Friday, April 5, 2013

The Next Naval Expedition

The next naval expedition, which is now preparing at New York and other points, is to be commanded by Com. Farragut, and reports are abroad, some stating that it is destined for Savannah and others assigning it to the western part of the Gulf.  It will be by far the most powerful naval force yet fitted out, and will consist of the Hartford, Richmond, Pensacola and other large steam frigates, a great number of gunboats, and twenty or thirty vessels carrying mortars and thirty-two pounders.

The mortar flotilla connected with this expedition is under the command of Capt. D. D. Porter and is being hurried towards completion with all possible haste, but from its extent some weeks may elapse before all the vessels are ready to proceed to sea.  The armament being of a kind rather novel to our navy, has caused some delay in fitting out the first vessels of the flotilla, but those obstacles are now overcome, and the vessels are nearly all ready for their guns. – The mortar, which is placed amidships of each craft, weighs about 17,000 pounds, and is bored for 13-inch projectiles, the most formidable known to modern warfare.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, February 1, 1862, p. 2

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