The Sun.
London, England, 1862-05-23 00:00:00

" REPORT OF COMMODORE FARRAGUT.

" United States Flagship Hartford, at anchor off
the City of New Orleans, April 29.

" Sir,—l am happy to announce to you that our
fl ig waves over both Forts Jackson and St. Philip
and at New Orleans over the Custom-house. I am
taking every means to secure the occupation by
General Butler of all the forts along the coast.
Berwick's Bay and Fort Pike have been abandoned ;
in fact, there is a general stampede. I shall en-
deavour to follow it up. I am bringing up the
troops as fast as possible. We have destroyed all
the forts above the city, four in number, which are
understood to be all the impediments between this
and Memphis.

" I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
"D. G. FARRAGUT,
Flag-officer, Gulf Blockading Squadron
"Hon. Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy,
Washington, D.C."

" United States Flagship Hartford, off the City
of New Orleans, April 29.
" Dear Sir,—ln 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 you on the occasion of my taking this
city. But, thank God, it has been done, and in
what I conceive a handsome manner. I had two
Union men on board who bad been forced into the
Confederate service at Fort Jackson as labourers.
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. Captain Bailey,
In the Cayuga, Lieutenant Commanding Harrison,
was in advance, and received the 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. Then you
could not see anything but the flash of the cannon
and the fireships, or rafts, one of which was pushed
down upon us (the Hartford) by the ram Ma-
nassas, and in my effort to avoid it ran the ship on
shore; and then the fire-raft was pushed alongside,
r.nd in a moment the ship was one blaze all along
the port side, halfway up the main and mizen tops,
but, thanks to the good organisation of the fire de-
partment by Lieut. Thornton, the flames were ex-
tinguished, and at the same time backed off and got
clear of the raft, but all this time were pouring the
flhells into the forts and they into us, and every
now and then a rebel steamer would get under our
fire, and reeeive 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
come up with them trying to make their 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 Gene-
ral Lovell had gone down that evening to make an
attack, with 13 gunboats, a large ram of 18 guns,
and the Manassas. The Manassas and the Missis-
sippi made a set at each other at full speed, and
'when they were within 30 or 40 yards the ram
dodged the Mississippi and ran on shore, when the
latter poured her broadside into her, knocked away
her smoke tack, and then sent on board her, but
eho was deserted and riddled, and after awhile she j
drifted down the stream fall of water. She VMS the
last of the 11 we destroyed, but the larger ram was
still at Fort Jackson ; but they say here that 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 Captain Bailey, as the second
in eommand. His reply was that the city was
under martial law, and he would consult General
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 he 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 endea-
vour to keep order in the city, and prevent the de-
struction of property. I sent him by his secretary
the letter No. 1 (copy enclosed). I also sent him a
letter demanding the surrender of the city, in con-
formity with the demand made by me yesterday
through Capt. Bailey (copy N 0.2). This morning,
at 6 a.m., I sent to Capt. Morris, whose ship com-
manded the Mint, to take possession of it, and hoist
tae American flag thereon, which was done, and the
people cheered it.
" At 10 I went on shore again, and ordered Lieut.
Xostz of the navy, and Brown, of the marines, with
a marine guard, to hoist the flag on the Custom.
house, 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-car-
riages 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
defences 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 firEt refused, but the soldiers told their officers
that we were in their rear and that they would not
be sacrificed. So this morning, the 29th, the gallant
Bailey brought ns the intelligence in the Cayuga,
captain Harrison, that the forts had surrendered,
the ram was blown up, and that the American flag
floats over both forts. I have sent down for
General Butler's troops to come up and occupy this
city, and will soon be off for Mobile. Depend upon
it we will keep the stampede up.
" I sent Captain Bailey home as bearer of de-
spatches. He liar done his work nobly, and that
while suffering under an infirmity which required
attention and repose.---1 am, very truly and respect-
fully, your obedient servant,
" D. G. FARRACUT, Flag Officer,
Western Gulf Blockading Squadron.
" To G. V. Fox, Esq., Assistant-Secretary
of Navy."
Here follows the letter from Flag-officer Farragut,
dated the 26th of April, to the Mayor of New
l Inrleans, which has already been published, demand
g the surrender of the city of Now Orleans.
The following is Commodore Porter's report to
Commodore Farragut
6, United States Ship Harrietf Lane, April 29.
" Sir,—The morning
towaas
Co!.teir the ships passed the
Higgins. for a surren-
dor of the forts, which
a declined. On the 27th
I sent Lieut.-Col. Higgins
ommunieation, here-
with enclosed, asking again
for the
surrender. His
answer is enclosed. On the 28th I received a com-
munication from him stating that he would surren-
der the forts, and I camp 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 considera-
tion that circumstances would admit.

g' The three steamers remaining were under the I
command of Commander J. K. Mitchell. The officer
of the fort acknowledged no connexion 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 a place above
the forts, and while drawing up the articles of capi-
tulation in the cabin of the Harriet Lane it was
reported to me 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 riot undertake to say what the navy
officers would do. He seemed to have great con-
tempt for them. I told him we could stand the fire
and blow-up if he could,' and went on with the con-
ference, 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 frag-
ments all over the river, and wounding one of their
own men in Fort St. Philip, and immediately die.
appeared under water. Had she blown up near the
vessels she would have destroyed the whole of them.
" When I bad finished taking possession of the
forts,got under way in the Harriet Lane, and
starte I
d for the steamers, one of which was still fly-
ing 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 uncon-
ditionally, 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 perfect ruin. I am told that over
1,800 shells fell in and burst over the centre 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 officers 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 surren-
der, but with such a force in your rear, it was desir-
able to get possession of these forts as soon as pos-
sible. The officers turned over everything in good
order, except the walls and building, which were
terribly shattered by the mortars.

- " Very respectfully,
"D. D. PORTER, Commanding Flotilla.
" To Flag Officer D. G. Farragut."

" THE CAPITULATION OF THE FORTS.
" United States Steamer Harriet Lane,
Mississippi River, April 30.

" Sir,—l enclose herewith the capitulation of
Forts Jackson and St. Philip, which surrendered to
the mortar flotilla on the 28th day of April. I also
enclose in a box, forwarded on this occasion, all the
flags taken in the two forts, with the original flag
hoisted on Fort St. Philip when the State of
Louisiana seceded. Fort Jackson is a perfect wreck.
Everything in the shape of a building in and out
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 Fort St. Philip, knowing that
when Jackson fell St. Philip would follow. The
mortar flotilla is still fresh. Truly the back-
bone 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 getting in. Three
of them drifed over to Fort Livingston, and when
they anchored the fort hung out a white flag and
surrendered, The Kittatinny, which had been
hlnpkading there fur soma time, sent a boat in ad-
vance of the mortar vessels, and reaching the shore
first, deprived them of the pleasure of hoisting our
flag over what bad surrendered to the mortar flo-
tilla. Still the fort is ours, and we aro satisfied.
I am happy to state that officers and crew are all
well and full of spirits.—l have the honour to re-
main your obedient servant,
"To the Hon. G. Welles." "D. D. PORTER.

" TERMS OF CAPITULATION.
"United States Ship Harriet Line, Fort
Jackson and St. Philip, Mississippi
River, April 23.

"By articles of capitulation entered into this
28th day of April, 1862, between David D. Porter,
Commander United States Navy, commanding
United States mortar flotilla, of the one part. and,
Brigadier-General J. R. Duncan, commanding the
coast defences, and Lieutenant-Colonel E. Higgins,
commanding Forts Jackson and St. Philip, of the
other part, it is mutually agreed :
" 1. That Brigadier-General Duncan and Lieut.-
Colonel Higgins shall surrender to the mortar flo-
tilla Forts Jackson and St. Philip, the arms, muni-
tions of war, and all the appurtenances thereto
belonging, together with all public property that
may be under their charge.
" 2. That Brigadier-General Duncan and Lieut.-
Colonel Higgins, together with the officers under
their command, shall be permitted to retain their
side-arms, and that all private property shall be
respected. Furthermore, that they shall give their
parole of honour not to serve in arms against the
United,States until they are regularly exchanged.
" 3. It is furthermore agreed by Commander D.
D. Porter, commanding the mortar flotilla on the
part of the United States Government, the non-
commissioned officers, privates, and musicians shall
be permitted to retire on parole, their commanding
and other officers becoming responsible for them,
and that they shall deliver up their arms and ac-
coutrements in their present condition, provided
that the expenses of the transportation of the men
shall be defrayed by the Government of the United
States.

" On the signing of these articles by the contract-
ing parties, the forts shall be formally taken pos-
session of by the United States naval forces, com-
prising the mortar fleet, the Confederate flag shall
be lowered, and the flag of the United States hoisted
on the flagstaffs of Forts Jackson and St. Philip.
"In the agreement of the above, we, the under-
signed, do herewith set our hands and seals.
"DAVID D. PORTER, Commanding Mortar Flotilla.
"W. B. RENSHAW, Commander, United States Navy.
"J. M. WAINWRIGHT, Lieutenant Commanding
Harriet Lane.
"J. R. DUNCAN, Brigadier-Genet a], Commanding
Coast Defences.
"EDWARD HIGGINS, Lieut.-Colonel C.S.A., Com-
manding Forts Jackson and St. Philip.

"Witnesses a
Etow. Nicliots, Lieut, Commanding Winona.
" 3. IL It-youd.', Lieut. Commanding Kanawha."

" REPORT OF THE COMMANDER OF THE CAYUGA.
"United States Gunboat Cayuga, off New
Orleans , April 25.
Flag Officer,—Your boldly conceived and splen-
didly executed plan of battle having resulted in
perfect success, leaves me time to make up the re-
port of my division.
" You will find in Lieutenant Commanding Har-
rison's report an accurate outline of the noble part
taken by the Cayuga, under his command, and
bearing my divisional flag.
"We led off at 2 a.m., in accordance with your
signal, and steered directly up the stream, edging a
little to starboard, in order to give room for your
division.

"I was followed by the Pensacola in fine style,
the remainder of my division following in regular
and compact order,
" We were scarcely above the boom when we
were discovered, and Jackson and St. Philip opened
upon us. We could bring no gun to bear, but
steered directly on. We were struck from stem to
stern. At length we were more close up with St.
Philip, when we opened with grape and canister.
Scarcely were we above the line of fire when we
found ourselves attacked by the rebel fleet of gun-
boats. This was hot, but more congenial work.
" Two large steamers now attempted to board

our starboard bow, another astern, a third on our
starboard beam; the 9-inch Dahigren being turned
on this fellow, we fired at a range of 30 yards. The
effect was very destructive. She immediately steered
inshore, ran aground, and sank.
" The Parrot gun on the forecastle drove off one
on the bow, while we prepared to repel boarders,
so close was our remaining enemy. About this time
Baggs and Lee came dashing in, and made a finish
of the rebel boats-11 in all.
,c In the gray of the morning wo discovered a
camp with the rebel flag flying. We opened with
canister at 4 p.m.
" We received the sword and flag of Colonel Szy-
manski and his command of five companies, arms,
and camp equipage. While engaged at this point
we observed the Vurana in conflict with a number
of gunboats. She had been butted by one of them
and sunk, but with her forward guns still above the
water, she was bravely maintaining the fight, driv-
ing off her enemies and saving her crew. In-
forming Captain Lee of the Oneida, who had also
been engaged with the enemy, of the Vurana's
situation, he instantly steamed up and made a finish
of the rebel boats. The remainder of the fleet now

came up, the Mississippi, that had been de-

tained below, with the Manassas and another iron-
clad. After this everything passed under your
observation.

" The pleasant duty now remains of speaking of
the Cayuga and her brave officers and crew. From
first to last Lieutenant Commanding M. B. Harri-
son displayed a masterly ability in steering his
vessel past the forts under a hurricane of shot and
shell, and afterwards in manoeuvring and fighting
her among the gunboats.
" I cannot say too much for him. He was gal-
lantly sustained by Lieut. George H. Perkins and
Acting-Master Thomas H. Martin. These officers
have my unbounded admiration. I must, in con-
clusion, express the pleasure which I experienced
in witnessing the seamanlike manner in which all
the ships were handled. The reports of the divi-
sional captains will inform you of the particular
part borne by each ship.—Respectfully, your obe-
dient servant, _

‘i J. BAILEY, Captain Commanding
Division of tho Red.
" To Flag-officer D. G. Farragut, Commander-
in-Chief, &e., Now Orleans."
The following are additional despatches respect
ing the cap iure of New Orleans :

74 THE PASSAGE OF TIIE VESSELS PAST THE FORTS.

" United States Steamer Harriet Lane,
Mississippi River, April 25.

" Sir,—l have the honour to inform you that
Flag-officer Farragut, with the fleet, passed Forts
Jackson and St. Philip in the morning of the 24th,
and should be in New Orleans by this time, as he
can meet with no obstacles such as he has already
passed, the way being comparatively open before
him. _ _

" We commenced the bombardment of Fort Jack-
son on the 18th, and continued it without intermis-
sion until the squadron made preparations to move.
The squadron was formed in three lines to pass the
forts. Captain Bailey's division, composed of the
following vessals, leading to the attack of Fort St.
Philip :—Cayuga, Pansacola, Mississippi, Oneida,
Vurana, Katanden, Kin eo, Wisahiken ; Flag Officer
Farragut leading the following (second line)—Hart-
ford, Brooklyn, Richmond; and Commander Bell
leading the third division, composed of the follow-
ing vessels—Sciotu, Iroquois, Pinola, Winona,
Itasca, and Kennebec.
" The steamers belonging to the mortar flotilla,

one of them towing the Portsmouth, were to enfilade
the water battery commanding the approaches—

mortar steamers Harriet Lane, Westfield, Owasco,
Clifton, and Marine, the Jackson towing the Ports-
mouth.
" The vessels were rather late in getting under
way and into line, and did not get fairly started
until 3.30 a.m., and the unusual bustle apprised the
garrison that something was going on.
" In an hour and ten minutes after the vessels had
weighed anchor they had passed the forts under a
most terrific fire, which they returned with interest.
The mortar fleet rained down shells on Fort Jackson
to try clad knop the. men from the guns. while the
steamers of the mortar fleet poured in shrapnel upon
the water battery commanding the approach, at a

short distance, keeping them comparatively quiet.

" When the last vessel of ours could bo seen among
the fire and smoke to pass the battery, signal was
made to the mortars to cease firing, and the flotilla
steamers were directed to retire from a contest that

would soon become unequal.
" It was now daylight, and the fleet having passed
along the forts, began to pay their attention to our
little squadron of steamers, the Portsmouth, which
was being towed up, and three of the gunboats

which failed to pass through.
" These latter became entangled in some wrecks
and chains placed in the river to obstruct, and which
were only partially removed.

" One of these vessels (the Winona) got through
as far as Fort St. Philip, but having all the guns
bearing on her she sensibly retired.
" The Itasca was fairly riddled, and had a shot
through her boiler,and theKennebec escaped unhurt.
"I am disposed to think that our squadron re-
ceived but little damage, considering the unequal
contest-142 guns on board ship opposed to 100 on
shore, placed in a most commanding position. For
20 minutes after the ships passed, the forts fired very
feebly on the vessels that remained outside—so
much so that the Portsmouth was enabled to drop
with the current out of gunshot, though the shot
fell pretty freely about her at last. I think the fire
from the ships must have been very destructive of
life.

" Tho last we saw of our vessels they were stand-

ing the river. Some explosion took place, which
made us feel rather uneasy, but which may have
been the rebel gunboats. We could see that our
squadron had not destroyed all the enemy's vessels
at the fort, for three or four of them were moving
about in all directions, evidently in a state of ex-
citement.

" Before the fleet got out of sight it was reported
to me that the celebrated ram Manassas was com-
ing out to attack us ; and sure enough there she was,
apparently steaming along shore, ready to pounce
upon the apparently defenceless mortar vessels.
Two of our steamers and some of the mortar vessels
opened fire on her ; but I soon discovered that the
Manassas could harm no one again, and I ordered
the vessels to save their shot. She was beginning to
emit smoke from her ports or holes, and was disco-
vered to be on fire and sinking. Her pipes were all
twisted and riddled with shot, and her hull was also
well cut up. She had evidently been used up by
the squadron as they passed along.
" I tried to save her as a curiosity by getting a
hawser round her and securing her to the bank ; but
just after doing so she faintly exploded. Her only
gnn went off, and, emitting flames through her
bow port, like some huge animal, she gave a plunge
and disappeared under the water.

" Next came a steamer on fire, which appeared to
be a vessel of war belonging to the rebels, and after
her two others, all burning, and floating down the
stream. Fires seemed to be raging all along the 'up
river,' and we suppose that our squadron were burn-
ing and destroying the vessels as they passed along.
It appears, however, that the M'Rae, one or two
river boats, and their celebrated floating battery
(brought down the night before) were left unhurt,
and were still flying the Confederate flag.
" The matter of the floating battery becomes a very
serious affair, as they are all hard at work at Fort
Jackson mounting heavy rifled guns on it, which
are of no further use to them in the fort. She
mounts 16 guns, is almost as formidable a vessel as
the 'Merrimac, perfectly shotproof, and has four
powerful engines in her. I shall, at all events, take
such steps as will
enemy in the rear. Tuffs
one
I of
any-
thing, and prevent her from destroying
we may still hold her in check with the
steamers, though they are rather fragile for such a
service.
the
supposei ll
the effects
ships
hp of f
fired
o n h an
n
r
as they passed through, but resisted
the shot. She hadsteam on this morning and was
moving about quite
I tried to put some
mortar shell through her roof, but without effect,
as she moved off.
" The forts are now cat off from all communication
presume that with New Orleans, as I pre
at Flag-officer
Farragut has cut the wires. I have sent the Miami
round with General Butler to the back of Fort St.