The Capture of Wilmington in the Civil War

VOL. IX.—No. 428.]

NEW YORK, SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 1865.

[ SINGLE COPIES TEN CENTS. $4,00 PER YEAR IN ADVANCE.

Entered according to Act of Congress. in the Year 1865, by Harper & Brothers, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Southern District of New York.

CAPTURE OF

WILMINGTON.

THE City of Wilmington was captured by the combined forces of General SCHOFIELD and General TERRY, with the cooperation of Admiral PORTER'S fleet, on the 22d of February, WASHINGTON'S birthday. Fort Anderson was evacuated by the enemy on February 19. General SCHOFIELD, with 8000 men, had advanced against this work from Smithville on the 17th, while PORTER opened a bombardment from the water. The Monitor Montauk was placed close up to the works, and four gun-boats enfiladed the fort with their fire. On the 18th PORTER moved up closer to the enemy, and was able to bring fifteen vessels into the engagement. At 3 o'clock P.M. the batteries in the fort were silenced. Cox 's division of SCHOFIELD'S corps had in the mean time got into position in the rear of the enemy. AMES'S division of TERRY'S army was in cooperation. This manoeuvre

led the garrison of the fort, which numbered about 3000 men, under General HOKE, to abandon the work. Twelve heavy guns were taken with the fort, and a large supply of ammunition. The line of works occupied by the enemy stretched from Fort Anderson, on Cape Fear River, across to

Masonboro. This line, of course, had now to be abandoned. After the capture of Fort Anderson the rebels only made one stand in the strongly entrenched lines four miles below Wilmington, extending—as did their first line—across the peninsula. On the

morning of the 20th TERRY pressed hard against this line, while SCHOFIELD again flanked them by a movement so rapid as almost to effect a surprise. The rebels retreated hastily, but were so hotly pushed by SCHOFIELD that the latter succeeded in cutting off their rear, capturing 375 prisoners, and

two guns. Admiral PORTER'S fleet contributed greatly to this result.—TERRY then advanced against the enemy's last line of works. On the morning of the 22d he found that these works had been abandoned, and at the head of his army marched into the city. There was considerable manifestation of loyalty on the part of the citizens. About 700 prisoners were captured and 30 guns. Four or five hundred Union prisoners were released. The One Hundred and Fourth Ohio Regiment has been assigned to do provost duty in the city.

The fleet, after the capture of Fort Anderson, found the river above that point infested with torpedoes. Admiral PORTER dispatched a fleet of boats, about 30 in number, and manned with our gallant tars, up the river, to explore and buoy the channel and to clear it of torpedoes. We have illustrated this expedition in the subjoined cut. When the fleet reached Wilmington on the 22d the

later portion of the day was devoted by our sailors to the celebration of WASHINGTON'S birthday. The capture of Wilmington not only seals the victory gained by the capture of Fort Fisher, but is especially important as an clement in the combinations against the rebel armies of LEE and JOHNSTON.

BEFORE PETERSBURG—ISSUING RATIONS OF WHISKY AND QUININE.—[SKETCHED BY A. W. WARREN.]

ADMIRAL PORTER'S BOATS REMOVING TORPEDOES AND BUOYING THE CHANNEL IN CAPE FEAR RIVER,