[1106]
[No. 119. See page 788.]
testimony of Maj.-Gen. Godfrey Weitzel.1
When Captain Breese came on board he stated to General Butler that the powder-boat would be exploded at twenty minutes after nine o'clock that night, and that the fleet would stand in at daylight.
General Butler at once objected to that, saying that if the powder vessel was exploded so early in the night, all the advantage got would be lost entirely.
If it had any effect either in injuring the works or the guns, or stunning the garrison, there would be ample time, before the proposed attack of the navy, for the enemy to recover from it. This was my opinion, and also the opinion of Colonel Comstock, of General Grant's staff, very forcibly expressed.
[No. 120. See page 788.]
testimony of Brev.
Brig.-Gen. C. D. Comstock,2
After we had spent those three days of good weather off New Inlet in perfect readiness to make the attack if the navy had been ready, in the afternoon of the third day Admiral Porter arrived.
He ordered the powder-boat to be taken in and exploded that night.
But the wind blew so in the afternoon that it seemed to us impossible to land the troops, and General Weitzel and myself went to Admiral Porter and requested that he should postpone sending in the powder-boat until the water should be smooth enough to enable us to go in and land the troops.
He, therefore, sent in discretionary orders to the officer in charge of the powder-boat not to explode it until we could land.
The next day the wind blew strongly; our transports had got short of coal and water, and we were forced to go into Beaufort.
I was informed by a naval officer remaining there, that while we were gone there was no time when a landing of troops could have been effected, it was so rough; that it was one steady severe gale.
On the 23d of December General Butler sent an officer of his staff to Admiral Porter to inform him that we should be ready to start the next morning.
This officer saw Admiral Porter and returned, not getting back until the morning of the 24th.
He brought a message from Admiral Porter that the powder-boat would be exploded at one o'clock that morning.
This text is part of:
Table of Contents:
1 Report of the Committee on the Conduct of the War, No. 5, p. 70.
2 Report of the Committee on the Conduct of the War, Fort Fisher Expedition, p. 83.
A. M. Thayer and Co. 1892.
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