Fisher by the most powerful naval armament which ever attacked a fortification. In fact, so multiform were the duties required of this squadron, that in order to ensure their proper fulfilment, it was in the spring divided into four separate squadrons, one of which was stationed in the James River, one in the Sounds of North Carolina, and two off Cape Fear River and the adjacent inlets. Each of these squadrons was placed under an efficient officer, and the general headquarters were established at Beaufort, North Carolina. The almost total closing of Charleston harbor, and the vigilant watch kept over Mobile, caused Wilmington to be the only port east of the Mississippi River accessible to blockade-runners; and so daring, and in many cases so successful, were the latter in evading the Federal cruisers, that complaints were freely uttered against the naval department for permitting the rebels to enter and depart from this port at their pleasure. "Many who have failed to make themselves acquainted," observed Secretary Welles in his annual report, "with the facts connected with the Wilmington blockade, have been free and severe in their censures of the manner in which it has been conducted. The intelligent officers of the naval and merchant service who have labored with untiring zeal and assiduity, and watched with sleepless vigilance through weary months of winter and summer, and in all weathers, stimulated by the hope of benefiting their country and receiving its thanks, as well as by every inducement of fame and pecuniary reward, if successful, do not concur in the opinion that the port of Wilmington can be entirely closed by blockade."

To one familiar, however, with the configuration of the land at the mouth, or rather mouths of the Cape Fear River, through which a vessel must pass in order to reach Wilmington, the injustice of condemning the navy for not more effectually blockading the place will be sufficiently apparent. For about thirtyfive miles before reaching the ocean the Cape Fear River flows in a direction nearly due south, and directly in front of its mouth lies Smith's Island, on either side of which are the two principal entrances to the river. The southwest, or main channel, is about two and a half miles in width, has a depth of from ten to fourteen feet over the bar, and is protected by Fort Caswell, a casemated stone work on Oak Island, adjoining the mainland, and by the Light House battery on Smith's Island. The northeast entrance, known as New Inlet, is less than two miles wide, and shallower than the other, and is protected by Fort Fisher, a first-class casemated earthwork near Federal Point on the mainland, and by a series of batteries extending thence about six miles in a northerly direction along the seacoast. Owing to an extensive shoal, called the Frying Pan, extending around the southern and western sides of Smith's Island, the distance by sea between the two entrances is forty miles, while inside the island it is not

above eight. To the natural advantages of the locality, greatly enhanced by the artificial defences, on which the best engineering skill of the Confederacy had been expended since the commencement of the war, must be added the shallowness of the water, which decreases in depth gradually and regularly to the shore line, so that none of the blockade-runners of light draught were under the necessity of making directly for either entrance, but could, by the lead, run close under the land, and protected by the batteries, pass in at their leisure. In escaping from the river such vessels found still less difficulty in eluding the Federal cruisers, as they could pass for some distance up or down the coast before making an offing, or proceed straight out to sea, trusting to darkness, fog, or a full head of steam to make their escape. For running the blockade of this port a peculiar class of steamers, of great speed and light draught, was constructed in England, and the enormous profits arising from a successful voyage, a single trip often paying many times the cost of the vessel, tempted the merchants of that country to embark largely in this illicit commerce. Nassau, Bermuda, and Halifax became their chief places of rendezvous, and from one or the other of these ports there was almost a daily departure for Wilmington.

On the other hand, the Federal cruisers were for the most part of too deep a draught to run near the shore, or enter the several lesser channels through which the blockade-runners could pass; still less to approach the numerous shallow inlets extending up and down the coast, into which the latter could take refuge. Such, also, was the nature of the coast, and the liability at some seasons of constant stormy weather, that it was almost impossible to station light-draught blockaders there on permanent duty. These facts will explain why, with fifty cruisers stationed at the two main entrances of the Cape Fear River, some of them the fastest in the service, and officered by men who had not their superiors in any service in intrepidity, energy, and professional skill, blockade-runners were nevertheless enabled to pass in and out with seeming impunity. When it is considered, also, that the latter have always a full head of steam on at the critical moment, and that their adversaries cannot be equally prepared, the chances in favor of the blockade-runners are greatly increased. Thus it happened that the blockade of Wilmington was repeatedly broken, and that the port itself became the central depot of the Confederacy for the reception of supplies from abroad. This result, however, was not accomplished without considerable sacrifice, and the steamers captured or destroyed off the mouth of the Cape Fear River averaged one a week subsequent to the closing of Charleston harbor by the monitor fleet under Admiral Dahlgren.

From an official statement of the results of blockade-running at Wilmington from January, 1863, to December, 1864, published in

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volunteered for the service, and passing several miles of the enemy's pickets unobserved, arrived within twenty yards of the Albemarle before being hailed by her lookouts. The torpedo boat was then steered under a full head of steam direct for the ram, which lay at her wharf at Plymouth, protected by a raft of logs extending outwards about thirty feet. Upon the alarm being given by the lookout, a confused fire of nusketry was opened by the rebels, which had ittle effect. "Passing her closely," says Lieut. Cushing, we made a complete circle, so as to strike her fairly, and went into her bows on. By this time the enemy's fire was very severe, but a dose of canister at short range served to moderate their zeal and disturb their aim. In a moment we had struck the logs, just abreast of the quarter-port, breasting them in some feet, and our bows resting on them. The torpedo boom was then lowered, and by a vigorous pull I succeeded in driving the torpedo under the overhang, and exploded it at the same time the Albemarle's gun was fired. A shot seemed to go crashing through my boat, and a dense mass of water rushed in from the torpedo, filling the launch and completely disabling her. The enemy then continued to fire at fifteen feet range and demanded our surrender, which I twice refused, ordering the men to save themselves, and removing my own coat and shoes. Springing into the river, I swam with others into the middle of the stream, the rebels failing to hit us." Lieut. Cushing succeeded in reaching the opposite shore, and during the next day made his way by stealth through the surrounding swamps to a creek some distance below Plymouth, where he found a skiff belonging to a rebel picket, in which he effected his escape to the fleet. Only one other of his party succeeded in escaping, the rest being either captured, killed, or drowned. The Albemarle was completely submerged by the explosion of the torpedo, and so remained long subsequent to the evacuation of Plymouth by the rebels. This daring feat excited the admiration of the rebel no less than of the Federal authorities, and obtained for Lieut. Cushing the thanks of Congress, and promotion to the next highest grade in the service. The main rebel defence of Plymouth being thus removed, Commander Macomb, the senior naval officer in the Sounds, availed himself of Lieut. Cushing's success to reestablish the Federal supremacy of the lower Roanoke. With the vessels under his command he immediately pushed up the river to Plymouth, drove the rebels from their rifle-pits and batteries, and on Oct. 31st retook the town, capturing a few prisoners, beside cannon, small arms, and ammunition. Thenceforth during the year the Federal forces held undisturbed possession of the Sounds.

For some time previous to May, 1864, the James River had been left almost exclusively to the enemy, who availed themselves of this circumstance to place torpedoes in the channel and otherwise obstruct its navigation. With

the movement of Gen. Butler's forces up the river on May 5th, for the purpose of cooperating in the grand campaign of Gen. Grant against Richmond, commenced a long series of naval operations, which, though of considerable importance, are so intimately connected with the military campaign in that quarter, as to form a subordinate part of the operations of the army. Hence a very brief outline of what was accomplished by this division of the North Atlantic squadron is all that it is necessary to give here. The land forces were safely convoyed up the river to their landing places at City Point and Bermuda Hundred, with no disaster to the fleet beyond the destruction by torpedoes of two small paddle-wheel gunboats, the Commodore Jones and the Shawsheen. Military operations having commenced near Petersburg, five ironclads, including the captured vessel Atlanta, were stationed some distance above City Point to watch the rebel iron-clads and rams in the upper James, and if possible engage them in action, while the smaller vessels of the fleet were busily occupied in dragging the river for torpedoes, in assailing moving batteries or bodies of the enemy along the shore, or in minor expeditions. During the attack upon the colored garrison at Wilson's wharf, a portion of the fleet rendered good service in repelling the enemy. In June, much to the disappointment of Admiral Lee, who earnestly desired a brush with the enemy, obstructions were sunk in the channel at Trent's Reach, for the purpose of protecting, from any sudden attack by the rebel fleet, the numerous transports collected at City Point, the security of which was deemed of too great importance to the army to permit their defence to be intrusted to the navy alone. During most of the summer and autumn, the iron-clads had frequent combats with the enemy's vessels and the powerful batteries at Howlett's, the advantages from which, owing to the difficult navigation of the river, could never be pushed to any definite result.

The complex yet comprehensive plan which the Government adopted in the spring of 1864, for the overthrow of the rebel power, provided for the capture of the remaining seaports, through which munitions of war and pecuniary aid were received by the Confederacy. Wilmington, from the facility which it afforded for blockade-running, and its easy communication with Richmond, became early in the summer a prominent object of attack; and to guard against any doubtful issue in such an undertaking, preparations commenced early in the summer to equip a squadron, which, while amply able to overcome all resistance, should also represent the commanding position assumed within three years by the United States among the great naval powers of the world. The naval department had on several previous occasions offered to close the port of Wilmington, with the aid of a coöperating land force; but, in view of the failure at Charleston in 1863,

declined, without such cooperation, to assume the responsibility of reducing the strong forts at the mouth of the Cape Fear River. In previous years the exigencies of the service had prevented the employment of land forces for this specific purpose; now it was determined to furnish troops enough to crown the expedition with success. The stubborn fighting between the Rapidan and the James entailed, however, such serious losses upon Gen. Grant, that all the surplus troops at the disposal of the Government were needed during the summer, to replenish the wasted ranks of the Armies of the Potomac and the James, and for months the contemplated expedition remained unorganized. The naval part of it alone, in consequence of the constantly-increasing number of vessels at the disposal of the naval department, seemed to make progress. As early as August, ironclads and wooden steamers began to rendezvous at Hampton Roads, until in October a formidable fleet, numbering over fifty war vessels, and including the iron-clad New Ironsides and four monitors, was collected, of which Admiral Porter assumed command.

Long before December the squadron was at its rendezvous in readiness to sail; but it was not until the winter had fairly commenced that the necessary quota of troops could be furnished. The signal successes of Thomas and Sherman having disarmed all apprehensions with respect to the result of military operations in the South and Southwest, and the Armies of the Potomac and the James having been recently largely recruited, the Government early in December issued orders for the troops designated for the service to repair to Hampton Roads. These consisted of Gen. Ames's division of the 24th corps, and of Gen. Paine's colored division of the 25th corps, numbering together 6,500 effective men, both of which belonged to the Army of the James. Gen. Weitzel was designated as commander-in-chief of the military part of the expedition, but Gen. Butler subsequently accompanied it in that capacity, and on the 9th notified Admiral Porter that he was in readiness to move. Owing to stormy weather none of the vessels sailed until the 12th, when the transports and smaller war vessels, about 75 in number, took their departure, followed on the succeeding day by the New Ironsides and the heavy steam frigates. After careful consideration it was determined that of the two entrances to the Cape Fear River, New Inlet could be the more successfully attacked. The narrow strip of land forming part of the east bank of the Cape Fear River, and terminating in Federal Point, offered, on the whole, better facilities for landing troops than any other part of the coast; and the capture of the works which protected it would not only give to the fleet the command of the river, and thus virtually close the port of Wilmington, but by cutting off Fort Caswell, which commands the other mouth of the river, would render the possession of that

strong work of no further importance to the rebels. For the immediate defence of the inlet the rebels relied chiefly upon Fort Fisher, and a series of batteries, connected by rifle-pits, running thence in a southwest direction along the coast, at an average distance of two hundred yards from the beach, to what was called the "Mound Battery," situated near the extreme end of Federal Point. The fort and its connecting batteries, forming practically a single work, consisted of two fronts: the first, or land front, being four hundred and eighty yards in length and extending nearly across the narrow peninsula, while the sea front has a length of about thirteen hundred yards. The former was intended to resist any attack from troops approaching the fort from the north, and the sea front to prevent vessels from running through New Inlet or landing troops on Federal Point. The following more particular description of both fronts is given by Colonel Comstock, chief engineer of the military part of the expedition: "The land front consists of a half bastion on the left or Cape Fear River side, connected by a curtain with a bastion on the ocean side. The parapet is 25 feet thick, averages 20 feet in height, with traverses rising 10 feet above it and running back on their tops, which are from 8 to 12 feet in thickness, to a distance of from 30 to 40 feet from the interior crest. The traverses on the left half bastion are about 25 feet in length on top. The earth for this heavy parapet and the enormous traverses at their inner ends, more than 30 feet in height, was obtained partly from a shallow exterior ditch, but mainly from the interior of the work. Between each pair of traverses

there was one or two guns. The traverses on the right of this front were only partially completed. A palisade, which is loopholed and has a banquette, runs in front of this face, at a distance of 50 feet in front of the exterior slope, from the Cape Fear River to the ocean, with a position for a gun between the left of the front and the river, and another between the right of the front and the ocean. Through the middle traverse on the curtain is a bomb-proof postern whose exterior opening is covered by a small redan for two field-pieces, to give flank fire along the curtain. The traverses are generally bomb-proofed for men or magazines. The slopes of the work appear to have been revetted with marsh sod or covered with grass, and have an inclination of 45 degrees or a little less. * * * There were originally on this front 21 guns and 3 mortars. ***The sea front consists of a series of batteries, mounting in all 24 guns, the different batteries being connected by a strong infantry parapet so as to form a continuous line. The same system of heavy traverses for the protection of the guns is used as on the land front, and these traverses are also generally bomb-proofed." There was also a rebel battery, commanding the channel, on Zeeke's Island, two miles southeast of Fort Fisher, and several miles north of the latter were the Flag Pond Hill and Half Moon batteries, serving as outworks to it.

On December 15th the transports arrived off New Inlet, where, on the 18th and 19th, they were joined by the iron-clads, which, being obliged to put into Beaufort, N. C., for coal and ammunition, could not reach the rendezvous sooner. The heavy-armed frigates, on account of their slow sailing, arrived also a day or two after the transports. Scarcely was the whole fleet assembled than the weather, which had previously been fair, became threatening, and on the 19th the sea was too rough to admit of landing troops. On the 20th a gale set in from the northeast, and the transports, being now deficient in coal and water, and liable to disaster if they should attempt to remain at their anchorage, were directed to make for Beaufort. The war vessels rode out the gale, which lasted three days, in safety, the monitors acting unexpectedly well; and on the 23d, the wind having veered round to the west, Admiral Porter determined to improve what he considered a favorable opportunity, by commencing operations on his own account without waiting for the return of the transports. An important agent in the destruction or reduction of Fort Fisher was a vessel filled with powder, which it was designed to run ashore as near as possible to the fort and explode. The idea originated with General Butler, and was suggested by the accidental explosion at Erith, on the Thames, in England, on October 1st, of two barges and two adjoining magazines loaded with barrels of powder, by which eight or nine lives were lost, and much surrounding property was destroyed. It was supposed that a similar

explosion of a vast mass of powder near the fort, the fleet meanwhile keeping at a respectful distance, would cause its walls to fall down, or some other serious disaster to occur, of which the attacking party might take advantage. The vessel selected for the purpose was the small gunboat Louisiana, purchased for operations on the North Carolina Sounds, and which, with a view of deceiving the rebels as to her true character, was disguised for the occasion as blockade runner. She was then stored with two hundred and fifteen tons of powder, arranged as follows: Upon the berth deck was stowed a tier of barrels of powder with their heads taken out; over this sixty-pound bags of powder were piled in layers up to the top of the deck, and a house was constructed on the after deck, filled in the same manner. All were connected together by Gomez fuses, penetrating the mass, and uniting it at many points, every precaution being taken to insure, if possible, the instantaneous ignition of the whole mass. A simple method of firing these fuses by clock-work, timed as desired, was provided, three being provided in case one should fail. As a further precaution, in case the clock fuses should miscarry, the ends of the fuses were united at another point, and brought beneath a perforated framework of wood, in which were set lighted tapers, the lower end of the wicks penetrating the quick of the fuses. Five of these tapers were provided to insure success if other means failed; and, as a last precaution, it was arranged to fire the ship at a point remote from the powder at the moment of leaving it.

The vessel thus equipped was put in charge of Commander A. C. Rhind, who had associated with him Lieutenant G. W. Preston, Second Assistant Engineer Mullen, Acting Master's Mate Boyden, and seven men. The weather seeming auspicious for the enterprise on the 23d, Commander Rhind was directed, under cover of the darkness, to run his vessel aground directly opposite the fort, and proceed to explode her. Mr. Bradford, of the coast survey, had, the night previous, ascertained that a vessel of seven feet draught could be placed on the edge of the beach. The result of the undertaking is thus described by Admiral Porter:

At half-past ten 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 two hundred yards of the beach, and about four hundred from the fort. Commander Rhind anchored her securely there, and coolly went to work to make all his ar rangements to blow her up. This he was enabled to do, owing to a blockade-runner going in right ahead of him, the forts making the blockade-runner signals, party, after coolly making all their arrangements for which they also did to the Louisiana. The gallant 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 off to the Wilderness, lying close by. The Wilderness then that might happen from the explosion. At forty-five put off shore with good speed, to avoid any ill effects minutes past one on the morning of the 24th the ex