The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-06-20
Operations on the Lower Mis-
sissippi.
THE CAPTURE OF NEW ORLEANS.

REPORT OF CAPT. T. t. CRAVEN, OF THE U. s.
sTEAM.sLOoP BROOKLYN.
U. s. STEAM'K BROOKLYN, MISSISSIPPI RIVER,
OFF NEW ORLEANS, April 26. 1862. I
SRI have the honor to enclose reports
from the executive officer, surgeon, gunner,
carpenter, and boatswain, relative to the
occurrence, casualties, expenditure of am>
munition, and damages on board this ship
on the mornings of the Oath and 25th inst.
1t becomes my duty to add that, on the
morning of the Oath, sooE after the action
between our feet the the Forts st. Phillip
and jackson commenced, in consequence of
the darkness of the night, and the binding
smoke, I lost sight of your ships; and
when following on the line of what I sup
posed to be your fire, / suddenly found the
Brooklyn running Ovcr one OF the hulks
and RATS vyhiuh sustained the chain barri-
cade of the river. Whilst in this situation
received pretty severe fire from Fort
St. Phillip. Immediately after extricated
my ship from the RATS, her head was turned
up stream, and few minutes thereafter she
was fully butted by the celebrated ram
Manassas. She came buttiog into our
starboard gangway, first firing from her
trap door when within about ten feet of the
ship, directly toward our smoke-stack-
her shot entering about five feet
above the water line, and lodging in
the sand bags which protected our steam
drum l had discovered this queer looking
gentleman while forcing my way over the
barracuda lying close into the bank, and
when he made bis appearance the second
time, 1 was so close to him that he had not
an opportunity to get up his full speed, and
bis efforts to damage me were completely
frustrated, cur chain armor proving per-
feet protection to our sides. He soon slid
off and disappeared in the darkness.
A few minutes thereafter, being all this
while under a raking fire from Fort jack
son, was attacked by large rebel steamer.
Our port broadside, at the short distance of
only fifty or sixty yards, completely finished
him, setting him on fire almost instanta-
neoasly.
Still cropping my way ia the dark, Or
under the black cloud Of smoke from tht fire
raft, suddenly found myself abreast OF St.
Philip, and so close that the leadsman III the
starboard chains gave the soundiDgs "thir-
guns to bear for a few brief moments, we
poured 10 grape and canister, and had the
satisfaction of completely silencing that
work before l left it, my men in the tops
witnessing, in the flashes OF their bursting
shrapnel, the enemy running like sheep for
more comfortable quarters.
After passing the forts we engaged seve-
raj of the enemy's gunboats, aud being at
short range, generally from sixty to one
hundred yards, the effects of our broadsides
of grape must have been terrific. This ship
was under fire about one hour and a halt.
We lost eight men killed and had twenty.
six wounded, and our damages from the ene-
my's shot and shell are severe. I should not
have been so particular, Sir, in recording SO
many incidents of the morning of the oath.
had not been out of my proper station
but justice to my officers and crew demands
that l should show that the Brooklyn was
neither idle nor useless on that never.to>be.
forgotten occasion.