Saturday, February 5, 2011

From the Gulf

WASHINGTON, May 21. – Voluminous dispatches are received from the Gulf go-day.  They relate principally to the details of the recent movements connected with the capture of New Orleans.  The vessels of the fleet have been judiciously distributed under Com. Lee, going up as far as Vicksburgh for purposes which it would be improper to state.

It appears from documents that Com. Farragut carried out his instructions to the letter and was cheerfully sustained by all under his command.

On our forces occupying Pensacola, the Mayor promised that the citizens would behave themselves peacefully.  The rebels had evacuated the place on hearing that our steamers the day before were going to run into Mobile bay and that the squadron and mortar boats would soon follow.

Com. Porter left Ship Island on the 7th with a steamer belonging to the mortar fleet and the Sachem for Mobile bar, for the purpose of fixing a place for the mortar vessels to lie and plant buoys for the ships to run in by when they should arrive.  Great excitement seemed to exist within the forts at the progress of the fleet.

There was reason to believe that Fort Gains was evacuated and that the troops there were leaving to reinforce fort Morgan.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 24, 1862, p. 3

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