The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1862-05-24
Operations at New Orleans.
OFFICIAL REPORT OF GEN. BUTLER.
HEAD QUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE GULy,)
FoRrs JACKSON AND Sr. PHILLIP,

HEAD QUARTERS DEpARrnESf OF THE GULy,)
FoRrs JACKSON AND ST.. PHILLIP,
April 20, 1862. }
To Hon. E. N. Stanton, Secretary Of War
Sir II have The honor to report that, in ODE
dience to my instructions, I remained on the
Mississippi river, with the troops named in my
former dispatch, awaiting the action of the feet
in the bombardment of the Forts jackson and
St. Phillip.
Failing to reduce them after six days of in
cessant fire, Flag Officer Farragut determined to
attempt their passage with his whole feet, ex
cept that portion thereof under the immediate
command Of Captain Porter, known as the NOR
tar feet
got under weigh, and twelve vessels, including
the four sloops-of-war, ran the gauntlet of the
fire of the forts and were safely above. Of the
gallantry, courage and conduct of this heroic
action, unprecedented in naval warfare, con
sidering the character of the works and the
river, too much cannot be said: Of its casual
ties and the details of its performance the
Flag Officer will give an account TO the proper
department. I witnessed this daring exploit
from point about eight hundred yards from
Fort jackson, and unwittingly under it's fire,
and the sublimity OF the scene can never be ex.
ceeded. y
The feet pressed on up the river to New Or
leans, leaving two gunboats to protect the quar-.
antine station, five miles above
In case the forts were not reduced and Dor
ton of the feet got by them, It had been ar
ranged between the Flag Officer and myself, that
l should make landing from the Gulf side, in
the rear Of the forts at the quarantine, and from
thence attempt Fort st. Phillip by storm and
assault while the bombardment Was continued
by the feet
immediately went to Sable Island with nv
transports, twelve miles In the rear of Fl. st.
Philip, the nearest point at which q sufficient
depth Of water could be found for them. Can't
Porter put at my disposal the Miami, drawing
seven and one-half feet, being the lghtest
draught vessel in the feet, to take the troops
from the feet as far in as the water would al.
low. We were delayed twenty -four hours by
her running ashore at Pass aPOutre. The 28th
Regiment Massachusetts, volunteers, Colonel
Jones, were then put on board her and carried
within six miles Of the fort, where she again
grounded. 1aa7
Captain Everett, of the 9Th Nassachusstt,
battery, having very fully reconnoitered the wa
ters and bayous in that vicinity, and foreseeine
the necessity, 1 had collected and brought With
me some thirty boats, into which the troops
we're again transhipped and conveyed by most
fatiguing and labOrious row some four and
half miles further, there being within one mile
of the steamer only two and half feet water.
A large portion of this passage was agsinst a
heavy current through bayou. At the en-.
trance Of Aameel's Canal, mile and q half from
the point OF landing, rowing became impossible,
% well from the narrowness of the canal as the
strength of the current, which ran like mill.
race. Through this the boats could only be i'm.
PEELED BY dragging them singly, with the men
up to their waists in water. It is due to this
hne regiment, and to portion of the 4th Wis
consin volunteers and 2lst Indiana, who landed
under this hardship without I murmur. that
their iabors should be made known to the depart.
msnt, AZ we'll as to account for the slovness Of
our operations.
The enemy evidently considered this mode of
attack impossible, 10 they had taken no meas.
ures to Oppose 1t, which might very easily bave
been successfully done.
We occupied At once both sides of the river
thus efectually cutting them OF from all sun.
plies, information or succor, while We made our
dispositions for the assault -',s1 0ftas51F
Meantime Captain Porter had sent into thu
bayou, in the rear of. Fort Jackson, two
schooners Of his mortar feet, TO. prevent the
escape Of the enemy from the fort IN that S;rsc'
ton. if s
In the hurry and darkness of the passage of
the forts the flag officer had overlooked three
OF the enemys gnnbosts and the irou.clad hal.
terry Louisiana, which we're at anchor under the |
walls OF she fort Supposing that all tho rebel |
boats had been destroyed land a dozen ~ |
more had been( he passed on to the c;tv
leaving these In bic rear. The iron steam bat. |
terry being very formidable Captain Porter
deemed It prudent 70 withdraw his mortar Acct |
some miles below, whore he could have room 70 |
il twas attacked by the iron monstsr /
and the bombardment ceased
L haA uak Rel n. vpa
river below, with two regiments. "a msIs
atoms in that direction. II Il hec.n,s
possible. = s's'ne
In the night Of the 9th, learning that the
uees nsd Got the city under its guns. left Bric.
loief densrai Williams In charge Of the landino
of the troops, and went up the river n the a.
hip to procure light drausht sransportstion
mat night the larger portion (about tvo h..
1red and 6fty) of the garrison Of Fort JscIsor
spiked the guns bearing up the r;v.
=, came up and surrendered themselves 10 M,
picksts declaring that ~ We had got into Their
ear, resistance was useless, and they would mot
,e sacrificed. No bomb had been throvn A.
mem Ior three days, nor had they fred a shot A.
'een impressed and would fght no longer "'1
On the 2Sth the officers Of forts .Joclsnn
T. Phillip surrendered to Captain Po,tsr ~ 4
!aving means Of water transportation to tn ~
while he vac negotiating, however. vith IN:
meers q the forte under . white dag. the reh.
! naval omcers put oil their munitions 81 v.r
o the Louissana, Ut her on are and adrift nm.
=, 2 the Harriet Lane, but when opposite for, 81
'hiiiP, she blew up, killing one 81 thai. o.
aen by the fragments which fell into m fc,ss
nave taken possession Of the forts and Nrd
aem substantially % dsiansihle q Nor a.
o s1 Philip precisely GO. il beins
uise unin)ursd. They ars fully provIa,one3
sll supplied with ammunition, and ths r.vsss.l
!. sns snsIis have been defsnsibly rspairsd Sv
" .sVos e o. :s ne rsoelA win cause Lieut.
port Of their coalition 70 he dsps,t.sos 80.
have len the Goth regiment Is..ch 1910.
oauntsen 70 garrison, and am sov solne o. -
vsr % occupy ne oily with my troops ana
axe Mrsher Demonstrations In The rear Of a.
aemy now at Coslnth. = (, - ;. -,
The rebels have Abandoned Ill their a.
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