From the Legends of America "Attack on Fort Fisher" By Robley D. Evans in 1865."
After Admiral Porter assigned to command the attack on the fort, daily target practice took place in the fleet. In early December, General Butler's troopships arrived Robley believed Butler's powdership was the old steamer Georgiana (actually the USS Louisiana).
It ran in close to shore during the evening of December 24, 1864 and Robley wrote: "No man in the navy believed for a moment that she would do much harm, but none of us anticipated how little damage would come from the explosion." At 11 PM, Porter steamed through the fleet in his flagship,the Malvern and made the signal: "Powder boat will blow up at 1:30 AM. Be prepared to get underway, and stand in to engage the fort
"After that there was no sleep for anyone; we stood and watched and waited as the hours slowly dragged by. Half past one came and no explosion, and we were fearful of some mishap; but just as the bells struck two o'clock, it came. First came a gentle vibration, then the masts and spars shook as if they would come down about our ears; and then came the low rumble like distant thunder while the sky to the westward was lighted up for a few seconds, and then great masses of powder smoke hung over the land like thunder clouds.
Surely the powder boat had blown up, and as the fleet rapidly formed for battle there was great curiosity everywhere to see what the effect had been."
More to Come. --Old B-Runner
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