From the Lower Mississippi

NEW YORK, March 28.

Intelligence by the steamer Constitution from Fort Monroe states that Com. Farragut’s fleet numbers 23 vessels, including the Hartford, Pensacola, Brooklyn and Com. Porter’s mortar fleet numbers 29 vessels.  The officers of the Constitution suppose the work of reducing Forts Jackson and St. Phillips, was commenced some days since.  It was supposed some of the mortar boats would take position in an inlet in the rear of Fort Jackson, while the others advance within shelling distance in the river, and endeavor to drive the enemy out of the forts.  In the meantime the gunboats would silence a battery about a mile below the forts, which protects the barricade of the river.  If the forts should continue impervious to the bombs of the mortar fleet, those acquainted with the energy of Farragut, anticipate he will take the fleet directly under the guns of the forts and by repeated broadsides of grape and shrapnel endeavor to drive the gunners from their posts.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Saturday Morning, March 29, 1862, p. 1

Ran the Blockade

NEW YORK, March 24.

The Key West letter of the 21^st says that while the captured Steamer was being chased by the Brooklyn the steamers Tennessee and Florida succeeded in making their escape out of the Mississippi, and are probably by this time in Havana.  The Tennessee had 1600 and the Florida 800 bales of cotton on board.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Tuesday Morning, March 25, 1862, p. 1

Arrival of the Kangaroo

NEW YORK, February 19.

The Kangaroo has arrived, with dates of the 6th.

The Nashville was last seen on the 3d, outside of the Needles, steaming down the channel.

There is no confirmation of the report that another Federal vessel, supposed to by the Brooklyn, was cruising off the Isla of Wright.

There were rumors of a three-masted paddle steamer, supposed to be a privateer, off Cape Ann.

At the annual meeting of the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, the blocking up of Charleston Harbor was strongly denounced, and the efficiency of the blockade questioned; but continued non-intervention was generally approved.  A letter was read from Mr. Cobden, showing the paramount importance of settling belligerent rights, and the necessity of England agreeing to the American doctrine relative to private property at sea.

Bright, in a speech at Birmingham denied the American blockade was inefficient and ridiculed the idea that America was in a position to be trampled on.  He points out the dangers of interference, and strongly urged neutrality.

It is stated that the Minister does not conceal his indignation at Earl Russell’s late letter to the Admiralty, relative to the use of British ports.  There are also considerable differences in political circles as to the policy and propriety of the act.

It is asserted that the allied powers are determined that their armies shall march on the capital of Mexico next month, and the report is revived and gains strength the Arch-Duke Maximilian will be tendered the throne of Mexico.

It is asserted that the French government is determined to revise the navigation laws.

There are popular demonstrations in Parma and Florence against the Pope’s temporal power and in favor of Victor Emanuel’s.

QUEENSTOWN, 6th. – The Federal gunboat Tuscarora left Cowes Thursday morning for the westward.

LONDON, 5th. – The Spanish Ministry deny that any arrangements have been made for Mexico, and declare that the Mexicans will be free to choose their own government.

The Paris Moniteur says the allies must complete their work by giving Mexico, in accordance with the wishes of the nation, a strong and durable government.

PARIS, Feb. 6. – A committee has been appointed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs for the regulation of the indemnity due from Mexico to France.

MADRID. Feb. 6. – Correspondence is received, saying that Sumter was still lying at St. Roche, not having funds enough to pay expenses she has incurred.

The U. S. Consul has given a banquet at Cadiz to the former prisoners of the Sumter.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, February 20, 1862, p. 1

From Corinth

BEFORE CORINTH, Miss., May 18. – The Macon Telegraph censures, in sever language, the conduct of the rebel troops at Bridgeport, by which the most important gateway to our State was opened to the enemy and the possession of all our rich deposits of coal, [iron] and salt petre, placed in imminent danger.

Martial law has been proclaimed over Charlestown and for ten miles around.

The Appeal says government wants and must have all [tin] roofs on cotton sheds in that city.

The Vicksburgh Citizen of the 9^th, says that nothing was head of the Federal Fleet.

At Tunica yesterday, a large frigate, supposed to be the Brooklyn, passed Bayou Sara at 9 o’clock, A. M. on the 8^th going down to Baton Rouge.

The Avalanche has closed doors and suspended publication on account of the approach of the Federal gunboats.

Col. Possen, commanding the post of Memphis publishes a special order from Beauregard, requiring all barks persons and corporations to take Confederate money at par, and all persons will distinctly understand that nothing in the least degree calculated to discredit the operation of the Government will be tolerated or treated as anything but disloyal.

The Richmond correspondent of the Appeal mentions, with great pain the large amount of sick confined in the hospitals at Richmond and vicinity.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 24, 1862, p. 4

Incidents of the Naval Fight on the Mississippi

The following incidents of the fight, from the correspondence of the Boston Journal, are very interesting:

CUTTING THE CHAIN ACROSS THE RIVER.

On Sunday night the gunboats Pinola and Itasca went up, under command of Flagg Captain Bell, to cut the chain.  The Pinola ran in the west bank, and after striking a sunken ship she succeeded in reaching one of the hulks, to which Mr. Kroehl, the experimenter, attached a heavy petard.  The wire connecting it to the battery on board the steamer was coiled up on de[ck] but the current ran so strong and the Pinola drifted so rapidly, that the wire was broken and the attempt failed.  In the meantime, the Itasca ran up to one of the hulks on the east side of the river, when Acting Masters Edward Jones and Amos Johnson, with eight men, boarded the schooner, and in half an hour succeeded in unshackling the chain from its moorings and dropping it down.

The following letter from Capt. Caldwell, of the gunboat Itasca, gives an account of the affair:

* * * The operator on board the Pinola did not succeed in blowing up the chain, as the connecting wire broke and the vessel could not be blown up as the current pressed the Pinola upon her with such force that it took half an hour to clear her.  The Itasca took the next schooner, and in half an hour stripped the chain, but unfortunately before she could get well clear, the current cast her over on to the east shore, grounding the schooner lashed to her and running the Itasca’s fore foot into the mud, where she remained nearly two hours exposed to the fire of both forts.  The Pinola parted two 5-inch hawsers in trying to pull her off, but at last started her with an 11-inch hawser.  After running this schooner on shore, the others swung most favorable, leaving a wide passage for the fleet.

On Wednesday night Capt. Caldwell, with Acting Master Jones, and eleven of the Itasca’s men, pulled up to the schooners after dark, to make a final reconnaissance of the schooners.  They pulled up and sounded round the schooners on the west bank, and then crossed over and did the same with the schooners on the east bank.  They found the channel more than sufficiently wide and entirely unobstructed.  The rebels had lighted a fire on the east bank exposing everything attempting to pass up, but the boat, with muffled oars, passed safely up, and made all their observations unobserved, although they could hear the orders given at the fort, and hear the men calling and talking very loudly about some business they were carrying on outside the fort.  The boat then returned and made the joyful signal, “all right” – the Itasca’s night number, two white and one red lanterns.  Soon after the flag ship hoisted another preconcerted signal, two red lanterns.  This was to get under weigh, prepare for battle and pass up the river.  Within two hours the fleet performed one of the most wonderful and brilliant feats that ever honored any navy, and made the glorious passage of the river.

CHAIN-CLAD SLOOPS OF WAR.

The most conspicuous feature in the outward appearance of the fleet was the iron-linked mail of the sloops of war Richmond, Brooklyn, and Pensacola, each of which had their engines and boilers protected by chain cables, hung in bites on the outside and triced to eyebolts and rods running fore and aft.  The chains were dropped from the height of the gun-deck to below the water-line, and connected together by strong cordage.  This was equivalent to four inch plates, provided it withstood the effects of glancing or oblique shots.  The only danger apprehended from the chains on the steamers was from raking shots tearing them off, in which case it was feared they would become entangled with the propellers.  To guard against this, some of the ships unshackled the chain in short lengths, so that it might reach astern.  The machinery of the Iroquois was protected in the same way, the credit of originating which plan is due to Assistant Engineer Hoyt of the Richmond, upon which ship it was first adopted, the other vessels following her example.

Among the most efficient of the internal arrangements for the protection of the boilers, the destruction of which by a shot or shell was the most to be dreaded, although this was not the only dangerous part of the ships, was that adopted on board the sloop of war Mississippi, the machinery of which, being more above the water line, was consequently more exposed to the fire of the enemy.  The preparations of the ship for the action involved an immense amount of labor, which engaged her officers and crew for weeks before the attack.  Under the direction of Chief Engineer Lawton, Mr. Bartleman, the First Assistant, worked night and day with a strong force, and constructed a temporary roof in the coal bunkers just below the water line, about which the heavy chain cables of the ship were packed in layers, running fore and aft. – The ends of the shaft of the Mississippi were protected by four bales of bagging on the outside of each wheel.  The bows of several of the ships, including the Richmond and Harford, were protected by sand bags piled up beneath the forecastle, and intended to be removed aft to break the force of raking shot after the ships should have passed the forts.  I alluded in a former letter to the log packing of the boilers of the gunboat Owasco.  The bulkheads of other gunboats were strengthened in like manner, and also by sand bags, and the coal bunkers of all being kept full, supplied the wants of extra barriers to shot and shell.  From the moment the sloop of war Portsmouth arrived in the river, her officers and crew engaged in putting the ship into fighting trim.  She wore a mail constructed of her sheet chains, for the protection of her bow against a raking fire, and spread a complete spar netting of strong ropes to prevent her lofty spars – cut away by cannon balls – from falling on deck.

SKILLFUL PREPARATIONS.

The sloop of war Richmond, taken altogether, was by far the best fitted ship in the squadron.  Her hull, standing rigging, and in fact every part of the vessel which could afford the least mark for the rebel artillerists, received a coating of mud paint; she wore splinter nettings running fore and after over her decks.  In addition to the iron mail, which she wore externally, her machinery was protected by sand bags, packed against her bulkheads.

The gunboats Katahdin, Lieutenant Commanding Preble, and the Harriet Lane wore their boarding nettings, and other gunboats and ships were provided wiht the same barriers against the enemy.  Many of the ships carried kedge anchors on their yard arms, and grappling hooks on their jib booms, with which to fasten the gunboats and fire rafts of the enemy.

CAPT. BOGGS’ ACCOUNT OF THE VERONA’S [sic] ACTION.

The following is an extract from a letter of Captain Boggs, of the Verona, addressed to his family in New Jersey.  It was of course, not intended for the public eye.  Sailor-like, the gallant captain identifies himself with his ship, and with as much directness and force as he fights:

MISSISSIPI RIVER,

U. S. Steamer Harriet Lane, April 23, 1862

As Captain Porter is about to dispatch a vessel for Havanna with communications for our government, I have only a few moments to say that, thanks to good Providence, I am safe, and without even a scratch.

Yesterday our great battle was fought.  The squadron passed the forts under as severe a fire as any fleet probably ever endured.  The ships were much cut up, and there were many killed and wounded.

I can only give a hasty narrative of what occurred on board the Verona, as in that you will take a special interest.

“We started at 2 o’clock, A. M., and received the first fire at 3.30, just as the moon was rising.  My vessel was terribly bruised, but we returned the fire with interest.  On passing the forts I found myself the leading ship, and surrounded by a squadron or rebel steamers, who annoyed me much by their fire; so that I steered as close to them as possible, giving to each a broadside in succession as I passed; driving one on shore, and leaving four others in flames.

“During this time the firing of guns, whistling of shot and bursting of shells was terrible; the smoke dense.  As this cleared off, finding more steamers ahead, I stopped to look for the rest of the squadron.  The ship was leaking badly; but thus far none were hurt.  Astern, I saw the Oneida engaged with a rebel steamer.  The latter shortly after came up the river, when I engaged him, but found my shot of no avail, as he was iron-clad about the bow.  He tried to run me down; and I to avoid him and reach his vulnerable parts.  During these movements he raked [me], killing three and wounding seven, and attempted to board; but we repulsed him.  Driving against me he battered me severely, but in these efforts exposed his vulnerable side, and I succeeded in planting a couple of broadsides into him, that crippled his engine and set him on fire.  He then dropped off, and as he moved slowly up the river and passed me I gave him another and parting broadside.

“I now found my ship on fire from his shells, and it was great difficulty that it was put out.  Just then another iron-clad steamer bore down and struck heavily on my port quarter, and backed off for a second blow.  This second blow crushed in my side; but at the same instant I gave him a full complement of shot and shell that drove him on shore and in flames.

“Finding myself in a sinking condition I ran my bow into the bank and landed my wounded, still keeping up a fire on my first opponent, who at last hauled down his flag.  My last gun was fired as the decks went under water.

“No time to save anything, the officers and crew escaping with the clothes they had on their backs.  We were taken off by boats from the squadron, who had now come up, the crews cheering as the Veruna went down with her flag flying; victorious in defeat, and covered with glory.

“I think we have done well.  Eleven steamers destroyed by the squadron.*  The old ram Manassas sunk by the Mississippi.

“This has been a gallant fight, no less than 170 guns playing on us.  The forts are cut off from succor, and must soon surrender.  The way to New Orleans is open, and the city is probably ours at this moment; for the fleet immediately passed up the river.

“The commodore, as a post of honor, dispatched me in my only remaining boat, with a picked crew from Veruna’s men, to carry dispatches to Gen. Butler.

Having been in the boat for twenty six hours after such a day’s previous work, you may imagine I am somewhat exhausted.  What my next position may be I do not know – perhaps to go home for another ship, or possibly to become naval aid to – Major General Butler.”

(Capt. Boggs is too modest to say that he destroyed six out of the eleven. – ED.)

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 17, 1862, p. 2



The Capture Of New Orleans

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, 29^th, 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 27^th I sent Lieut. Col. Higgins a communication, herewith inclosed [sic].  On the 28^th 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 28^th 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 26^th 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

From the New Orleans Fleet

The following letter is from William Sells, addressed to his father, the Secretary of State. – It gives us pleasure to publish it:

U. S. STEAMER MIAMI,
MOUTH MISSISSIPPI RIVER, April 6, ’62.

DEAR FATHER: – I have heard nothing from home since I left Baltimore, which was last of February. I have written you several letters since, one from Port Royal, one from Key West, and one from Ship Island. The great battle has not yet taken place, but will, quite soon, as the vessels are nearly all here. It may take place in the next 10 days, or sooner. Gen. Butler has landed some of his troops (about 6,000) at Biloxi, but for what purpose I cannot tell. The general impression here, is, that this will not only be the greatest battle of the war, but the greatest naval engagement on record. The Forts mount about 400 guns. Fort Jackson, the first, has two tiers of casemated guns, and one of barbette guns. One half mile above Fort Jackson is Fort Phillipi [sic], with one tier of guns.

Just below Fort Jackson there is an immense chain across the river buoyed on six schooners filled with wood so they cannot be sunk. At each end of the chain is a land battery but the worst place is above the chain at Englishtown. There they raked us four times; but land batteries are easily shelled out. But to take these place we are amply prepared, I think. There are some in the fleet that think we will be whipped; but I have no such thoughts. I think the men that have charge of the expedition, know their business. We have 21 bomb schooners, each carrying a 13-inch mortar, and will throw a shell three miles, and are very accurate and desperate. The shell contains 7 pounds of powder in addition, we will have about 30 war steamers, some of our best sloops and gunboats, including the Mississippi, Pensacola, Richmond, Hartford, Iroquois, Brooklyn, Harriet Lane, &c., including four New York ferry boats with immense power to tow schooners. – We have now two 9-inch guns, one rifle, four 24-puonders, and the best gunners in the fleet. For a while we did not practice much; but of late, the captain has taken hold personally.

We are to have for the fight, four more 6-inch guns from the frigate Colorado. She can’t get over the bar. Also 80 more men, which will give us a crew of 200 men. But we expect to come out of the fight with much less. All the large vessels carry a twelve pound howitzer “in the top” of each mast. They expect to go within three hundred yards of the forts and drive the gunners from their guns.

The captain of the Colorado, as he can’t get his vessel in, has volunteered to cut the chain. I have volunteered to take charge of our powder division, which is 30 men. They are also pikemen and boarders, and here, each man leads his men. –{Des Moines Register.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 10, 1862, p. 2

New York, April 28 [1862].

Further advices by the Connecticut state that the sloops of war Richmond, Hartford, Brooklyn and Iriquois [sic] were protected with a heavy chain cable from their ports to a point below their waterline previous to their attack on the Mississippi forts.

The rebel steamer Florida was captured by the U. S. bark Pursuit.

The captain of the French war steamer Milan visited Fort Jackson under a flag of truce, with a view of assisting the French residents of New Orleans who might desire to get out of the way of the impending battle. He was seized and imprisoned over night, but released the next day, and returned to his vessel greatly enraged.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Wednesday Morning, April 30, 1862, p. 1