Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1861-10-24
The Naval Victory at New Orleans.

The following from the New Orleans Delta Of Sunday
evening, 18th us gives sunry particulars of the Ma
val engagement near the mouth of the Mississippi,
which will be found highly interesting
At midnight last night, the steamer Calhoun arrived
at the wharf foot of BIenvile street. having board
Com. Hoins. dispatch to announce her arrival had
been received from the FORT but few persons it, it
was not published Nevertheless considerable crowd
collected on the wharf about O'Clock and waited
couple of hours but when the Calhoun finally arrived
there were not more than two dozen people present
These however up hearty shout for the hero of
the naval victory.
Com HOllins went ashore Immediately and drove of
60 bis home lie excessively atgued and out,
and unable to furnish any details of the remarkable
bat he had planned and executed but from gentleman
who all through the fight, obtained the following
particulars:
The expedite started down the river from the forts
at esrly hour Saturday morning the reboats ahead
and the gunboats following. But the span of freboats
could not be controlled by the tug that attempting
guide it, and very it commenced TO slew round
and then despite every effort ran into the river bank
The plan of firing the feet Immediately aban-
d0ned by Commodore Holins the of this
accident and he proceeded down the river with the gun
boats, for the purpose of making legitimate attack up
on them
The vessels of the enemy found lying at the head of
the passes, the steam fir gate Richmond the sailing
sloop-ofwar Vinceunes the sailing soop-ofwar Preble,
and the steam gunbOat Water Witch
the bad steam up at that time peh ps none of
them would have escaped As it was. their firing,
reuvres, and general conduct showed that they
thunderstIuck and frightened.
The Manassas led the way of our little feet, and,
steering straight for of the soopsowar, right
into her. The force of the conclusion tremendous
so much to put the machinery of the Manassas
gear and render her perfectly useless, floating
about in an unmanageable condition Oh the water.
But the enemy very quick in making their ar
tn md he ctna
OF the sloOps-owar ID tow and started down the
river, makg the best speed OF which they capa-
BILE.
They defended their retreat with every gun they could
bring to bear upon their pursueIs, but their aim
wild and showed that the gunnes terreby alarmed
The McRae, Ivy and TuscarorO led our feet, and
the boats that k, pit up the fire the retreang
vessels and drove them down stream The other vessels
of orr feet followed on down as well as they could
The enemys vessel took the Southwest pass for their
of escape of them got aground on the
bar there he boats of feet then came up with
them about O'Clock, A. NJ, and firing now common
ced IN 1t being daylight they discovered the
weakness of fleet and they managed their guns in
| far ADLER manner.
For an hour the duel was kept up, but at The
end that time, Commodore HOins signaled boats
to wi thdraw from so unequal a contest in which moth
ing more was to be gained At the time OF leaving they
we're taking the Of the sloopoE war that had been
into by tie Manassas and she settling in the
water in significant manner so that there can be no
doubt OF her ouDderng, and total loss. Our informant
believes that this vessel the Vucennes and not the
| Preble reported by Commodore IIolns
Our little feet returned up the river and captured lie
cutter of the frigate Richmond which was full of
cutasses. What became of the who had thrown
down their cutlasses in such basty and aban
dOned their boat, is not known.
Returning to the head of the Passes, detachment of
men we're landed who fire to all the lumber which
the enemy bad put ashore there after bringing it such
distance and at such great ces and i: totally con-
sumed. The Manassas then taken 10 tow and all
| of the boats returned to the forts
Not one of our boats injured 10 the slightest man
ner, except the slight dsarrangemnt Of the machinery
III the Manassas but quite ready to repeat the affair
should the enemy give them chance Not a single
man any of our boats hurt 10 the least IL is
believed that all of the enemys vessels are somewhat in
ured and that there must have been many casualties
among their crews but of this nothing be known
yet