The Sun.
London, England, 1863-04-14 00:00:00

THE ATTACK ON PORT HUDSON.

Thr New Orleans Era of March 13 gives the fol-
lowing account of the naval attack on Port

Hudson :

" The fleet of Admiral Farragut was composed of
,he following ships:—The Hartford (flagship),

Captain Palmer ; Richmond, Commander Alden ;
Mississippi, Commander Smith ; Monongahela,
Captain M'Kinstry ; Genesee, Captain Macomb ;
Albatros, Lieutenant-Commander Hart ; Kinio,
Lieutenant-Commander Waters. These vessels were

designed to attack the batteries in the order enume-
rated below :—The Hartford, with the Albatros
made fast to her port side ; the Richmond, with
the Genesee on her port side; the Monongahela,
with the Kinio on her port side; the Mississippi
being alone. The mortar fleet, which consisted of
six schooners, the iron-clad Essex, and the gunboat
Sachem, the whole under Commander Caldwell, of
the Essex, proceeded on Friday evening to within
shelling distance of the rebel batteries, where they
remainmd at last accounts. At a quarter past nine
o'clock on the night of the 14th, every preparation

having been made for an advance, a signal was
made from the flagship for the fleet to get under
way, the fleet at this time being at anchor off the
head of Profit Island, within three miles of the
enemy's works. The enemy was duly apprised of
the intentions of the fleet by rockets, which were
sent up
as fromthe Hartfordtneshore oppositeeamewithin range of the Port Hudson. As
batteries they opened a brisk fire upon her.
She returned the fire by a whole broadside, and
continued pouring shot and shell into the
enemy's works until she had succeeded in passing
the batteries. When last seen, the Hartford was
steaming up the river in gallant style. The Rich-
mond, the next ship in line of battle, followed the
motions of the flagship, passed the principal bat-
tpearsi
se
es
d, andthr
ehuagdh justher
chest,th the
temporarily dis-
abling
point, when a shot
her, and compelling Commander Alden to
Commander A. B. Cummings, was standing on the
drop down stream. Her executive officer, Lieut.-
bridge, encouraging and cheering the men, when a
shot from the rebel batteries struck his left leg be-
low the knee, severing it from his body and knock-
ing him from his post. Commander Alden, who
was standing beside him, was knocked from the
bridge by a hammock, displaced by the same shot
which wounded Mr. Cummings, but fortunately
sustained no injury. The loss on the Richmond
was three killed and 10 wounded. A boatswain's

mate, who had both his legs, his right arm, and lel
hand cut off by the explosion of a shell, as he fe
to the deck, with his last breath exclaimed, in lan
guage worthy of a Lawrence, `Don't give up the
ship, lads.' The only casualty among the officers
of the Richmond was that of Lieut.-Commander
Cummings. The ship received several shots in her
hull, but was only temporarily disabled. The
Genesee, which was alongside of the Richmond,
being unable to stem the current with her in tow,
was obliged to drop down stream with her. She
had three men slightly wounded. The Monon-
gahela and the Kinio were next in the line of battle.
Captain M'Kinstry was struck from the bridge
early in the action, and was carried below. The
command of the vessel devolving upon Lieu-
tenant Thomas, a young and gallant officer, he es-
sayed to follow the flagship; but from the dense
smoke which enveloped the ship the pilots were
unable to keep the channel, and the ship grounded
directly under fire of the principal batteries, where
she remained backing her engines for 25 minutes.
She finally succeeded in getting off, through the
exertions of the Kinio, which was handled in a most
admirable manner, although her rudder was jammed
by a shot between the rudder and stern-post, ren-
dering the vessel almost unmanageable. Having
succeeded in gaining deep water, the Monongahela
steamed up the river, when her crank pin becoming
heated she was unable to proceed, and dropped down
to the position of the mortar fleet. The loss on the
Monongahela was six killed and 20 wounded, in-
cluding several officers. No loss has been reported
on the Kinio. The Mississippi, in obedience to the
order of Admiral Farragut, brought up the rear.
She had reached the point directly opposite the
town, and her officers were congratulating them-
selves upon having passed through the greater
danger, the ship up to this time not having sustained
a single casualty. The Monongahela not being in
sight orders were given to increase the speed, in
order to close up the space between the ships. The
atmosphere being humid, the smoke hanging close
to the surface of the river, nothing being discernible
but the flashes of our own and the enemy's pieces,
the ship, which had acquired rapid headway,
grounded on the right bank of the river, opposite
the terminus of the Port Hudson and Clinton Rail-