roops were repulsed with great and needless
slaughter.

It is a doubtful and debated question whether General Butler
was personally to blame for this terrible and disgraceful
repulse. If it were only his misfortune, it is a sample of
the misfortunes which attended him throughout the war. It
would not have happened to a great or even a fairly good general
officer. The best that can be said for him is that if he
were without personal blame, that it is the chief incident
of a campaign which he went through without credit.

But the worst example of timidity and inefficiency in American
military history, not excepting Hull's surrender, was the
attempt and repulse at Fort Fisher. I do not mean when I
say timidity, personal cowardice. But I mean the fear of
the ordinary risks which accompany every bold and successful
operation in war. This timidity is not infrequently, as it
was in this case, characteristic of men who thrust themselves
into places for which they are not fit.

It was highly important to capture Wilmington, of which Fort
Fisher was the key. It was the last remaining gateway for
the admission of necessary supplies and ammunitions of war
to the rebellious States from the outer world. It was a military
position of great importance, a chief centre of the rebellion,
and a great object in our military operations. General Butler
entered upon this undertaking with every advantage. He had
special detailed instructions from Grant, the greatest living
military commander; and he had under him and to cooperate
with him Admiral Porter who, with one possible exception,
was the ablest naval commander in our service.

Wilmington was stripped of troops. The fort was garrisoned
by four companies of infantry and one light battery. With
all the reinforcements which the enemy could muster but a
thousand and seventy-seven men were in the fort. The greatest
armada ever in American waters was under Butler's command--
fifty vessels, thirty-three for attack and seventeen in reserve,
including four iron-clads. The iron-clads opened fire upon
the fort, throwing one hundred and fifteen shells a minute.

"Fort Fisher replied at once with all its guns. But those
on the northeast face were silenced almost as soon as the
monitors opened their terrific fire, and by the time the last
of the large vessels had anchored and got their batteries into
play, only one or two of the enemy's guns were able to reply.
The shower of sh