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Benjamin F. Butler (search for this): chapter 54
to capture Wilmington by a forced march and surprise. If time is consumed in gaining the first object of the expedition, the second will become a matter of after consideration. The details for execution are intrusted to you and the officer immediately in command of the troops. Should the troops under General Weitzel fail to effect a landing at or near Fort Fisher, they will be returned to the armies operating against Richmond without delay. U. S. Grant, Lieutenant-General. Major-General B. F. Butler. General Butler commanded the Army from which the troops were taken for this enterprise, and the territory within which they were to operate — military courtesy required that all orders and instructions should go through him. They were so sent; but General Weitzel has since officially informed me that he never received the foregoing instructions, nor was he aware of their existence until he read General Butler's published official report of the Fort Fisher failure, with my in
Thomas Lee (search for this): chapter 54
General Butler's influence. condition of General Lee's army. movements of armies under Generalssions and military stores; and at this time General Lee had not enough material of war to last him the James River was blockaded by the Navy; yet Lee held his own with his diminished army, and Gene Despite Grant's great numerical superiority, Lee had secured the approaches to Richmond so well Federal Army had therefore nothing to fear from Lee, and certainly 8,000 men could have been spared00 men had arrived at Wilmington. This day General Lee telegraphed Sedden: Bragg reports the enemyat a telegraphic dispatch was captured from General Lee to the commanding officer at Fort Fisher, wted an opportunity to complete the isolation of Lee. In fact, Lee, with Cape Fear River in his pLee, with Cape Fear River in his possession, might have prolonged the war greatly, in the hope of obtaining terms for the Confederacywitness the end. It came two months later, when Lee, having eaten up all his provisions, and threat[2 more...]
James H. Porter (search for this): chapter 54
on Fort Fisher. effects of fall of Fort Fisher, etc. There was a great deal of acrimony and recrimination growing out of the first attack on Fort Fisher. The Committee on the conduct of the war took the matter up, and it proved a feast for the politicians. General Butler, with strong political influence, had, of course, a host of supporters, and these flew to his assistance as soon as he returned from Fort Fisher, in the hope of finding some flaw in the armor of General Grant or Admiral Porter through which they could thrust their lances. Just as the committee were accumulating testimony in support of General Butler, the sound of the one hundred guns fired at the Washington Navy Yard, in honor of the capture of Fort Fisher, thundered through the Capitol, and the baseless fabric of evidence melted into thin air. Fort Fisher was won, and nobody cared to hear about the failure of the first attack. Having given a detailed account of the naval operations before Fort Fisher, i
Gideon Welles (search for this): chapter 54
want of co-operation between Butler and the Admiral. To illustrate how little delay there was on the part of the Navy, we give the following letter from Mr. Secretary Welles to the President : Navy Department, Oct. 28, 1864. Sir — You are aware that, owing to shoal water at the mouth of Cape Fear River, a purely naval ance of having the military authorities impressed with the necessity of speedy action has prompted this communication to you. I have the honor to be, etc., Gideon Welles. The President. According to the military historian, General Butler never received any detailed orders regarding the expedition until December 6th, at whihe military historian has spoken exists in this letter, we leave to others to determine. The Admiral wrote very decidedly, and it had the desired effect. Mr. Secretary Welles wrote to General Grant: The ships can approach nearer to the enemy's works than was anticipated; their fire can keep the enemy away from their guns.
S. W. Terry (search for this): chapter 54
Chapter 51: effects of the fall of Fort Fisher, and criticisms on General Badeau's military history of General Grant. General Butler's influence. condition of General Lee's army. movements of armies under Generals Grant and Sherman. honor to whom honor is due. extracts from General Grant's Memoirs, showing the origin of Fort Fisher expedition. letters of instruction from General Grant to Generals Butler and Terry. why General Butler abandoned the attempt to capture Fort Fisher after first attack. why second attack on Fort Fisher was successful. letters of Secretary of the Navy to the President. criticisms on General Badeau's military history of General Grant. incidents of final assault on Fort Fisher. effects of fall of Fort Fisher, etc. There was a great deal of acrimony and recrimination growing out of the first attack on Fort Fisher. The Committee on the conduct of the war took the matter up, and it proved a feast for the politicians. General Butler, w
James Kirkland (search for this): chapter 54
ble remark: But whatever the delay, and whatever the cause, these made no difference in the result. The troops and the fleet were at the rendezvous, the work was silenced, and the landing effected before any reinforcements reached the fort. On the morning of the 25th only 1,600 men had arrived at Wilmington. This day General Lee telegraphed Sedden: Bragg reports the enemy made a landing three miles north of Fort Fisher about 2 P. M. to day, and were still landing at 5:30 P. M. General Kirkland's, the only troops arrived, except 400 of Haygoods, etc. Whatever number arrived before the 27th, they made no attempt to molest Curtis' little band of 500 men, who remained on shore two days after Butler left, with no support except the guns of the fleet. On the 25th of December, therefore, there were only 2,500 men opposed to Butler's 6,500. The garrison was only about 1,600 men. It is true the latter occupied a strong work, but Butler had the most formidable fleet that was ever
Charles Fisher (search for this): chapter 54
blame, will, I hope, be known! As if the blame could rest on any but the one who went to Fort Fisher in command of the troops, and disobeyed orders by not intrenching himself under the protection of the guns of the fleet. Grant had seen enough of the Navy on the Mississippi to know that it would not back out of such an adventure as the taking of Fort Fisher. The Navy had given him sufficient evidence in much more desperate undertakings to have satisfied him that it would stay before Fisher as long as a shot or pound of coal was left. The historian says: This dispatch was written before Grant had heard from Porter, or from Butler's own subordinates; subsequently he was inclined (!) to attribute the failure to other causes. Other causes than the Navy, we suppose; and here Badeau relates the difficulties with which the fleet and transports had to contend in getting to the scene of action, and makes the following sensible remark: But whatever the delay, and whatever the ca
Hoke (search for this): chapter 54
of land, the only practicable route, not more than wide enough for 1,000 men in line of battle--[the place where Curtis finally assaulted without losing a man]. Hoke's reinforcements were approaching, and, as only the operations of a siege would reduce the fort, he had caused the troops to re-embark. I shall, therefore, said h reinforce the troops on the outer line by the seamen and marines who had been repulsed from the sea-face, which was done at once. This stopped the advance of General Hoke, who had commenced skirmishing with Terry's northern outposts, apparently with a design of attacking in that quarter to make a diversion. Hoke's withdrawal enHoke's withdrawal enabled Abbott's brigade and a regiment of colored troops to be brought into action on the southern front. There never was harder fighting anywhere by soldiers than on this memorable occasion; and while the Federal troops behaved like heroes, it is but justice to say of the enemy that they fought equally well, and it was only aft
David G. Farragut (search for this): chapter 54
nst the defences of Cape Fear River, but until recently there never seems to have been a period when the department was in a condition to entertain the subject. Two months ago it was arranged that an attack should be made on the 1st of October, but subsequently postponed to the 15th, and the naval force has been ready since the 15th inst., in accordance with that agreement. One hundred and fifty vessels-of-war now form the North Atlantic squadron. The command, first offered to Rear-Admiral Farragut, but declined by him, has been given to Rear-Admiral Porter. Every other squadron has been depleted, and vessels detached from other duty to strengthen this expedition. The vessels are concentrated at Hampton Roads and Beaufort, where they remain — an immense force lying idle, awaiting the movements of the army. The detention of so many vessels from blockade and cruising duty is a most serious injury to the public service, and if the expedition cannot go forward for want of troo
G. W. Ross (search for this): chapter 54
nnoissance under Brevet-Brigadier-General Curtis pushed up towards the fort. But, before receiving a full report of the result of this reconnoissance, General Butler, in direct violation of the instructions given, ordered the re-embarkment of the troops and the return of the expedition. The re-embarkment was accomplished by the morning of the 27th. On the return of the expedition, officers and men — among them Brevet-Major-General (then Brevet-Brigadier-General) N. M. Curtis, First-Lieutenant G. W. Ross, 117th New York Volunteers; First-Lieutenant William H. Walling and Second-Lieutenant George Simpson, 142d New York Volunteers-voluntarily reported to me that when recalled they were nearly into the fort, and, in their opinion, it could have been taken without much loss. Soon after the return of the expedition, I received a dispatch from the Secretary of the Navy, and a letter from Admiral Porter, informing me that the fleet was still off Fort Fisher, and expressing the convict
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