WILMINGTON: THE ATTACK ON FORT FISHER; TWO DAYS’ BOMBARDMENT (12/28/1864)

New York Times - Times Machine ^ | 12/28/1864

[Homer_J_Simpson]

[OFFICIAL.]

WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, Dec. 27 -- 10 P.M.

To Maj. Gen. John A. Dix.

The following extracts from Richmond papers of to-day, have been furnished to the Department by Gen. GRANT:

WILMINGTON, N.C., Dec. 25.

The enemy's fleet, over fifty vessels, including two monitors, several armed vessels and many heavily armed frigates and sloops-of-war, made a furious attack on Fort Fisher about 1 o'clock, yesterday, and kept up an average fire of thirty shots per minute until night. Our loss is 23 wounded.

The attack was renewed at 10 o'clock this morning, and has been very furious and continuous. No report of casualties to-day. Col. LAMB, who is in command of the fort, replied to the enemy's fire slowly and deliberately.

The enemy, under cover of the heavy fire, landed three brigades two and a half miles above Fort Fisher. They were immediately engaged by a smaller force. The enemy held their ground at night.

SECOND DISPATCH.

WILMINGTON, N.C., Monday, Dec. 26.

The enemy's infantry attacked Fort Fisher late last night. They were repulsed with considerable lost. There was heavy rain and wind through the night. Prisoners report the Twenty-fourth Corps of the Yankee army present under BUTLER.

[Editorial Comments on the above.]

"From our Wilmington dispatches it will be seen that the Yankee fleet attacked Fort Fisher about one o'clock P.M. on Saturday, and bombarded it heavily until nightfall, renewing the bombardment at ten o'clock on Sunday morning and continuing it throughout the day; that under cover of the fire of the fleet, the enemy landed an infantry force above Fort Fisher, which attacked this fort on Sunday night and were repulsed. Fort Fisher is situated on a sandspit on the right bank of the Cape Fear River at its mouth,

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Free Republic University, Department of History presents U.S. History, 1861-1865: Seminar and Discussion Forum
The American Civil War, as seen through news reports of the time and later historical accounts

First session: November 21, 2015. Last date to add: May 2025.
Reading: Self-assigned. Recommendations made and welcomed.

Posting history, in reverse order

https://www.freerepublic.com/tag/by:homerjsimpson/index?tab=articles

To add this class to or drop it from your schedule notify Admissions and Records (Attn: Homer_J_Simpson) by reply or freepmail.

Link to previous New York Times thread

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4286669/posts

[Homer_J_Simpson]

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[Homer_J_Simpson]

Wilmington: The Attack of Fort Fisher – 2-4
Savannah: Particulars of the Surrender – 4-5
Hood’s Retreat: Gen. Thomas Still in Close Pursuit – 5
Army of the Potomac: Atrocious Weather – 5
Reconstruction: Wendell Philip’s Views on the Question – 5-8
News from Washington – 8
Editorial: England and America – 8-9
Editorial: The Military Prospect – A Warning Against too Sanguine Expectations – 9
The Popular Majority for Lincoln – 9

[ComputerGuy]

In my not-so-short lifetime, I’ve caught about a zillion fish within sight of the old fort.

[BrexitBen]

Isn’t it beyond time to feature another war that The New York Times loved?

How about World War One? That was another insane disaster embraced by the N.Y. Times, and the D.C. Empire.

Your War Between The States posts are getting tiresome, and repetitive.

[BroJoeK]

BrexitBen: "Isn’t it beyond time to feature another war that The New York Times loved?
How about World War One?
That was another insane disaster embraced by the N.Y. Times, and the D.C. Empire."

Wilson asks Congress to declare war, April 2, 1917:

On April 4, 1917 the US Senate voted 82-6 to declare war on Germany.
Those six opposed were:

1. Wisconsin Progressive Socialist Republican Sen. LaFollette (died in office 1925)
2. Nebraska Progressive Liberal Republican Sen. Norris (died in office 1943)
3. North Dakota Progressive Isolationist Republican Sen. Gronna (defeated for reelection 1920)
4. Oregon Progressive Democrat Sen. Lane (died in office 1917)
5. Missouri Progressive Isolationist Democrat Sen. Stone (died in office 1918)
6. Mississippi Progressive Isolationist racist Democrat Sen. Vardaman (defeated for reelection 1918)

After the vote, Lane and Stone soon died in office, Gronna and Vardaman were defeated for reelection.
The other two continued to serve in the US Senate until their deaths, LaFollette in 1925, Norris in 1943.

The House of Representatives vote was 373 to 50.

These numbers suggest that it was more than just "The NY times and the DC Empire" supporting war against Germany in 1917.
They also show that those opposing WWI were not conservative constitutionalists, but rather Progressive, Liberal & Socialist radicals who thought war would divert attention away from their favored social agendas.

IOW, 1917 anti-warriors more closely resembled 1960s era anti-war counter-culture pro-communist hippie Democrats than today's allegedly "conservative" pro-Russian neo-isolationist Republicans.

BrexitBen: "Your War Between The States posts are getting tiresome, and repetitive."

Comments like yours are getting tiresome and repetitive.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Your War Between The States posts are getting tiresome, and repetitive.

So you say over and over and over again. And yet you keep coming back again and again and again. Did you know there is a way to avoid posts you don't like? Simply don't click on them. Win-win!