The fleet rose and fell sublimely on the majestic swell of the sea. From the peak and flag-staff of every ship, as the lamps were suspended, suddenly there seemed to rise upon the sea a populous city, with it streets illuminated by gas-lights. During the night the wind died away to almost a perfect calm, and the swell subsided to a mirrored ocean.

It was about seventy miles from Beaufort to New Inlet, where the fleet, which was to enter from the Atlantic Ocean, would pass within the widelyexpanded mouth of Cape Fear River. As the fast steamers would be retarded by those which made less speed, this would require a sail of about eight hours. On Thursday morning, the 12th, the sun rose in a cloudless sky. There was scarcely a breath of wind. The ocean was perfectly smooth. In the clear morning air, remote objects seemed near. Ocean, land, and sky were lighted up with almost supernatural splendor. The shores, the town, the frowning fort, the fleet all were bathed in the brilliant sunlight. General A. II. Terry, who was in command of the land force, steamed across the bar, in his flag-ship, the McClellan, and fired a gun as the signal for the transports to get under way. Admiral David D. Porter, in the Malvern, which was his flag-ship, took his imperial station at the head of the gunboat fleet. Before noon the whole armada was gliding swiftly along, in gorgeous array over the surface of the unruffled sea.

Such a scene of majesty and yet of beauty, of peace and yet of power, few mortal eyes have ever witnessed. The brilliant day, the mirrored ocean, the long lines of the Carolina coast, only a few miles distant on the right, the magnificent squadron, with its vast variety of vessels-mammoth ships-of-war, monitors, looking in the distance but like puncheons on a raft, transports of almost every size and structure, and black with their swarming multitudes, flags and pennants streaming in the air, with occasional bursts of music from the military bands, echoing faintly over the waveless expanse-all presented a scene never to be forgotten by those whose privilege it was to gaze upon it. The ships which led in the long line were entirely lost beneath the rotundity of the sea, so that they could not be seen by those in the rear. The flock of transports was preceded and flanked, at regular intervals, by the guardian gunboats.

The monitors, which were not built for swift sailing, were taken in tow to accelerate their speed. The squadron advanced at the rate of about seven miles an hour. Fort Fisher was reared, in all its massive strength, on the southern point of a tongue of land which from the north commanded New Inlet. A brilliant sunset closed the magnificent day. Just as the sun was going down, four additional steamers, from the East, joined the squadron. The vessels in the advance arrested their speed, that those in the rear might close up. As the twilight faded away, again the lamps were swung from mast-heads and flagstaffs, presenting a spectacle of sigular picturesque beauty. Soon the moon rose in full-orbed splendor. At nine o'clock, in its bright light, the land was distinctly visible, and likewise the blockading fleet, which, for weary months, had been keeping guard at the mouth of the inlet. Signal-lights, rapidly interchanged between the admiral's ship and the blockading squadron near the shore, indicated that some prompt movement was to be made.

The traitors, defiantly arrayed beneath the banner of treason in Fort Fisher, had evidently been aroused by the appalling spectacle which had seemingly emerged from the bosom of the sea. An immense bonfire, just in the rear of the fort, threw up its billowy flames into the sky, illumining the whole region around, apparently a beacon to inform the rebel hosts in the city of Wilmington and its vicinity of the approach of the Union fleet. At eleven o'clock the squadron came to anchor at a point where, under the shelter of its guns, the transports could land the troops who were to storm the fort, immediately after the ships had fulfilled their allotted task of the bombardment.

Friday, January 13th, dawned beautifully. A bright sun, a smooth sea, a refreshing breeze from off the shore, presented all the facilities. which heart could desire for the momentous operations of the day. At sunrise the splendid frigate Brooklyn, followed by several other warvessels, slowly skirted the shore at the distance of about a mile, and tossed their enormous shells into the forest, and into every spot where rebel troops could by any possibility be concealed. To this assault not a traitor gun replied. The ground having been thus effectually reconnoitred, preparations were made to land the troops. From all the ships and transports boats were launched, and alınost in the twinkling of an eye the sea was covered with the Liliputian flotilla. With cheers and waving banners, and bugle peals, and exultant music from martial bands, the enthusiastic thousands were rowed to the shore, and sprang upon the beach.

While this imposing spectacle was passing, another and a sublimer scene was being enacted. The majestic war-ship "New Ironsides," with the turreted monitors, some with single, some with double turrets, deliberately, defiantly, as though neither shot nor shell could harm them, took their position within point-blank range of Fort Fisher, and opened upon the fortress a terrific fire. The thunders of the cannonade, the brilliance of the day, the sublimity of the scene, the grandeur of the enterprise, caused the blood to leap in one's veins. Even the naturally timid were made recklessly brave. The soldiers, as they were landing, in their enthusiasm leaped into the surf, and ran dripping from the sea, with loud cheers, to plant the National banner on the soil which treason and rebellion had dishonored. Notwithstanding the calmness of the sea, there was as usual a swell, which the sailors call the breathing of the ocean, which in foamy crests broke and rolled along the shore. Thus most of the men, in landing from the heavily-loaded boats, got pretty thoroughly drenched. Their knapsacks were frequently immersed, and, in some cases, their ammunition spoiled. Officers and men worked with like eagerness and alacrity. Before three o'clock in the afternoon the land forces were all ashore, with the exception of a few held in reserve.

The landing was effected upon a strip of hard beach about two hundred feet in width, and five miles above Fort Fisher. The beach was lined by some sand-hillocks, which would afford very good natural breastworks, should the troops be suddenly attacked. The centre of the tongue of land, which here, with a breadth of about two miles, separates the ocean from Cape Fear River, is quite densely wooded, and deformed with swamps and stagnant lagunes. The troops, thus successfully landed, were promptly drawn up in military order, their line extending along the beach about two miles. Pickets were thrown out to guard against surprise. In the mean time the boats were busy bringing to the shore the supplies needful for so many hungry mouths.

As the bombardment was progressing fiercely, about three o'clock in the afternoon, a rebel steamer ran down Cape Fear River from Wilmington. Its long line of black smoke was distinctly seen across the tongue of land, and over the low battlements of the fort, from the bombarding fleet. Soon the paths of the other rebel war-steamers were seen running nervously up and down the river. Their positions were discerned by the clouds of billowy smoke from bituminous coal or pitch-pine knots, which they left in their train. They were probably conveying reënforcements to Fort Fisher, and rebel troops from Wilmington, to watch and assail the troops which had landed.

At half-past four, Admiral Porter signalled for all the remaining gunboats to move into position and take part in the bombardment. Thus far only the Ironsides and three monitors had opened upon the fort. But these formidable men-of-war had kept up a fire so continuous and deadly, with their ponderous shot and shell, that the rebels were driven to take refuge in their casemates. They rarely ventured a shot in return. When they did fire, their aim seemed to be directed exclusively towards the mon itors. The accuracy with which their shot were thrown showed that

their guns were manned by skilful hands. The fire of the ships was so incessant that they were completely enveloped in the clouds of their own smoke. The spectacle was very curious. There seemed to be upon the ocean several spots of dense, dark vapor, flashing with angry lightnings, belching forth thunder-peals, and hurling forth shrieking missiles of war, before whose ponderous weight the solid masonry of Fort Fisher was rapidly crumbling. One of these immense fifteen-inch shells pierced the sand of the traverse, and burst in the middle of one of the casemates, killing and wounding, it is said, more than fifty men.

But when all the ships united in this terrific bombardment, the scene surpassed, not only all power of pen or pencil to describe, but even of imagination to conceive. The flash was almost a continuous lightning gleam. The roar was one incessant rumbling, crashing thunder-peal. The afternoon sun went down, obscured in murky clouds of smoke; the twilight faded away; darkness came-the darkness of a night as yet without a moon. Still the tempest of war flashed and thundered in deafening roar. The vivid gleams illumined the whole wide scene with lurid light. The explosions, hurling their Titanic missiles, seemed to shake both sea and land. The transport fleet, riding at anchor at a distance of nearly four miles, trembled from stem to stern, as though some gigantic batteringram were smiting them. Two hundred guns, fired with great rapidity, were at the same time hurling their shot and shell in and against the fort. No flesh and blood could stand up against such an assault. The rebel gunners fled into the casemated dungeons, and silently, without response, awaited the issue.

While this bombardment was going on, the troops who had landed about half-past four commenced their march along the beach, a distance, as we have mentioned, of about five miles, towards the fort. They advanced slowly, and with great caution, skirmishers being thrown out to guard against the possibility of surprise. After marching about two miles, they halted to await the effect of the bombardment. It was hoped that by the tremendous fire, a breach might be made through the walls, and the interior of the fort so disabled that an assaulting column might rush in and speedily silence all opposition. During the night, camp-fires blazed along the beach for a distance of four or five miles. As these. flames illumined the land, myriads of lights from lamps upon the rigging of the ships secmed to dance upon the bosom of the sea. All the night long, a slow but constant fire was kept up by the monitors, that the garrison of the fort might not enjoy any repose.

With the earliest dawn of Saturday morning, the 14th, no flag-staff was visible upon Fort Fisher. It had been shot away in the night, and no one seemed disposed to encounter the perils of the fearful cannonade. by replacing the banner. The weather was cloudy, the wind rising, and the surf rolled in more heavily upon the beach. About eight o'clock the rebels ran up another flag, indicating that they were still alive and defiant. In the mean time, General Terry had landed and established his headquarters on the shore, in the midst of the front rank of his troops. The reserve force, of which we have spoken, was now thrown ashore, and

several batteries of field-guns. The heavy surf rendered the landing a measure of some difficulty.

The troops had thrown up two lines of breast works, extending entirely across the peninsula, from the ocean to Cape Fear River. One of these faced Wilmington, to prevent any troops from descending to the aid of the beleaguered fortress. The other, a parallel line, a little farther down, prevented the escape of the garrison by land, and was a protection against any sortie. Thus far, no foe had appeared to assail the troops who had landed, though it was known that there was quite a large force in the vicinity of Wilmington. The lower line of breast works was within a mile of the fort.

The bombardment still continued through the morning hours of Sunday, the 15th. It was a calm and lovely day, as mild as June. A few clouds floated dreamily in the deep-blue sky. During much of the time as many as four shells struck the fort every minute. In the course of the morning, six rebel steamers ran down Cape Fear River, from Wilmington, loaded with troops. They succeeded in landing three hundred in the fort, when such a shower of shells were thrown over the fort by the patriot fleet, that the steamers were compelled to retire. By noon, the terrible bombardment had so battered down the sea face of the wall, that it was thought a successful charge could be made through the breach by a resolate force of sailors, landed from the ships. It was a desperate enterprise, for it was not doubted that the assailants would be met by a concentrated and murderous fire.

In

Three o'clock Sunday afternoon was assigned for this movement. preparation for it, the boats were lowered on the outer side of the ships and filled with men thus screened from observation. At the same time the land forces were to advance in a resolute attack upon the land side. The land force, almost in rear of the fort, moved first upon the massive fortress. General Ames, as calm, and sagacious, and fearless a soldier as ever drew a sword, guided his division, aided by the intrepid arm of General Curtis. The troops sprang forward, and, speedily hewing down the stockade and chevaux-de-frise, after encountering desperate resistance, succeeded in obtaining a lodgment in the northeast corner of the fortress. Here General Curtis gallantly planted the National flag, and as its folds proudly waved in the breeze over the recovered ramparts, it was greeted with enthusiastic cheers by the patriot troops. The veteran, war worn Thirteenth Indiana Volunteers, renowned for their achievements in every engagement since the war begun, where their flag had been unfurled, carried and held the counterscarp on the beach face of the fort. They were armed with the Spencer rifle, and led by their tried commander, Lieutenant-Colonel Lent.

In the midst of these appalling scenes of tumult, uproar, carnage, and death, and while the fleet was still keeping up its deadly fire upon that portion of the fortress which our troops had not yet penetrated, the sailors and marines came plunging into the volcanic arena. The orders given by Admiral Porter for their coöperation were as follows:

"Before going into action, the commander of each vessel will detail as