The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1862-05-16


the schooncrs on the left, dropping in
range Of those on the other shore, but
about 100 yards short.
Ater while, however, the rebels rot
the range Of these six vessels accurately,
and the balls fell about them, especially
from Fort Phillip, terribly thick and fast.
In return, the bombs were directed spr-
itcdly upon the fort, and with such effect
that the enemy slackened his fire.
The quick, sharp bark Of the mortors
was inccssatt Folluwii q each report is
an awful rushing whirr-rrr, rs though
/ ten thousand humming tors were whirling
In the air. Each bomb shell, when fll-
cd, weighs about 2ij pounds, and the
charge is graduated according to the dis.
tance which the missile ~ required to
reach. We use here from fifteen to TWEEN
ly pounds Of powder nt cuch discharge,
and tho length Of the fuse Is % seconds.
Watch bomb from The tine il leaves
the mortar until It cxplodcs, and Il
seems nstonshingly long on the pass-
age.
They nrc thrown at great elevation
aud describe the arc of circle in their
course, the extreme altitude Of which is
about cquul to the length Of the base. .-.
Tho practice was pronounced 60 bc cN.
ccllrrt Every bomb plunged in and
about the forts, marking The place q H.
I fall by throwing up columns olgrny earth
which looked like fountains Of muddy
water, or, it exploding in the air, y the
splnshCs which the scattered Fragments
made rs they dropprd into the river, or
sank deep into the oozy soil o I it, banks.
The crgng, was Kept up almost
Increasingly until Wednesday the 23j,
when Commodore Fnrrngut took his feet
past the forts, although they had not rur.
rendered. The con. spondcut writes on
that day.
PASSING the FORTS.
At 3o'cluck IN the morning the prcut.
er portion OF Commodore Fnrragurs
SQUADRON, consisting Of five sloops fwur
and nine guuhOats, successfully pass,d up
the river, running through fearful fire.
aud are now above the forts. The NOR
Tar ilolilla and eight armd steamers are
still below the enemy, which u thus pluc-
cd between two fires, with the supplies
from New Orleans cut of, and rendering
his surrt ndcr merely question Of time.
Ot the damage that has resulted to ci-
'hcr side, have at pres ut little kHowl-
edge. From my position with the NOR
tar vessel ! can s,s the mnsis of cur fleet
apparently three or four mics bryond the
lott-, aud the il'g Of the Union IL flying
lrom tlc top of,v,y spar,
As soon ~ The vessels got under head.
way furious fire was thrown in tic d.
rcctiun Of the forts from the whole line
of mortar vcss' lie, which seemed tu shake
the very watcrr, aud at tunes ] could
count nine hcmbs at once in their llight
~ they twihkl,d thru' tic air, radiautly
us falling stars. The rebels scrmcd cog-
infant ol cur coming, Ter tho loicmos, e
the ilcct had scrrccly gut thr vst Of the
line OF lire from the forts when signal
rockets we're made lrOm st. Phillip, aud
shot began to fall rapicly upon thcm.--
For Il time there WAS no reply; but soon
we could hear the noise of the bruadsidcs
which sounded, in comparison to the
bombs, like npack of Chinese tire. crack.
crs let of together.
The boats got past at about O'Clock
=. VI.
LETTER FROM CyM. rARRAGUT.
Com. Farrlgut, after passing the forts,
wrote the following letter 10 Com. Porter
of the mortar fleet. 1t was written when
the Flag Oilic was warm from the CON
f.ct, aud the words have the ring OF tn
hu metal to them;
DEAR puRTfR We had q rou,h time
of il, as Bugls will t. Gyuu, hut, thank
God, the number of Killed aud wounded
was very smHl, considering. This ship
had two Killed and eight wounded. We
destroyed the rUIn in n single combat be-
tween her aud the old Mississippi, hut the
ram backed out when she saw the Alissis-
sirpi coming at her ~ rumpantly, ard hp
dodgcd her aud ran on shore, whCrtupun
Smith put two ur three broa9sidcs thro'
him, aud knocked him all to pieces. The
ram push, d a fire raft On 10 me, aud got
the ship nn fro all along one side.
thought il was all up with US, but we put
il cut and got ifugai1, proceeding up the
river, fighting uur way. We have dcrlruy-
I'd all Tut two OF the gun.boats, and these
will have to surrender with the i,rts.
intend To follow up my success and push
for New Orleans aud then come down
und attend to the ttrts, 50 you hold them
in sidiu quo until come back. think
II yCu scud u ilag ot truce and demand
their surrender they will yield for their
intercourse with the city is cut of. We
have cut the wires above the Quarantine
aud are now going ahead. took 800 or
100 prisoners 1t Quarantine. They sur.
rendered, and pNrolrd til, M not to take
up arms aguiu. lcruld moi stoptl take
care of thcm. II the General will come
up 20 the bayou aud lald u few men, or
as many as he plcHScs, he will find two of
our gun boats there To protect him nom
the gun-bouts thU, nrc at the forts,
wish To get To the English Turn, where
they say they have not placed battery
yet, Tut have two above, nearer New Or
leans. rhcy will not be- idle and neither
will |. You support d us most n,bly,
Very truly yours,
u. q. FARRAGUT.
FROM EksEMONA'S DEk'ART.