This attack was intended as a test of the strength of monitors to resist a heavy fire. The monitors moved up in line ahead and opened fire, continuing the action for eight hours at a distance of 1200 yards. The forts were not silenced. The Passaic was hit 9 times on the side-armor, no damage; 13 hits on the deck-plating, the deck being crushed through in three places; 5 hits on the turret, no damage; 2 on the pilot-house, no damage; 1 on the roof of the turret, breaking a beam; 4 through smoke-stack—34 hits in all; none killed or wounded. Patapsco one hit on deck; no injury. Nahant no hits. _Earthworks at Fort Fisher, December 24 and 25, 1864, and January 13 and 14, 1865._ FEDERAL. FIRST LINE—IRON-CLADS. Guns. New Ironsides 20 Canonicus 2 Monadnock 4 Saugus 2 Mahopac 2 WOODEN GUN-BOATS. Guns. Nyack 8 Unadilla 6 Huron 4 Pequot 8 Pontoosuc 6 Nereus 2 Kansas 8 SECOND LINE—FRIGATES. Guns. Wabash 45 Powhatan 19 Susquehanna 18 Colorado 45 Minnesota 46 CORVETTES. Guns. Juniata 11 Shenandoah 10 Brooklyn 26 Ticonderoga 10 Tuscarora 10 Mohican 7 Vanderbilt 15 GUN-BOATS. Guns. Seneca 4 Pawtuxet 4 Mackinaw 12 Maumee 4 Yantic 5 ADVANCED SQUADRON OF SECOND LINE—GUN-BOATS. Guns. Monticello 7 Rhode Island 11 Sassacus 6 Chippewa 6 Osceola 8 Tacony 6 St. Jago de Cuba 10 Fort Jackson 6 RESERVE LINE—GUN-BOATS. Guns. Aries Howquah Wilderness Cherokee Vance Anemone Moccasin Eolus Gettysburg Keystone State 13 Banshee Emma Lilian Nansemond Tristram Shandy Britannia Bignonia Governor Buckingham CONFEDERATE. _Fort Fisher_ and a range of isolated batteries containing 36 guns, about one half being rifles.