CAPTURE OF BILOXI AND PASS CHRISTIAN.

327

Orleans and the city itself was adopted, and was substantially carried out a few weeks later.

While preparations for that movement were in progress, some minor expeditions were set on foot. One against Biloxi, a summer watering-place on the Mississippi Main, was incited by the conduct of some Confederates who violated the sanctity of a flag of truce, under circumstances of peculiar wickedness. A little girl, three years of age, the daughter of a physician and noted rebel of New Orleans, was cast upon the shore at Ship Island after a storm, in which it was supposed her father had perished. She was kindly cared for by Mrs. Butler; and, as the child knew the name of her grandfather in New Orleans, the General determined to send her there. Fo that purpose Major George C. Strong, General Butler's chief of staff, tool her in a sloop, under a flag of truce, to Biloxi, with money to pay he expenses to New Orleans. There she was left to be sent on. The sloop grounded on her return in the evening, and, while in that condition, an attempt was made to capture her by men who had been witnesses of Major Strong's holy errand. By stratagem he kept the rebels at bay until a gunboat came to his rescue.

On the following day, an avenging expedition, commanded by Major Strong, proceeded to Biloxi. It was composed of two gun-boats (Jackson and New London), and a transport with the Ninth Connecticut, Colonel Cahill, and Everett's battery on board. Fortunately for the Biloxians, they were quiet. Their place was captured without opposition, and the Mayor was compelled to make a humble apology in writing for the perfidy of his fellow-citizens in the matter of the flag of truce.

Leaving Biloxi, Major Strong went westward to Pass Christian. While his vessels lay at anchor there that night, they were attacked by three Confederate gun-boats, that stole out of Lake Borgne. The assailants were repulsed. Major Strong then landed his troops, and, making a forced march, surprised and captured a Confederate camp three miles distant. The soldiers had fled. The camp was destroyed, and the public stores in the town on the beach were seized and carried away. Major Strong also captured Mississippi City.

328

PLAN FOR THE CAPTURE OF NEW ORLEANS.

CHAPTER XIII.

THE CAPTURE OF NEW ORLEANS.

a Jan. 20, 1862.

HIP ISLAND was the place of rendezvous for the naval as well as the land portion of the forces destined for the capture of New Orleans. The naval force was placed under the command of Captain David G. Farragut, a loyal Tennesseean, who sailed from Hampton Roads in the National armed steamer Hartford, on the 2d of February, 1862, and arrived in the harbor of Ship Island on the 20th of the same month, having been detained by sickness at Key West. He had been instructed by the Secretary of the Navy" to proceed with all possible dispatch to the Gulf of Mexico, with orders for Flag-officer McKean, on duty there, to transfer to the former the command of the Western Gulf squadron. He was informed that a fleet of bomb-vessels, under Commander David D. Porter (with whose father Farragut had cruised in the Essex during the war of 1812), would be attached to his squadron, and these were to rendezvous at Key West. He was directed to proceed up the Mississippi so soon as the mortar-vessels were ready, with such others as might be spared from the blockade, reduce the defenses which guarded the approaches to New Orleans, and, taking possession of that city under the guns of his squadron, hoist the American flag in it, and hold possession until troops could be sent to him. If the Mississippi expedition from Cairo should then not have descended the river, he was to take advantage of the panic which his seizure of New Orleans would produce, and push a strong force up the stream, to take all their defenses in the rear. "Destroy the armed barriers which these deluded people have raised up against the power of the United States Government," said the Secretary, "and shoot down those who war against the Union; but cultivate with cordiality the first returning reason, which is sure to follow your success." With these instructions, and with plans of the known works on the lower Mississippi, furnished by General Barnard, who constructed Fort St. Philip, one of the chief of those works, Farragut proceeded to the performance of the duties required of him.

Porter's mortar fleet had been for several months in preparation at the Navy Yard at Brooklyn, and had caused a great deal of speculation. It consisted of twenty-one schooners of from two hundred to three hundred tons each, made very strong, and constructed so as to draw as little water as possible. They were armed with mortars of eight and a half tons weight, that would throw a 15-inch shell, weighing, when filled, two hundred and twelve pounds. Each vessel also carried two 32-pounder rifled cannon. They rendez

THE DEFENSES OF NEW ORLEANS.

329

voused at Key West; and when all were in readiness, it was arranged that the forts below New Orleans should be first attacked by Porter's fleet, Farragut and his larger and stronger vessels remaining in a reserve just outside of the range of the Confederate guns, until they should be silenced by the mortars. Failing in that, Farragut was to attempt to run by the forts. When this should be accomplished, he was to clear the river of the Confederate vessels and isolate the forts from their supplies and supports, when General Butler should land his troops in the rear of Fort St. Philip, the weaker fortification, and attempt to carry it by assault. If success should crown these efforts, the land and naval forces were to pass on toward New Orleans in such manner as might seem best.

DAVID D. PORTER.

For these purposes, the com

bined forces were ready for action at the middle of April.

The Confederates had made the most ample provisions, as they thought, for the sure defense of New Orleans. The infamous General Twiggs,' whom the Louisiana insurgents had called to their command, had been superseded by Mansfield Lovell, formerly a politician and office-holder in the City of New York. He was assisted by General Ruggles, a man of considerable energy. Lovell everywhere saw evidences of Twiggs's imbecility; and, when he was informed of the gathering of National ships and soldiers in the Gulf, he perceived the necessity of strongly guarding every avenue of approach to New Orleans.?

Lovell's special efforts for defense were put forth on the banks of the Mississippi, between the city and its passes or mouths. The principal of these were Forts Jackson and St. Philip, the former built by the Government, and the latter was an old Spanish fortress, which had figured somewhat in the war of 1812. These were at a bend of the Mississippi, about seventy-five miles above its passes. They occupied opposite sides of the stream, and were under the immediate command of Lieutenant-Colonel Edward Higgins, a Virginian. The general command of the river defenses was intrusted to General J. K. Duncan, formerly an office-holder in New York, who was regarded as one of the best artillerists in the Confederate service. The armament of the forts, for which they were prepared, was one hundred and fifty guns each. Between Fort Jackson, on the right bank of the river,

1 See page 265, volume I.

2 This was by far the largest and most important city within the bounds of the Confederacy. It is on the eastern side of the Mississippi River, about one hundred miles above its passes, or mouths, and has two extensive bodies of water lying to the north and east of it, named, respectively, Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Borgne. Its population was about 170,000 when the war began. Being at the outlet to the sea of the vast products of the region watered by the Mississippi and its tributaries, it had the largest export trade of any city in the world.

The principal passes by which the waters of the Mississippi flow into the Gulf of Mexico, through vast morasses, are five in number, and named respectively, the Southwest, South, Southeast, and East Pass, and Pass à l'Outre. The seaward edge of these passes lies almost directly upon the arc of a circle with a radius of fifteen miles.

330

CONFIDENCE OF THE INSURGENTS.

and the opposite shore, seven hundred yards distant, a heavy iron chain-cable was stretched upon buoys made of cypress logs, and covered by a battery at each end. Adjoining Fort Jackson a formidable water-battery was constructed; and under the guns of the forts lay a fleet composed of thirteen

alarming the Nationals and strengthening the faith of the people. That faith in the defenses of the city was very strong, for they believed them to be impregnable. Never doubting that impregnability, the citizens continued their occupations as usual. One of the journals boastingly said, "Our only fear is, that the northern invaders may not appear. We have made such extensive preparations to receive them, that it were vexatious if their invincible armada escapes the fate we have in store for it." "The authorities at Richmond were so well assured of safety, by General Duncan, that they refused even to entertain the possibility of a penetration of the outer line of defenses, even when the mortar-fleet had begun its work."

All things were in readiness for assault on the 17th of April. The fleets of Farragut and Porter were in the river, and Butler, with about nine thousand troops, was ready at the Southwest Pass, just below, to

1 See page 118.

The New Orleans Picayune of April 5 said, "We have 32,000 infantry, and as many more quartered in the neighborhood. In discipline and drill they are far superior to the Yankees, We have two very able and active generals, who possess our entire confidence-General Mansfield Lovell and Brigadier-General Ruggles. For Commodore, we have old Hollins-a Nelson in his way."

3 New Orleans Picayune, April 5, 1862.

4 Pollard's First Year of the War, page 810.

These consisted of forty-seven armed vessels, eight of which were large and powerful steam sloops-of-war. Farragut's fleet was composed of the steamers Hartford (the flag-ship), Captain Wainright; sloops Pensacola, Captain Morris, and Brooklyn, Captain Craven, 24 guns each; Richmond, Captain Alden, 26; Mississippi, Captain M. Smith, 12; Iroquois, Commander De Camp, and Oneida, Commander S. P. Lee, 9 each; sailing sloop-of-war Portsmouth, 17; gun-boats Varuna, Captain Boggs, 12; Cayuga, Lieutenant Harrison, 5; Winona, Lieutenant Nichols, 4; Katahdin, Lieutenant Preble, 6; Itaska, Lieutenant Caldwell, 5; Kineo, Lieutenant Ransom, 5; Wissahickon, Lieutenant A. N. Smith, 5; Pinola, Lieutenant Crosby; Kennebec, Lieutenant Russell, 5; Sciota, Lieutenant Donalson, 6; schooner Kittatinny, Lieutenant Lamson, 9; Miami, Lieutenant Harroll, 6; Clifton, 5; and Westfield, Captain Renshaw, 6. There were twenty mortar-vessels, in three divisions, the first, or Red, of six vessels, under Lieutenant Watson Smith, in the Norfolk Packet; the second, or Blue, of seven vessels, commanded by Lieutenant Queen, in the T. A. Ward; and the third, or White, of seven vessels, commanded by Lieutenant Breese, in the Horace Beales. The names of the mortar-vessels were: Norfolk Packet, Oliver H. Lee, Para, C. P. Williams, Orletta, William Bacon, T. A. Ward, Sidney C. Jones, Matthew Vassar, Jr., Maria J. Carlton, Orvetta, Adolphe Hugel, George Mangham, Horace Beales, John Griffith, Sarah Bruin, Racer, Sea Foam, Henry James, Dan Smith, accompanied by the steamer Harriet Lane, 4 (Porter's flag-ship), and the gun-boat Owasco, Lieutenant Guest, 5. Some were only armed tugs, intended for the purpose of towing the mortar-schooners into position.

Butler's troops, borne on five transports, consisted of the following regiments: On the Mississippi, the Commanding General and the Twenty-sixth Massachusetts, Colonel Jones: Thirty-first Massachusetts, Colonel Gooding, and Everett's Sixth Massachusetts battery. On the Matanzas, General Phelps, with the Ninth Con

NATIONAL VESSELS IN THE MISSISSIPPI.

331

co-operate. So early as the 28th of March, Fleet-captain Henry H. Bell had made a reconnoissance well up toward Fort Jackson, with two gun-boats, and found a thick wood covering the shores of the Mississippi for about four miles below it. This was favorable for the intended operations of the Nationals. On the 8th of April, a detachment of the coast-survey party made a minute examination of the river-banks

As

under the protection of the Owasco; and, on the 18th, two divisions (fourteen vessels) of Porter's flotilla were moored under cover of the wood, on the shores just below Fort Jackson. To prevent the discovery of his movement, Porter had daubed the hulls of his vessels with Mississippi mud, and clothed their masts and rigging with the boughs of trees, in such a way that they could not, at a distance, be distinguished from the forest. when "Birnam wood" moved "toward Dunsinane," the strategy was successful, and his vessels were moored at desirable points without being discovered, the nearest one being two thousand eight hundred and fifty yards from Fort Jackson, and three thousand six hundred and eighty from Fort St. Philip. The remaining division (six vessels) was moored on the opposite side of the river, at a little greater distance from the forts, the hulls of the vessels screened by reeds and willows to conceal their character. The Mississippi was full to the brim. It was rising, and gradually submerging the adjacent country. The chain and its supports at Fort Jackson had been swept away by the flood, and only slight obstructions appeared in its place, composed of eight hulks and some of the cypress logs chained together.

MORTAR VESSELS DISGUISED.

The battle was begun before nine o'clock on the morning of the 18th, by a shot from Fort Jackson. As soon as Porter was ready, the Owasco opened fire, and the bombardment was commenced by the fourteen mortar-vessels, concealed by the woods, and the six in full view of the forts. Porter was in a position on the Harriet Lane to observe the effects of the shells, and he directed their range accordingly; and by ten o'clock the conflict was very warm. It was continued for several days with very little intermission, the gun-boats taking part by running up when the mortar-vessels needed relief, and firing heavy shells upon the forts.

Perceiving little chance for reducing the forts, Farragut prepared to execute another part of his instructions by running by them. On the 20th he called a council of captains in the cabin of the Hart

April, 1862.

necticut, Colonel Cahill, and Holcomb's Second Vermont battery. On the Great Republic, General Williams, with the Twenty-first Indiana, Colonel McMillen; Fourth Wisconsin, Colonel Paine, and Sixth Michigan, Colonel Cortinas. On the North America, the Thirtieth Massachusetts, Colonel Dudley, and a company each of Reed's and Durivage's cavalry. On the Will Farley, the Twelfth Connecticut, Colonel Deming.

1 On that day the Confederates sent down a "fire-ship"-a flat-boat filled with wood saturated with tar and turpentine-to burn the fleet. It came swiftly down the strong current, freighted with destruction; but it was quietly stopped in its career by some men in a small boat that went out from the Iroquois, who seized it with grappling irons, towed it to the shore, and there let it burn out in perfect harmlessness.