"gone up," and that the Yankees would be on us in a few minutes; that General Whiting was wounded, and that he was anxious to get him off. The general ordered Lieutenant Estill, ordnance officer, and myself to remain with the boat while we went to see General Whiting. The beach was crowded with a disorganized, demoralized rabble, and it was with the utmost difficulty that we prevented them from taking our boat. I asked of an officer, the coolest man I saw, at what hour the enemy got into the fort. He replied, about two hours by sun. "What in the world have you been doing since?" This he answered by stating that he had been fighting in the fort ever since, until drake, when the garrison communed leaving, and that he presumed all had left by that time. This consumed about five minutes. The Yankee skirmish line was now within fifty yards of us. They halted and commenced reconnoitering the battery. The Yankee line of battle now came in sight. I sent one of the boatmen for the general, but made up my mind to spend the winter North. The line of battle was now at their skirmishers. The general was now coming. I showed him the Yankees and all of us jumped into the boat. We pushed off, and just as we made the first stroke of the oars the Yankee line swept by, in twenty yards of us, and entered Battery Buchanan. I saw n organized body of men while I was near the battery, except the enemy. All of our men were in a state of panic and demoralization; no organization, no guns, nothing but confusion and dismay. The only man I saw with a gun was drunken Irish marine, who cocked it and presented it at me. Suppose the battery engaged so much attention that our boat was overlooked as we rowed off.

I am, colonel, very respectfully, &c.,

HUGH H. COLQUITT,

Lieutenant and Aide-de-Camp.

[Inclosure Numbers 2.] HEADQUARTERS COLQUITT'S BRIGADE, January 17, 1865.

Lieutenant-Colonel ANDERSON, Assistant Adjutant-General:

COLONEL: In compliance with your order I beg leave to make the following statement of what I saw and heard on the night of January 15, of Fort Fisher:

We were landed midway between Battery Buchanan and Fort Fisher about midnight. There was a building at this place, and from the chimney smoke and sparks were flying. Upon going up to it we found it filled with negroes. They informed us that Fort Fisher was captured. General Colquitt refused to credit it, and with some difficulty prevailed upon one of the hands to guide him to the fort. Immediately after starting we were met by a Captain Munn, with a squad of six or eight men unarmed. He told us that the fort was in full possession of the enemy, and that he had just made his escape. We still doubted if the fort was captured, but deemed it prudent to visit Battery Buchanan first, especially as Captain Munn informed us that General Whiting was there. Upon landing at Buchanan we found no one upon the lookout, save one horseman. There were no pickets. Men were wandering about in confusion, unarmed, and disorganized. These at once confirmed the capture of Fisher. The general proceeded forthwith to the battery, leaving myself and Lieutenant Colquitt, in conjunction with the crew, to care for the boat. This was a work of considerable difficulty, and occupied our attention to such a degree that we did not learn as much of the capture of Fisher as we could have desired. I