nothing more.

589

THIRD NEW HAMPSHIRE REGIMENT.

Jan. '65.]

At daylight on the 24th the fleet . . . . stood in line of battle .. At 11.30 A.M., the signal was made to engage the forts, the Ironsides leading and the Monadnock, Canonicus and Mahopac following. The Ironsides took her position in the most beautiful and seamanlike manner, got her spring out, and opened deliberate fire on the fort, which was tiring at her with all its guns, which did not seem numerous, in the northeast face, though we counted what appeared to be 17 guns; but four or five of these were fired from that direction, and they were silenced almost as soon as the Ironsides opened her terrific battery. . . . . In one hour and fifteen minutes after the first shot was fired. not a shot came from the fort. Two magazines had been blown up by our shells and the fort set on fire in several places. . . . . Finding the batteries completely silenced, I directed the ships to keep up a moderate fire in hopes of attracting the attention of the transports and bringing them in. At sunset Gen. Butler came in his flag-ship, with a few transports, the rest not having arrived from Beaufort . . . . [Of the burst- ing of 100-pounder l'arrott guns he says] : One burst on the Ticonderoga - 6 killed, 7 wounded. Another on the Yontic, killing one officer and two men. Another on the Juniata, killing and wounding 12. Another on the Mackinnon, killing and wounding 6. Another on the Quaker City, wound- ing 2 or 3 [these were the only casualties of the day].

. On the 25th ( Christmas) all the transports had arrived, and Gen. Butler sent Gen. Weitzel to see me and arrange the programme for the day. It was decided that we should attack the forts again, while the army landed and assaulted them, if possible. under a heavy fire . . . . At 7 A.M., 25th. I made signal to . . . . form in line of battle. . . .. I sup- pose about 3,000 men had landed, when I was notified they were re-embark- ing . . . we drew off at sunset I received word from Gen. Weitzel . that it was impracticable to assault. . . . . The army commenced land- ing about 2 p.M., and began re-embarking about 5 r.M. . . . . about a brigade were left on the beach during the night, covered by the gunboats. As our troops landed 65 rebel soldiers hoisted the white flag and delivered them- selves up, and were taken prisoners by the seamen landing the troops and conveyed to the Santiago de Cuba ; 218 more gave themselves up to the re- connoitring party. I do not pretend to put my opinion against that of Gen. Weitzel, who is a thorough soldier and an able engineer, and whose busi- ness it is to know more of assaulting than I do; but I can't help thinking it was worth while to make the attempt after coming so far. .

Until further orders I shall go on and hammer away at this fort, hoping in time that the people in it will get tired and hand it over to us. .. There are about a thousand men left on the shore by the army who have not been got off yet, on account of the surf on the beach. These will be got off in the morning, and the soldiers will then be sent home.

I am, etc., DAVID D. PORTER, Rear Admiral.

To Hon, GIDEON WELLES,

Secretary of Vary, Washington, D.C.

FLAG-SHIP MALVERN, OFF NEW INLET, N.C., Dec. 27, 1864.

Sir : My despatch of yesterday will give you an account of our opera- tions, but will scarcely give you an idea of my disappointment at the con- duct of the army anthorities, in not attempting to take possession of the forts which had been so completely silenced by our guns. They were so blown up, burst up and torn up, that the people inside had no intention of fighting any longer. Had the army made a show of surrounding it, it would have been ours ; but nothing of the kind was done. The men landed, recon- noitered, and hearing the enemy was massing troops somewhere. the order was given to re-embark. They went away as soon as a majority of the troops were on the transports; and it coming on to blow rather fresh, about 700 were left on shore. They have been there ever since, without food or water, having landed with only 24 hours' rations. I opened communication with them this morning. and supplied them with provisions. To show that the rebels have no force here, these men have been on shore two days with- out being molested. I am now getting them off; and it has taken half the

590

THIRD NEW HAMPSHIRE REGIMENT.

[Jan. '65.

squadron, with the loss of many boats, to assist. I can't conceive what the army expected when they came here. It certainly did not need 7,000 men to garrison Fort Fisher. It only requires 1.000 to garrison all these forts, which are entirely under the guns of Fort Fisher. That taken, the river is open. Could I have found a channel to be relied on in time, I would have put the small vessels in even if I had got a dozen of them sunk; but the channel we did find was only wide enough for one vessel at right angles, and we were not certain of soundings. There never was a fort that invited soldiers to walk in and take possession more plainly than Fort Fisher ; and an officer got on the parapet even. saw no one inside, and brought away the flag we had cut down. A soldier goes inside, through a sally-port, meets in the fort, coming out of a bomb-proof, an orderly on horseback, shoots the orderly, searches his body and brings away with him the horse and com- munication the orderly was bearing, to send up field pieces. Another soldier goes into the fort and brings out a mule that was stowed away ; and another soldier, who went inside while our shells were falling. shot his musket into a bomb-proof, where he saw some rebels Imddled together, and was not mo- lested. Ten soldiers who went around the fort were wounded by our shells. All the men wanted was an order to go in . . . . we have been shown the weak- ness of this work. It can be taken at any moment, in an honr's time, if the right man is sent with the troops. They should be sent here to stay - to land with a month's provisions, intrenching tools, guns and Coehorn mor- tars. Ten thousand men will hold the whole country. The rebels have been able to send here all told about 4,000 men -75 of them . .. . gave them- selves up to the navy; 218 . . . . gave themselves up to the reconnoitring party. . . . If I can't do better, I will land the sailors, and try if we can't have full credit for what we do . . . . If Gen. Hancock, with 10,000 men, were sent down here, we could walk right into the fort.

To Hon. GIDEON WELLES,

I am, ete., DAVID D. PORTER, Rear Admiral.

Secretary of Nary. Washington, D.C.

CONFEDERATE ACCOUNTS.

From the report of Maj .- Gen. W. H. C. Whiting, who was sent down to Fort Fisher as a witness or counselor (not to take command, the fort being in charge of Col. Lamb), we glean the following : -

Received the information at 1 r.M. on the 24th that the fleet was getting into position. I ordered a steamer and proceeded to the point of attack, reaching Federal Point just before the close of the first day's bombardment, which lasted four and a half hours. The second day, firing began at 10.20 A.M. and lasted till dark. from fifty ships. During the day the enemy landed a large foree, and at 4.30 P.M. advanced a line of skirmishers on left flank of sand curtain, the fleet tiring at curtain . . . . At dark the enemy with- drew . . . . a heavy storm set in. At & A.M. on the 20th, a reported advance in boats was opened on with grape and shell. Tuesday morning, relieved by supports of Maj .- Gen. Hoke.

Then follows commendation of certain officers, as is usnal in such cases, whether Union or Confederate.

Gen. Whiting says he had 667 men on the 18th December, and was reinforced the 23d by 410 men ; that on the 24th the fleet disa- bled five guns, and on the 25th four guns, two of the latter being on the left looking up the beach, leaving nineteen in position. The mines were undisturbed.

In a report, later (30th Dre. ), Gen. Whiting says he had to coax the Junior Reserves (250 men) to come out from the bomb-proofs. to repel a possible assault ; and that the heavy weather of Wednesday and Thursday, after the arrival of the fleet, was the fort's salvation.

591

Jun. '65.] THIRD NEW HAMPSHIRE REGIMENT.

Another account reads as follows: "The Federals began the attack at 1 r.M. Dec. 24th, and kept up an average of 30 shots per minute till night. Our loss, 23 wounded. Renewed at 10 A.M. on the 25th. Col. Lamb replied slowly and deliberately. Enemy landed about three brigades two and one-half miles above fort. Engaged by a smaller force. Enemy held ground at night. 26th : The enemy's infantry attacked fort late last night and were repulsed. Heavy rain and wind all night. Prisoners report Twenty-fourth Army Corps of Yankee army, under Butler."

[Gen. Bragg to Jeff. Davis.]

27 Dec., 6 P.M. : Enemy has re-embarked. I have visited Fort Fisher, and find damage slight. Gen. Whiting and Col. Lamb deserve much credit, etc.

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

A naval officer states that the Rhode Island (a wooden side- wheel gunboat) had the monitor Saugus at her stern, by hawser, as the latter was unable to lie at anchor during the storm. After the gale, two or three of the lightest boats were sent in search of those scattered by the storm, and rally them, preparatory to another at- tack. He says Gen. Butler left nearly a regiment on shore. They intrenched with hands, knives, forks, spoons and bayonets; were there nearly three days. Several sailors and boats were lost in try- ing to relieve them. Rations were sent on shore to them on a line. The captured rebels were with them, and were mostly young men and boys. He further says that a New York regiment was provided with launches for landing, each with a howitzer, and quite large. These were left on the shore - abandoned, say a dozen or more of them.

The Army and Navy Journal, 24 Dec. 1864, gives the following statement of the naval force present : -

1st Division .

164 guns. 152

119

4th ..

Iron-clads

Flag-ships

Tugs

Tender

Totals

11 16 6 66 2 66 1 73 16 ships, 14

165 30

655

Tugs : Clinton, Heliotrope, Unit, Poppy, Clematis, Begonia, Young America, with two guns each.

Hospital Fleet : Florida, Rhode Island, Fort Jackson, Keystone State, Alabama, Santiago de Cuba and Quaker City.

Gen. Weitzel testified before the Congressional Committee that the troops he found opposing him were the Thirty-fourth North Carolina, of Kirtland's brigade of Hoke's division, which " we had been fighting in Virginia since last May."

A part of the garrison were quartered outside, on the edge of the wood, there not being room for them in the bomb-proofs : and these were nearly all captured.

592

THIRD NEW HAMPSHIRE REGIMENT.

[Jan. '65.

The tug Berberry, Ensign Roundtree, of the Volunteer Service, towed the powder ship out from Beaufort, N. C., across the bar, where the Sassacus took it in tow to Fort Fisher.

[Gen. Butler to Admiral Porter.]

25 Dec. 1864 : Upon landing the troops and making a thorough recon- noissance of Fort Fisher, both Gen. Weitzel and myself are fully of the opinion that the place could not be carried by assault, as it was left sub- stantially uninjured as a defensive work by the navy fire. We found seventeen guns, protected by traverses, two only of which were dismounted, bearing up the beach, and covering a strip of land, the only practicable route, not more than wide enough for 1,000 men in line of battle . . , I shall therefore sail for Hampton Roads as soon as the transport fleet can be got in order.

The Sixth Connecticut history says Butler had 6,500 men; and Porter had 73 vessels, with 655 guns.

At this bombardment, about 15,000 shots were fired by the fleet. Commander Thatcher of the Colorado says he fired on first day (24th) 1,569 shots, and on the next day (25th) he planted 230 shots and exploded 996 shells in the works.

The troops had quite an advantage in being landed by the naval brigade - a well-drilled and disciplined number of sailors under Gen. Graham. The troops of the second attack were not landed by this brigade, though landed by naval boats and crews.

The rebel flag captured, of which so much has been said, was captured by Lieut. Walling of the One Hundred and Forty-second New York, who crept up on his hands and knees to the place where he had seen it fall; and stealthily creeping through an aperture in the palisading, made by a shot from the navy, he took it and silently crept away. It would hardly have paid the rebels to man their works, to oppose this little movement, though this is not said to belittle the courage and audacity of Lieut. Walling ; for he is really deserving of great credit.

Col. Daggett of the One Hundred and Seventeenth New York, with his regiment, captured about 200 prisoners.

A 200-pounder Parrott burst on the Yantic at 3 r.M. on the 24th, doing considerable damage. This gun had only been fired 19 times in all. The Yantie at once pulled out of the fight, and was useful next day in landing the troops.

The last of the men left on shore were taken off about noon of the 27th by the boats of the Britannia. They had been ashore two nights.

The Nunsemond did not participate, being used as a despatch boat during the 25th.

. An Ensign from the Britannia received the surrender of Flag- Pond Hill battery, and planted the stars and stripes there 25 Dec. When the white flag was displayed, there was a race between the boats to get there first.

About 4 r.M., 26th Dec., Lieut .- Comdr. MacDiarmid, of the Gor. Buckingham, received word from Gen. Curtis (on shore) through Lieut. DeKay of Gen. Butler's Staff, to fire over the woods to pro-

·CK.

-N V

NO.3

NO.4

- t e DISTANT VIEW OF INTERIOR OF FORT FISHER, AFTER CAPTURE. e

le )f

e :

ELE PIT

ARMAMENT OF FORT FISHER.

LAND PACK.

1. Flehil Piece.

27.

89-Inch Blakely Rifle.

2. 10-Inch Columbiad.

28.

8- " Mortar (rear of 26 and 27)

3. C. * Rifle.

29. 10- " Columbind.

H- Smooth Bore.

30. Gd- . Rifle.

8- Smooth Bore.

31.

10- 1 Columblad.

8- Columbiad.

32. 10- 1

Columbiad.

7. 11- Riffe Parrott.

33. 10- 11 Cohunblad. (No. 7.)

62. .. Smooth Bore.

34.

8- Columbiad.

Smooth Bore.

35.

8- Columbiad.

3G.

8- Columbiad.

(No. 6.)

11. 54- Mortar.

37.

8- Columbiad.

38.

7- Brooks Rifte.

12.

Smooth Bore.

39.

Columbind,

13. TA- Mortar.

40.

Rifle. } (No. 5.)

1.5. 8- Smooth Bore.

41.

Ride. J

IG. G1- ** Smooth Bore.

42.

8- Rifle. (No. 4.) 150 pdr. Armstrong.

17. Field Piece. ] (Sally-Port.)

43. 10-

Colnwhiad. (

19. 68-Jnel Smooth Bore.

20.

G2- " Smooth Bore.

46.

cè-

Ride.

22. 7-

Brooks Riffe.

47.

10- Columbiad. \ (No. 1.)

23. G2-

Rifle.

49.

10- Columbiad.

26. 10-

('olumblad.

2G. X- " Smooth Bore.

The Northeast Traverse was 28 ft. high above the parapet and 43 ft. above the beach. The Mound Battery was 52 ft. 9 In high above the beach. A flagstaff and fag was located at Headquarters (the Pulpit), and another flagstaff and flag on the Mound Battery. The latter was handed down by Capt. Edgerly, Third New Hampshire.

MOUND BATTERY

AAA PALISADES

B HOUSE OF OPERATOR

MORTAR

SALLY-PORT

EEE CAPE FEAR RIVER

FFF

ATLANTIC OCEAN

No. 8

o B

NO.2

NO.3

NO.4

RIFLE PITS

NO.5

PLAN OF FORT FISHER

NO.6

AT MOUTH OF CAPE FEAR RIVER NORTH CAROLINA. CAPTURED JAN. IS, 1865.

320

NO.7

HD.QAS.

THE PULPIT

EXP

PALISADES

₱

Brooks Rifle. ] (No. 2.)

21.

cl- " Ride.

48. 10. Columblad. }

24. G#- " Rifle.

60. Ci-

# Ride. (Mound Rattery.)

4.5.

Columbiad. } (No. 3.)

18. Field Plece

44. 10-

14. GA- Smooth Bore.

10. Smooth Bore.

BKA FACE.

DISTANT VIEW OF INTERIOR OF FORT FISHER, AFTER CAPTURE,

160 FEET FEET

Jan. '65.]

THIRD NEW HAMPSHIRE REGIMENT.

593 -CK

tect him from the enemy, which was massing on his front and flanks. Shots were fired every 15 minutes during the night, aimed at a point a little to the left of our troops.

The rebel flag was shot away at 4.20 P.M. 25th Dec., by a shot from a monitor.

The northern or land face of the fort, covering 480 yards, had 21 guns; the sea face, 1,300 yards, 17 guns. The parapets were 25 feet thick and averaged 20 feet high; while the traverses were higher by about 10 feet and sloped back to about 8 or 12 feet thick. There were 30 bomb-proofs, with a floor area of 14,500 feet.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

The Third New Hampshire and all about it, pt 2, Part 10

Author: Eldredge, D. (Daniel), b. 1840 or 41. cn Publication date: 1893 Publisher: Boston, Press of E. B. Stillings and Co. Number of Pages: 1164

Author: Eldredge, D. (Daniel), b. 1840 or 41. cn
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Boston, Press of E. B. Stillings and Co.
Number of Pages: 1164