Curtis’s brigade charged successfully though met by a heavy fire, some of the men having to wade through the swamp up to their waists to reach the fort.  Many were wounded, of course, and some killed; but they soon reached the palisades.  These they cut away, and pushed on through.  The other troops then came up, Pennypacker’s following Curtis, and Bell, who commanded the 3d brigade of Ames’s division, following Pennypacker.  But the fort was not yet captured though the parapet was gained.

The works were very extensive.  The large parapet around the work would have been but very little protection to those inside except when they were close up under it.  Traverses had, therefore, been run until really the work was a succession of small forts enclosed by a large one.  The rebels made a desperate effort to hold the fort, and had to be driven from these traverses one by one.  The fight continued till long after night.  Our troops gained first one traverse and then another, and by 10 o’clock at night the place was carried.  During this engagement the sailors, who had been repulsed in their assault on the bastion, rendered the best service they could by reinforcing Terry’s northern line—­thus enabling him to send a detachment to the assistance of Ames.  The fleet kept up a continuous fire upon that part of the fort which was still occupied by the enemy.  By means of signals they could be informed where to direct their shots.

During the succeeding nights the enemy blew up Fort Caswell on the opposite side of Cape Fear River, and abandoned two extensive works on Smith’s Island in the river.

Our captures in all amounted to 169 guns, besides small-arms, with full supplies of ammunition, and 2,083 prisoners.  In addition to these, there were about 700 dead and wounded left there.  We had lost 110 killed and 536 wounded.

In this assault on Fort Fisher, Bell, one of the brigade commanders, was killed, and two, Curtis and Pennypacker, were badly wounded.

Secretary Stanton, who was on his way back from Savannah, arrived off Fort Fisher soon after it fell.  When he heard the good news he promoted all the officers of any considerable rank for their conspicuous gallantry.  Terry had been nominated for major-general, but had not been confirmed.  This confirmed him; and soon after I recommended him for a brigadier-generalcy in the regular army, and it was given to him for this victory.