, 1862-05-14
FARRAGUTS GREAT SUCCESS.
Letter from the Flag 1f
f1cer, Telling how they Bun th4
Forts and cune TO New Orleans.
y. 8. FLAG SHR HARr7oRp, OFF III,

c1rT OF NEw ORLEANS, April Il, 1s6a. !
6. Y. Fox, Assistant Secretary Of the Nary:
DEAR SIR: In the excitement Of the last
two days Jon must not be surprised if leave
undone many things which ought to do, and
one Of which Tas to write you On the occasion
Of my taking this city: But thank God it has
been done, and in what consider handsome
style.
had two Union men on board who had
been forced into the Confederate servIce at
Fort Jackson IS faborers or mechanics They
informed me that thcre were two forts near
The city, aud es He approached the locality
saw that we must take raking FIRE for two
mills, so4ae did not n1ince the matter, but
dashed directly AHEAD.
:. They permitted US to approach to within
en mile and quarter before they opened on
us. Captain Bailey, In tho CayugA Lieut..
Com. Harrison, was Ia advance Of me. and
though the shooting waa good, they did not
damage hts little vessel much. He fal1 back,
srd the Hartford took her place. We had
only two gunet WHICH I had plsced On the top
ga1l4nt foncasslo, that could bear on them
untn re get within half = mile. We then
'saa they never dreamed of in their
philosophy" The Fens2cola ran up after q
while, and took the 6tarboard battery
of our bands; and in fsW minutes the Brook
Ign ranged up and took & chance at my friends
on the left bank. They were eilenced IN, I
should say tweuty minutes or half an hour.
Bat cannot keep note Of time on such oe'
caslons.' only know That half OF the vessels
did not get chance at them. The river was
too barrow for more than t~o or three Vessels
to act to advantage, but Ill were go aax!oas
1nat ny greatest fear vas that would nre lato
each other, and Capt wainwright and myself
t wt Re ho31ouing ourselves hoarse at the men
not to fire Into our StfD4.
| This last affair was what cal one OF the
little eltEancits Of the profbssion--a dash ane
&victoy. Bnt the passiog Of the Forts JACK,
/ son and 5t Phillip was one Of the most s"tu
| sights snd events ever 6aT or expect 20 e1.
| Periepce. Tho smoke was 80 dense thRt II
Hss only now and then you could see any
| Thing but the flash Of the cannon aud the
| tire-ahiPs or RATS, ono OF which VIE pushed
down upon MS {the Hattford} BY the ram hau
assas, nd in my etfort 10 aso!d 1t ran ths
ship on shore, and then the fre~rats WAS push
I'd alongside, and in moment the ship Va:
one h1Azo al alene the port side, hai ~sy NJ
| to the znAtn and n1izcu tops. But thanks u
the good oIxa4 ization Of the fre department
BY Lieut. Thornton, the 6smes vera e1un
gpishsd, aod: + Tie same time !, Ts baeksa o. o.
we're pouring tia sdella into the forts, an
they into u.s.. and every now and shen seoe
f;s Steamer would get under our fra and reoeiV'
our ealutatlon OF a brund9 de-. =.
t. At length the fire slankened, the sInok
c1esred OF, and ne enw to cur surpr1se thu
re were above the forts, .and here and there
rebel gunhoat On. Arr.. As We camo up VII
them, H3ing 10 make their escape. theT wet
+ frtd into sud ridd1ed, SO that they xan ths1
on shoEe, and al who could made their escsp
+ to tie shore. =:
t + am told. 1 don't know how truly, th.
/ Gen. Lowell bad gone down that evening t
make N attnck witn thirteen gunboats, = aars
rarp Of eighteen guns, And the Manassas. Tt
Mississippi and AAnassaa made, Set at enc
] other At fau speed, and when theI were With