The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-09-29
OUR NAVAL CORRESPONDENCE.
UNITED STATES STEAMER RHODE ISLAND,
Sautemhp- 1a 1871

OUR NAVAL CORRESPONDENCE.
UNITED STATES STEAMER RHODE ISLAND
September %, 1861. !
By the steamer Connecticut that left Fort Pckens two
days before arrived had supposed you would have
received intelligence of the gallant cutting out and do
structon Of the prvateer schooner Judith from under tho
guns OF he Navy Yard but fell in with the Con-
nectcut on her way in shall tell you the story
heard 1t from eye witness. The Flag Officer
having determined 10 send boat expedition
to tho Yard, the 18th inst. selected for
II 10 como on. Sevcnty-nve and officers,
under command Of Lieutenant John Russell, well
armed and equipped and distributed In four boats with
orders to enter the bay through the passage tho lower
end Of the Island. AZ eleven O'Clock p. NJ. tho party
started on their pcrlous undertaking, and Proceeded
tosy through the pass rto the bay where they boated
their and dropped nosoessy down towards the Navy
Yard with the tide The plan Of attack for Il the
boats to land in tho yard and spike the guns
a battery lately erected, and then assist the other
two boats that to board the schooner The exped
ton having approached to within quarter Of mile Of
tho vessel which lying with her stern just
inside tho slip, whero the dry deck was
formerly nOored, began TO congratulate them
selves that thoy would mako easy capture,
when a sentry gave tho ALARM which Immediately
communicated to tho Our boys, seeing that no
time TO DO lost rushed down in gallant style the
bow aud Of ,he schooner and boarded. The
on board had made tho best Of their time and
depressei their guns 10 bear on tho boas, but
the Coiorados, not Winding tho shswer Of
balls that fell around and among them
jumped deck and after hand to hand fight had
possession OF tho prize Only OF the boats that
detailed reached there the tide having swept the
past The officer in charge turned to the assistance
OF the boarding party and carried his board
one OF the boats already alongside.
The alarm had now spread TO tho troops stationed in
the yard, who commenced TO Iove down towards the
Of action 1t being impossible to take the schooner
out she set fire and party retreatsd in good
order to their boats. Before leaving they gave
'ne '"bas parting salute from the rilsd
howitzcr IN tho launch, whose oiese range eyi.
uenNy did rnu.i- as the next day seven
loads of pine boxes supposed to be INTENDED for
collins, counted by of Colonel Wilson's officers,
who also two men hanging by the neck to the flag
staff probably the senys the wharf when the attack
was made.
Both officers and engaged in this ltb affair
behaved with the greatest coolness and courage,
having accomplished thoroughly what they
dertook. Our loss amounted 70 three killed
and fifteen wounded nearly all doing VOL We That
this success will DO followed up by attack Tho Navy
Yard there comparatively few troops there now,
while we with the Of Fort Pickens can muster
very respectable force dcscrter who came over To
Fort Pckcns short time ago, stated that large
number Of Brnggs had deserted and that al were
dissatisfied with their position
Ny letter from Key West informed you that we were
10 leave tho following day for Fort Pckens. Our prn
cipal object In hurrying down there 10 dc.
liver dispatches TO Flag Officer lervinc, inform
ing him Of his detachment from command Of the
Gulf squadron, and ordering him home in ship, and
to Captain Mexican, of the Niagara, to assume tho
mand After delivering the order TO the Flag officer we
left for the Niagara Southwest Pass where arrived
on the morning Of the goth nst and gave Captain Nc
Kean intelligence Of his promotion. On the same evening
we left for Fort Pcens and arrived on the 2st al Eve
O'Clock r. d. Flag Oicer Mesvne left the Colorado under
salute of fifteen guns, and transferred tho flag 10 this
ship At nine O'Clock p. N. eaid again for Southwest
Pass, arrived the following morning, when Flag Officer
Mervinc delivered the command of the squadron
Captain Mexican, whose flag hosted board of tho
Niagara, with salute Of fifteen guns.
On the Goth inst expedition up the from
the Niagara for the purpose of capturing steamer called
the lay that has been towering around for time
past but they got wind Of the affair and did
down. This steamer has been in the habit H running
out to the mouth Of the Pass and firing at ships and
hoistipg the American rag, Union down, be-
meath the Confederate colcrs. They content them
selves with this cowardly show and keep out Of range
of our big gus The evening that took Anal de-
partare from the Niagara he 22d) the same steamer
boldly out and steereG directly Tor us, went TO
quarters md hove short on the chan but unfortunately
the steam was too start in pursuit OF her ard we
had forego the pleasure Of bringing him 10
for his impudeEcc.
From one Of the officers Of the Richmond
heard the following account of an expedition up the lass
aOutre that came of tho 10th inst, The rebels h,y
ing established telegraph staton ~ the Pass, in
the habit Of communicating intelligence OF the
mens OF the squadron to New ioius Captain Pope,
of the Richmond, determined TO OF their c4rmrn
cation, and II possible remove the batteries, &c.
lie accordingly reinforced the crew Of tho
steamer Water ,-o witch WIN , number Of men
Lieutenant Commanding Winsiow 30 proceed up the
river and destroy the station The Water Witch
party without any difficulty who succeeded destroying
the wires and sub nariue cable that with
the New Orleans line They also brought of boat al
or the apparatus composed Of powerful batteries
cups, &c, As the boats returned to the Wafer
witch a steamboat, which had been watching
their movements, came down within range aud fred
a shot winch tfa Water Wrch Immediately returned
with several rounds Of grape and cAistcr doing con-
siderable damage as the spn,ers were seen flying all
directions. The steamboat, not relslg Uncle -am's
pills. rctrcatcd up the river followed by the Water Witch
After chase Of twenty miles our side was obliged 30
haul Off, having approached as near as pru-
don't 10 masked battery shore. AS soon
as sand bags aud guns arrive from Tortugas the
Richmond will commence battery " m,uat thirteen
guns at the junction Of the 5. s. f., and ass- 0utre,
which will command the passage OF that part of tho
river The only difficulty they VIII have TO contend with,
win be the fire from basery en- the opposite side Of the
Hoyt FIRST assistant sineer Of the Richmond viii su-
perintend the construction.
Sept. 2s--At nine A, NJ. saw steamer standing samo
way; on pearer apr ach discovered her to e iba
Connecticut that loft Fort Pickcas days be-
fore u.s. So ,ha, we have beat her time considc ably
having made trip tn Key west and Fort lckens and
ba w here in twenty days.
sclt. 25si okc STEAMER Marion from Havana For New
York, lat Is aorh lon 70 AZ est thi yas engers
Sumo day, seven p. W., spoke English b X Cognomen
tn! ee DAY from Cienfnegos bound posfn with sugar.
of CAP Csernavera, lat. rs 27 morrill, ion. ~ west.