U. S. FLAG SHIP HARTFORD
OFF THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS,
April 25, 1862
DEAR SIR – In the excitement of the last few days you must not be surprised if I leave undone many things which I ought to do, and one of which was to write to you on the occasion of my taking this city. But thank God it has been done, and in what I conceive a handsome style. I had two Union men on board who had been forced into the Confederate service at Fort Jackson as laborers.
They informed me that there were two forts near the city, and as we approached the locality I tried to concentrate the vessels, but we soon saw that we must take a raking fire for two miles. So we did not mince the matter, but dashed directly ahead. They permitted us to approach within a mile and a quarter before they opened on us. Capt. Bailey on the Cayuga, Lieut. Commanding Harrison, was in advance, and received most of the first fire, but although the shooting was good, they did not damage his little vessel
The Cayuga then fell back and the Hartford, took her place. We had only two guns which I had placed on the top gallant forecastle, that could bear on them, until we got within half a mile. We then steered off, and gave them such a fire “as they never dreamed of in their philosophy.”
The Pensacola ran up after a while, and took the starboard battery off our hands, and in a few minutes the Brooklyn ranged up and took a chance at my friends on the left bank but they were silenced in, I should say, twenty minutes or half an hour, but I cannot keep a note of time on such occasions.
I only know that half of the vessels did not get a chance at them. The river was too narrow for more than two or three vessels to act with advantage, but all were so anxious, that my greatest fear was that we would fire into each other, and Capt. Wainwright and myself were hallooing ourselves hoarse at the men not to fire into our ships.
This last affair was what I call one of the elegancies of the profession – a dash and a victory. But the passing of the Forts Jackson and St. Philip was one of the most awful sights I ever saw. The smoke was so dense that it was only now and then you could see anything but the flash of the cannon and the fire ship or rafts, one of which was pushed down upon us (the Hartford) by the ram Manassas, and in my effort to avoid it, ran the ship on shore, and then the fire raft was pushed alongside, and in a moment the ship was one blaze all along the port side, half way up the main and mizzen tops, but thanks to the good organization of the fire department by Lieut. Thornton, the flames were extinguished and at the same time we backed off and got clear of the raft, but all this time were pouring the shells into the forts, and they into us, and every now and then a rebel steamer would get under our fire and receive our salutation of a broadside.
At length the fire slackened, the smoke cleared off, and we saw, to our surprise, we were above the forts, and here and there a Rebel gunboat on fire, as we came up with them, trying to escape. They were fired into and riddled, so that they ran them on shore, and all who could, made their escape to the shore.
I am told, I do not know how truly, that Gen. Lovell had gone down that evening to make an attack with thirteen gunboats, a large ram of 18 guns, and the Manassas. The Manassas and the Mississippi made a set at each other at full speed, and when they were within 30 or 40 yards the ram dodged the Mississippi and run on shore, when the latter poured her broadside into her knocking away her smoke stack, and then sent on board of her, but she was deserted and riddled, and after a while she drifted down the stream full of water. She was the last of the seven we destroyed, but the large ram was till at Fort Jackson, but they say here she was sent down before she was ready, and that she will have to surrender with the forts, which I hope will be to-day or to-morrow. I will give them my attention as soon as I can settle the affairs of the city.
I demanded the surrender of the city yesterday of the Mayor, through Capt. Bailey, as the second in command. His reply was that the city was under martial law, and he would consult Gen. Lovell. His lordship said he would surrender nothing, but at the same time he would retire and leave the mayor unembarrassed.
This morning the Mayor sent his secretary and Chief of Police to see me, and say that they would call the City Council together at 10 o’clock, and give me an answer. That the General had retired, and that he had resumed the duties of his office as Mayor, and would endeavor to keep order in the city, and prevent the destruction of the property.
I sent him by his Secretary the letter No. 1 (copy inclosed). I also sent him a letter demanding the surrender of the city, in conformity with the demand made by me yesterday through Captain Bailey, copy No. 2. This morning, at 6 o’clock, I sent to Captain Morris, whose ship commanded the Mint, to take possession of it and hoist the American flag there on, which was done, and the people cheered it.
At 10 o’clock I sent on shore again, and ordered Lieutenant Kortz of the Navy, and Brown, of the Marines, with a marine guard, to hoist the flag on the Custom, but the excitement of the crowd was so great that the Mayor and Councilmen thought it would produce a conflict and great loss of life. At 11 a signal was made to the fleet for divine service, under a general order, copy No. 3.
April 26, in the afternoon having been informed that there were two forts eight miles above the city at a place called Carrolton, I determined to take a look at them and demolish them. We accordingly ran up, but to our surprise we found the gun carriages all on fire and upon examination found the guns all spiked. It was a most formidable work for Foote to encounter on his way down – a long line of defenses extending back from the river to Lake Pontchartrain, both above and below the city, on which were 29 and 30 guns each.
Immediately on my getting above the forts I sent Captain Boggs, who is now deprived of a command by the sinking of his ship which he had so nobly defended, down to Captain Porter, through the bayou at Quarantine, directing him to demand the surrender of the forts. His demand was at first refused, but the soldiers told their officer that we were in their rear, and that they would not be sacrificed. So, this morning, 29th, the gallant Bailey brought us the intelligence, in the Cayuga, Captain Harrison, that the forts had surrendered, the ram blown up, and that the American flag floats over both forts.
I have sent down for Gen. Butler’s troops to come and occupy this city, and will soon be off for Mobile. Depend upon it we will keep the stampede up.
I send Captain Bailey home as bearer of dispatches. He has done his work nobly, and that while suffering under an infirmity which required attention and repose.
I am, very truly and respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
D G FARRAGUT
Flag Officer West Gulf Block’ng Squad’n
To G V Fox, Esq., Ass’t Sec’y of Navy
U S SHIP HARRIET LANE,
April 29, 1862
SIR – The morning after the ships passed the forts I sent a demand to Col. Higgins for a surrender of the forts, which was declined. On the 27th I sent Lieut. Col. Higgins a communication, herewith inclosed [sic]. On the 28th I received a communication from him stating that he would surrender the forts, and I came up and took possession, drew up articles of capitulation and hoisted the American flag over the forts.
These men have defended these forts with a bravery worthy of a better cause. I treated them with all the consideration that circumstances would admit.
The three steamers remaining were under the command of Commander J. K. Mitchell. The officer of the fort acknowledged no connection with them, and wished in no way to be considered responsible for their acts.
While I had a flag of truce up they were employed in towing the iron floating battery of 16 guns, a most formidable affair, to place above the forts and while drawing up the articles of capitulation in the cabin of the Harriet Lane, it was reported to me that they had set fire to the battery and turned it adrift upon us. I asked the General if it had powder on board or guns loaded. He replied that he would not undertake to say what they Navy officers would do.
He seemed to have great contempt for them. I told him, “we could stand the fire and blow up if he could,” and went on with the conference, after directing the officers to look out for their ships. While drifting down on us, the guns, getting heated exploded, throwing the shot above the river. A few minutes after, the floating battery exploded with a terrific noise, throwing the fragments all over the river, and wounding one of their own men in Fort. St. Philip, and immediately disappeared under water. Had she blown up near the vessels she would have destroyed the whole of them.
When I had finished taking possession of the fort, I got under way in the Harriet Lane, and started for the steamers, one of which was still flying the Confederate flag. I fired a shot over her, and they surrendered. There was on board of them a number of naval officers and two companies of marine artillery.
I made them surrender unconditionally and for their infamous conduct in trying to blow us up while under a flag of truce, I conveyed them to close confinement as prisoners of war, and think they should be sent to the North and kept in close confinement there until the war is over, or they should be tried for their infamous conduct. I have a great deal to do here, and will send you all the papers when I am able to arrange them.
I turned over the force to Gen. Phelps. Fort Jackson is a perfect ruin. I am told that over 1,800 shells fell and burst over the center of the fort. The practice was beautiful. The next fort we go at we will settle sooner, as this has been hard to get at. The naval officer sunk one gunboat while the capitulation was going on, but I have one of the others, a steamer, at work, and hope soon to have the other.
I find that we are to be the “hewers of wood and drawers of water,” but as the soldiers have nothing here in the shape of motive power, we will do all we can. I should have demanded unconditional surrender, but with such a force in your rear, it was desirable to get possession of these forts as soon as possible. The officers turned over everything in good order except the walls and building[s], which are terribly shattered by the mortars.
Very respectfully,
D D PORTER,
Commanding flotilla.
To Flag Officer D G FARRAGUT
U S STEAMER HARRIET LANE,
Mississippi River, April 30, 1862
I inclose herewith the capitulation of forts Jackson and St. Phillip, which surrendered to the mortar flotilla on the 28th day of April, 1862. I also inclose in a box, forwarded on this occasion, all the flags taken in the two forts, with the original flag hoisted on Fort St. Phillip when the State of Louisiana seceded – Fort Jackson is a perfect wreck.
Everything in the shape of a building in and about it was burned up by the mortar shells, and over 1,800 shells fell in the work proper, to say nothing of those which burst over and around it. I devoted but little attention to Ft. St. Phillip, knowing that when Jackson fell St. Phillip would follow. The mortar flotilla is still fresh. Truly the backbone of the rebellion is broken.
On the 26th of the month I sent six of the mortar schooners to the back of Fort Jackson to block up the bayous and prevent supplies from getting in. Three of them drifted over to Fort Livingston, and when they anchored the fort hung out a white flag and surrendered. – the Kittatinny, which had been blockading there for some time, sent a boat in advance of the mortar vessels, and reaching the shore first, deprived them of the pleasure of hoisting our flag over what had surrendered to the mortar flotilla. Still the fort is ours, and we are satisfied. I am happy to state that officers and crew are all well and full of spirits.
I have the honor to remain,
Your obedient servant,
David G [sic] PORTER
To Hon. G. WELLES
Burlington, Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 17, 1862, p. 1
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