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CH. XIII.]

FORT MACON CAPTURED.

153

Burnside expedition was marching upon Norfolk. The courage and endurance shown by the troops, notwithstanding the intense heat and fatigue, were justly and highly praised by the commanding general.

The blockade of the mouths of the

from Newbern, bringing with him two the enemy the idea that the entire harges fitted up as floating batteries. In addition to these, the gun boat Ellis, with a 100-pounder, and the vessels of the blockading fleet, were to take part in operations against the fort. Another demand was made for its surrender, and Burnside, in his anxiety to save useless expenditure of force and prevent loss of life, met Col. White, the rebel commander at the fort, and tried to induce him to yield; but he preferring to try the fortune of war, the bombardment was begun, very early on Friday morning, April 24th.

In an hour or two, the proper range for the guns was obtained, and the iron missiles were hurled from the batteries upon the doomed fort. Hour after hour this was kept up; and it became evident, ere long, that the contest could not be maintained by the garrison in the fort. Hence, about four o'clock in the afternoon, a white flag was hoisted, and Fort Macon passed again into the hands of the government, from which it had been unlawfully wrested in the previous year.

Mississippi (see p. 79), was kept up with vigor and a fair measure of success, during the autumn and winter of 1861; but the government and the people were by no means content to maintain a blockade simply. The pathway up the Mississippi must be opened, and that mighty river cleared of rebel obstructions as speedily as possible.* We have narrated the operations which resulted in capturing Island No. 10 (see p. 143). We shall now ask the reader's attention to the energetic measures taken to reopen the Mississippi, and by the capturing of New Orleans, to restore the authority of the Union in the most valuable city which had been seized upon by the rebels.

The first important step was the occupying of Ship Island. Lying intermediate between Santa Rosa Island and the mouths of the Mississippi, near the entrance to the interior water communication with New Orleans by Lake Borgne and Lake Pontchartrain, this

* Mr. Parton relates an interesting anecdote connect

While Parke and his brigade were engaged in the capture of Fort Macon, Reno was sent from Newbern to the upper waters of the Albemarle Sound, in the rear of Norfolk. Taking a considerable force with him, he left on the 17th of April, reached Elizabeth City on the 19th, and disembarking, proceeded with the fixing upon New Orleans as the place to be ed at once against South Mills, or Camden. After a sharp contest near the town, a return to the boats was ordered late in the evening, Reno having accomplished the principal object he had in view, which was the conveying to

VOL. IV.-20

captured above and before all others: "One day (about

the 10th of January, 1862), toward the close of a long conference between Gen. Butler and the secretary of war, Mr. Stanton suddenly asked: 'Why can't New Orleans be taken?' The question thrilled Butler to the marrow. IT CAN!' he replied." Thenceforth, he gave

his days and his nights, till he was ordered to march

with the troops against New Orleans.-Parton's "Gen.

Butler in New Orleans," p. 191.

was one of the most valuable stations of February, sailed from Hampton

along the coast. It was sixty miles distant from New Orleans, and about the same distance from the northernmost pass, at the mouth of the Mississippi. The value of this spot, as a defensive position, had been appreciated by the government, and a light-house had been erected, and a fort partly completed, in 1859. The rebels destroyed these at the outbreak of the insurrection, in 1861; and although some efforts were made by them to fortify the island, yet they abandoned it entirely in September.

Early in December, 1861, some 2,000 troops of Butler's recent levies were landed on Ship Island, under command of Gen. J. W. Phelps. He was an ac tive and spirited officer, and, apparently, having nothing better to do just at the time, he signalized his arrival by issuing a rather remarkable proclamation, addressed "to the loyal citizens of the South-west." It was a straightforward business-like document, advocating, in plain terms, "here and every where, and on all occasions, free labor and workingmen's rights." Its circulation, however, was almost entirely confined to the island, and it was admired rather for its zeal than for the discretion of its author.

On the last day of the year 1861, Biloxi, a small town in Mississippi, about ten miles from Ship Island, was visited by a part of the squadron and some of the troops. It was found that most of the men here had enlisted in the rebel service, leaving the women, etc., at home. Other troops arrived at Ship Island in January, 1862; and Butler, on the 25th

Roads to assume command of the land forces intended to operate 1862. against New Orleans. At the close of March, he had 14,000 men at the island, mostly new recruits. By the middle of April, he succeeded in embarking 8,000 troops for the Mississippi, which were to co-operate with the naval force which was there, and which was being pushed forward with zeal and energy.

Captain D. G. Farragut reached Ship Island, February 20th, having in charge the naval operations of the United States in the Gulf of Mexico. Though somewhat advanced in years, Farragut (since rear-admiral,) was highly esteemed in the service, and the navy department placed entire reliance upon his bravery and skill in carrying forward the important work with which he was entrusted. "There will be attached to your squadron," said Secretary Welles, (January 20th,) in his letter of instruc tions, "a fleet of bomb vessels, and armed steamers enough to manage them, all under command of Commodore D. D. Porter, who will be directed to report to you." With this powerful flotilla, Farragut was directed to proceed to New Orleans, and take it, and then to aid in opening the river above.

Farragut proceeded to organize his squadron at the earliest moment after his arrival in the Gulf. Difficulties and delays occurred, especially in getting the large ships over the bars at the mouths of the Mississippi; so that it was not until the first week in April that the large steamers, Mississippi and Pensacola, were over the bar, and the

CH. XIII.]

BOMBARDMENT OF FORT JACKSON.

155

mortar boats were ready to move to these defences the rebel flotilla was their appointed stations. Butler re- gathered, including the ram Manassas, ceived instructions to forward his land forces, and serious work was evidently expected. The entire force of Farragut consisted of seventeen steamers and gun boats, Porter's mortar fleet of twenty-one sailing vessels, with seven steamers of light draught, and the troops under command of Butler in the transports, of which two only were steamers. The aggregate armament, counting boat howitzers, placed in the main-tops, was about 300 guns and

mortars.

under Hollins, (see p. 80), and the Louisiana, a formidable iron-covered battery, of great size and heavy arma ment, on which the rebels placed much reliance for the defence of the city There were also various gun boats and vessels prepared as fire-ships to be sent against the approaching Union fleet. Gen. J. K. Duncan had charge of the coast defences, and Gen. Lovell (both graduates of West Point), was in com mand at New Orleans, with several thousand troops. *

1862.

On the 16th of April, Farragut having completed his arrangements, ascended the river with the fleet. The mortar flotilla, which was intended should commence operations, was, after a careful survey of the region, placed in position, by Porter, on the right bank of the river, in line under the lee of a thick wood, closely interwoven with vines, the foremost vessel at a distance of 2,850 yards from Fort Jackson. Fire was regularly opened from the mortar batteries, on the 18th, upon Fort Jackson, each vessel firing every ten minutes. No very perceptible effect was produced during the first day's bombardment, though 1,400 shells were fired, and the citadel, a structure of brick and wood in the centre of the fort, was set on fire, and clothing and stores in it destroyed. The rebel fire.

The rebels, on their part, had bestowed especial attention upon fortifying the approaches to New Orleans. Be sides providing some twenty armed steam rams and gun boats, they had taken especial care to strengthen in every way the two important forts, Jackson and St. Philip, on the right and left banks of the Mississippi, and about twenty-five miles from its mouth and seventy-five from New Orleans. The united armament of the two forts was 126 guns of long range and heavy calibre. Fort Jackson, the stronger of the two works, and the first to be encountered on ascending the river, was a regular pentegonal bastioned fortifica. tion, with an outside water battery, mounting seventy-five guns in all, including thirty-three 32-pounders on the main parapet. Fort St. Philip consisted of a main work with two batteries attached, fully commanding the bend of that the Mississippi could not be ascended by our the stream. A strong chain was extended across the river, here half a mile wide, buoyed by eight hulks from fifty to eighty yards apart. Within

* So confident was the rebel press of New Orleans ships and New Orleans captured, that one of the newspapers, April 5th, indulged in bravado of this sort: "Our only fear is that the northern invaders may not

appear. We have made such extensive preperations to

receive them that it were vexatious if their invincible

armada escapes the fate we have in store for it.”

was spirited and effective, and two of the mortar boats were penetrated by shots from the fort.

The second day, one of the mortar boats was sunk by a rifle-shot, while on the other hand, serious injury was done by our fire to the officers' quarters in the fort. During the night, Capt. Bell was sent, with a proper supply of materials and two gun boats, to break up the chain barrier. This was accomplish ed successfully, and a passage was opened for the fleet. On the third and fourth days there were some delays, caused by sending for fresh ammunition. The mortar boats, however, kept steadily at work, and though apparently slowly were yet surely accomplishing the reduction of Fort Jackson. On the fifth day the rebel fire was especially annoy ing, they having attained the range of the bombarding vessels; still Porter did not desist, and poured shell into the fort at the rate of 1,500 during the twenty-four hours.

For six days the steady firing of the mortar boats was continued, when Farragut determined to carry out a plan he had formed for passing the forts, and advancing at once upon New Orleans. The passage was, on examination, found to be open for the fleet, and every possible precaution, which ingenuity or experience could suggest, was taken to prepare the vessels for their perilous enterprize. The fleet was arranged in two divisions, to each of which was assigned six gun boats. Captain Bailey was in command of the first division; Captain Bell of the second; and the Hartford was the flagship of Commodore Farragut.

1862.

About three o'clock A.M., April 24th, the fleet got under way, Capt. Bailey leading the right with his gun boats to attack Fort St. Philip, while the other division' of the ships was to aid in the attack on Fort Jackson. "The enemy's lights," says Farragut in his report, "while they discovered us to them, were, at the same time, guides to us. We soon passed the barrier chains, the right column taking Fort St. Philip, and the left Fort Jackson. The fire became general, the smoke dense, and we had nothing to aim at but the flash of their guns; it was very difficult to distinguish friends from foes." Farragut's ship, at one time was set on fire by a fire-raft; but the flames were extinguished. Fort St. Philip was soon silenced, and eleven rebel gun boats destroyed. The forts were passed, and the victory gained, winding up with the making a total wreck of the rebel ram Manassas.

Farragut having sent the cheering news of his success to Porter, directed him to demand the surrender of the forts. He also informed Butler that the way was open for him to land his forces at Quarantine Bayou, as previ ously arranged. Leaving two gun boats to protect the landing of the troops, Farragut continued his progress up the river, and reached English Turn about half-past ten, on the morning of April 25th. Evidently, a panic had already seized upon the people in the city and vicinity, for cotton-loaded ships on fire came floating down, together with other indications of the greatest fright, and hasty destruction of property of all kinds. The fleet met with brief deten.

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