New-York daily tribune., 1862-05-12
avay from it's intrenchmeuts at Yorktown.
With reasonable good fortune. Gen. Mcclellan
will be in Richmond thi, week.
TIE GALLANT DEEDS AT NEW.
ORLEANS,

crowds upon us, but when the time for their
closer examination shall arrive, it will be
found that of all the thrilling events Of the
wsr, none can claim higher admiration than
this. The engagement of the Oath of April,
upon which day the Uoion feet storued its
way past the Rebel lortiications, is hardy paral'
leled in history. Probably no similar conflict Was
ever hazsrded upon such unequal chances. 1he
advantages were immeasurably upon the side
of the Rebels, who, being conscious OF the'r
superiorities, were nerved with unusual cour'
are. According to the reports OF our own
commanders, they fought with desperation from
beginning to end-not hesitaiing. moreover, 10
make use of the most dastardly means 70
secure success Wien fair play could no longer
anvil them. We gather from the documents
which have been forwarded from the squadron
q tolsrsble view of the conditions under which
the triumph was achieved and the extraord''
nary obstacles against which our commanders
were forced to contend.
1t is apparent that the reduction OF the pow
erful forts. Jackson and ~. Philip, could DOL
have been effected by the mortar feet without
va,t loss of time and material. The lombard.
ment. which opened upon the 18th OF Apri,
WAS maintained vigorously for AK days With
out materially weakening them. The walls OF
solid brick stood firm as ever, and their TWO
hundred odd guns responded as fercely to our
FIRE az at the outset. 1t was therefore deter
mined to force a passage by them at whatever
hazard. Early n the morning of the 24th OF
April, while it was yet dark, Commodore Far
rsgut led his squadron up to the Perilous work.
To oppose against The cannon OF tie iorS aid
the assaults of formidable Rebel feet, IN
Guiding nearly a score 0t steamers, rams, ana
floating batteries. he had only six sloops-ci.
war and twelve guuboats. Considering the su-
perior advantages Of a land battery over ships
of.war in any contest whatsoever, the disparity
was enormous. in addition, Commodore Far
raqut had to calculate upon submarine engines,
fire RATS, and barriers Of chain-cable, one OF
which, opposite Fort Jackson, he had with
some difficulty broken few days before. But
i. was imperative that tho forts should be
passed. and no colside ration was allowed to
weigh against this necessity.
Just before dawn the squadron was dlscoy
cred approaching b. the enemy. Tue fury
with which it was attacked Is proved by the
tremendous exertlous our vessels were com
PEELED to make il order to carry through their
purpose. At first the Rebel feet endeavorei
only TO check their progress, while tho two
forts poured incessant yolleys upon them; but
presently tbe action became closer aud more
involved. and mainly confined to the river.
Uollins's ram," the Manassas, although II
afterward turned out helpless aud fesble
f,bric. served the Rebels well for n tine. IL
not only engaged Commodore Farrasuts nag-
ship. the Hartford, but also succeeded IN fore
ing a fire rat. upon her, from which she mar.
ronly escaped destruction. q" thought 1t was
ai! up with us, SAID the Commodore IN letter
describing the event to Capt Porter. The
flames were, however, extingushed IN time t.
save the ,hip. aud tho ram betooA itself to
olber errauds OF destruction. The floating bat
terry Louisiana, which lay moortd not far from
Fort jackson, also occasoDed great incon-
yeosience. Its firing was we'll directed, and
its metallic sides were found 10 be- quite I'M
oeretrablc. Other /" rams emula.ed the Nanas-
sa.. aud attacked our gunboats with considerable
effect. The Varuna, gallanlly commanded by
Capt. Boggs, was broken IN pieces by their
repeated onstts, but before her own destruc-
ton she made her name memorable BY disabling
and destrOyiOg no lcts than SIX Of the Rebel
crar. Five Of these were set in flames by the
Varuna's sbel and run ashore, and another
was shattered ard forced 10 surrender. The
intrepid tenacity of the Ndrunas officers and
crew is best illustrated by the fact that her
las, broadside, which beat in the side, of the
ram Moreab was fred while the gun.carridges
on her upper deck were already settling in the
water During this time our other gunboats
were not idle. Nlne OF them, together with the
sloops-oi.war fought their way up the river, aud
gradually wIdencd the space between themselves
and the forts A few were beaten back, having
received injuries to thc!r machinery which
rendered them incapable Of proceeding. The
Itasca, for example, il said to have received
thirteen shots under her water line, beside
having her boiler destroyed. But sufficient
number passed to secure the success OF tbs
expedition. Even ct the last moment the
Rebels maintaiIed the struggle. Some Of their
steamers, which had been spared on condition
of surrendering, broke away and renewed the
fight at other point,. Finally, the tram
Manassas, after the engagement had virtually
ended, and when the Union Squadron was
aeeking an anchorage, hustled up alter them.
a4d fired a shot or two at the Richmond.
The MlssissippI turned aYillly 10 resent the 10.