Chapter 17: Fort Fisher.
- Plans for reducing Fort Fisher -- why the powder-boat experiment was suggested -- delay in starting -- Grant aware that Butler was to lead the expedition -- off Fort Fisher: Porter arrives at length -- heavy gales prevent landing -- to Beaufort for supplies -- explosion of the powder-boat, bombardment of the Fort and landing of troops -- Porter sails away, the sea runs high, and Butler takes off the troops on shore -- why he did this: the whole expedition critically considered -- Porter's subordinates make a ridiculous fiasco of the powder-boat scheme -- Butler in no way concerned in it -- strength of the Fort: testimony of various officers -- course sustained by Committee on Conduct of War
Early in September it was proposed to me by General Grant that I should send down General Weitzel, with Brigadier-General Graham of the naval brigade, to reconnoitre the position of Fort Fisher, and that I should act in conjunction with a fleet which was being prepared by the navy. General Weitzel was accordingly sent down to make that reconnoissance. About the 20th of September, as I remember, he returned and reported the condition of things there. On the 29th of September, the Army of the James made a march across the river, which resulted in the capture of Battery Harrison and the line that we subsequently occupied on the north bank of the James until the surrender of Richmond in April, 1865. It was from this line that the negro troops under Weitzel marched and took possession of the rebel capital. This movement across the James required all the force I had. General Grant said to me that we could not go on the Wilmington expedition at that time for two reasons. The first of these was the want of disposable forces, although at that time it was not contemplated to send down but about three thousand men, as it was supposed that Fort Fisher could be taken by a surprise. The second and perhaps the more cogent reason was that the fleet had given great notice by its preparation; the ships had gathered at Hampton Roads, and published that they had the largest armament in the world, and were going to take Wilmington. This seemed to cut off all hope of surprise. General Grant then said to me that he would not have anything to do with it, to use his exact phrase, because he could not afford an army for a siege, and he supposed the purpose for which the fleet was getting ready was so far known to everybody that there could be no surprise.
