Many of the carriages of the huns in good order were disabled. Immense quantities of ammunition, ordnance stores, &c., were taken.

On January 20 a storm drove my vessels to sea, where they remained on the following day, returning on 22nd. On this date General terry relieved myself and staff, ordering me to report to Lieutenant-General Grant in person, leaving my command temporarily to garrison Fort Fisher and my train afloat at beaufort, N. c. I arrived at City Point on January 24, when General Grant at once ordered my train and three companies back to these lines, and placed me speadilly in charge of preparing additional land batteries to oppose the rebel fleet. After making all needed arrangements for placing four more 100-pounder Parrotts and three more 30-pounder Parrotts in position on James River, I received al leave of absence for thirty days, starting on January 27.

With reference to such an expedition as that at Fort Fisher, I am fully of the opinion that the ordnance (siege) should be loaded on side-wheel steamers, on account of their greater seediness. There are very few days in the winter when a 30-pounder Parrott can be landed from a propeller on an open beach.

On relieving me General Terry published an order, a copy of which I inclose herewith.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

HENRY L. ABBOT,

Bvt. Brigadier General of Volunteers, Captain of Engineers, U. S. Army.

Brigadier General RICHARD DELAFIELD, Chief Engineer, U. S. Army.

[Inclosure.]

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES, Numbers 11.
Fort Fisher, N. C., January 22, 1865.

* * * * * * *

III. Bvt. Brigadier General H. L. Abbot, U. S. Volunteers, is relieved from duty as chief of artillery of this expedition, and will proceed to City Point, Va., and report to the lieutenant-general commanding the Armies of the United States.

The major-general commanding desires to express to General Abbot his thanks for the zeal, ability, and energy evinced by him in landing the siege train of this command upon the open ocean beach under the most disadvantageous circumstances.

By order of Major General Alfred H. Terry:

ADRIAN TERRY,
Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS SIEGE ARTILLERY,

Broadway landing, Va., March 4, 1865.

MAJOR: I would respectfully submit the following report heretofore delayed by my absence, of the operations of my command during the action with the rebel fleet in January last, and would request that it may be forwarded to department headquarters, with a favorable indorsement upon my application for brevets for the officers commanding the batteries:

On the night of January 23, 1865, three rams, the wooden gun boat Drewry, a small steam torpedo-boat, and perhaps more, passed Fort