Fort Fisher, Dec. 28, 1864: "A Gross and Culpable Failure"

**  Morning--  The steamer Banshee runs the blockade into New Inlet.

**  5:30 pm--  President Lincoln queries Grant:  "If there be no objection, please tell me what you now understand of the Wilmington expedition, present and prospective."

**  An angry Grant replies: "The Wilmington expedition has proven a gross and culpable failure.  Many of the troops are now back here [in Virginia].  Delays and free talk of the object of the expedition enabled the enemy to move troops to Wilmington to defeat it.

After the expedition sailed from Fort Monroe three days of fine weather were squandered, during which the enemy was without a force to protect himself.  Who is to blame I hope will be known."

Of course, who was to blame?  None other than Butler.

And End to the First Attack.  --Old B-Runner (Soon to Be Old Secesh)