. The naval history of the Civil War . their impressions as to the damage done tothe enemys work, the effect of our firing, and thedefensibility of the fort after we had finished thebombardment. On the first day, the 24th, this ship was in line ofattack and opened fire on Fort Fisher at 12:50p. M., being then within good 10-second fire was kept up, with occasional intermissionsfor the men to rest, till 5:15 (more than four hours),when darkness intervened, and the signal was madeto retire. The enemys fire, during the whole ofthat time, was much less than that of one of ourlarge ships
. The naval history of the Civil War . their impressions as to the damage done tothe enemys work, the effect of our firing, and thedefensibility of the fort after we had finished thebombardment. On the first day, the 24th, this ship was in line ofattack and opened fire on Fort Fisher at 12:50p. M., being then within good 10-second fire was kept up, with occasional intermissionsfor the men to rest, till 5:15 (more than four hours),when darkness intervened, and the signal was madeto retire. The enemys fire, during the whole ofthat time, was much less than that of one of ourlarge ships ; an occasional shot was fired from FortFisher ; a very feeble and desultory reply to our firewas kept up by the forts between the main workand the Mound battery, which latter was heardfrom but five or six times during the whole after-noon. In a word, I am satisfied from past experience,that if this ship, or any one of the larger ones, couldhave gotten near enough, say within two or threehundred yards, she would not only have silenced. COMMODORE (NOW REAR-ADMIRAL) WILLIAM RADFORD. their batteries fully and entirely, but would havedriven every rebel from the point. On the second day, the 25th, this ship was sent tosilence some of the enemys earth-works, which werecontiguous to the place fixed upon for the disem-barking of the troops, to shell the woods, and tocover their landing. The first troops landed atabout 2 P. M. ; sent all our boats to assist. At 4oclock, just two hours after the landing commenced,the General commanding came alongside this shipand said, It has become necessary to re-embark thetroops; will you send your boats to assist? Youcan judge of my surprise at the turn affairs hadtaken, for at that moment everything seemed propi-tious. The bombardment was at its height, little orno surf on the beach, and no serious indications ofbad weather. Still, the order for retiring had goneforth, and our boats were employed till very late(the launch not returning till next mor
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Keywords: ., boo, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectunitedstatesnavy
