The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1862-05-29
The Capture of New Orleans.-.Scenes at
the Forts and in the City.

The Capture of New Orleans.--Scenes at
the Forts and in the City.
From the New York Herald.
Shot, shell, grape and canister filed
the air with deadly missels. 1t was
like the breaking up of thousand
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Such an
other scene was never witnessed by
mortal man. Steadily we steamed on,
giving them shell, the forts firing rifle
shot aud shell, lOinch coumbiads, for
ty-two, thirty two and twenty-four
FOUNDER balls and, to add to this state
of affairs, thirteen steamers and the
floating battery Louisiana, of the ene-
my, were pouring into and around us a
hail storm of iron perfectly indescriba-
bic. Not satisfied with their firing, fire
raft after fire raft was lit and set adrift to
do their work of burning. The ram
was busy at work trying to shove them
under the bows of our vessels.
AS we drew near abeam of the forts
we intermingled grape with shell which
had the effect to silence in a measure
the barbette guns. The shot from the
enemy, which for some time had gone
over us, now began to cut us through.
While in the port mizzen rigging the
Flag Officer narrowly escaped being
hit with rifle shell. A shell burst on
deck, and the conclusion stunned
Lieut.. George Heiser, of our Marine
corps, so that for time his life was
r despaired of. / started to 90 forward
to see how things were working there,
and the wind of a huge rifle shell
knocked the cap off my head. 1t was
time of terror, our guns were firing
r as rapidly as possible and the howitzers
+ in the tops were doing excellent execu.
, ton.
The rebel steamers were crowded
!. with troops, who fired volleys of rifle
balls at us, most of which did us no
!, harm. One of them came near us, and
| think am safe in saying she con-
tanned two hundred men. Our howit.
GERS opened on them, and Capt. Broom,
of the Marine corps, opened into her
\ with 9 inch guns.
e An xplosion-terriffic yells-a ca
= reen, and that fellow was done for
Their steamers were bold and fearless
but no sooner did they come in sight Of
t our gnnners than they were sunk. The
n Varuna sunk six of them one after the
i other.
In the midst of the awful scene
down came a tremendous fireraft, and
e the ram showed her under our port
!. quarter. The flames caught our rig
ging and side, and for moment il
seemed we must fall prey to the raw
ages of fire. A fire was also burning
IS on the berth deck. The fire hose was
on hand, and We soon subdued the
flames, and gave the ram a dose of ri
fled shell. She, however, came up f"I
: us again, but some other vessel tackled
. her and she drew Off During this
= stage of affairs we grounded, and ouI
: fate seemed sealed but our men
:, worked like beavers, and the engineers
soon got the ship astern and afioat. II
defes the power of my brain to des
= cribc the scene at this time. The river
and its banks were one sheet of flame
and the messengers of death were NOV
y ing with lightning swiftness in all di
:, rections. Steadily we Piled shell and
j grape, interspread with shrapnel. Reb
4 eldom began to quake; her boats were
= fast being riddled by well directed
i, broadsides, and those who were able
!, made for the shore to run them on, Sc
that they could save their lives. Some
were on fire and others were sinking
Is Our boys were cheering with a heart,
n good will, and well they might for WI
81 had almost won the day, and we wer,
u; nearly past the forts. Our ship hat
Al been on fire three times, and she wa
!, rlddled from stem to stern. The cabir
l. was completely Quilted, the starboart
l. Storage all torn up and the armory al
&c knocked into ''pi." My clothing wa.
o strewn abaft decks, and was obliged
to pick itup piece by piece. The man
: uscript of the bombardment came nea
= to destruction by a rifle shell, which
y tore up my room and killed. a man.
= After being under terrific fire TO
one hour and twenty minutes. we passed
:, the forts, badly cut MP, a shot hol,
j" through mainmast, two In stern ant
. several through us. / frankly comics.
= | am unable to describe the scene
r. Words cannot express any adequate
idea of the engagement. Wrapped NJ
in smoke, firing and being fred at, sho
and shell whistling like locomotive de
q mons around, above, before and in tn,
al rear Of you, flames from fire RATS en-
circling you, splinters flying in all di
rections aud shells bursting overhead
Can You imagine this scene? If yo,
!, can, it is more than can describe as
e would wish to.
n AT half past five o'clock, no less thar
It eleven rebel steamers were in flames
IS along each side of the river. w,
It steamed up to the Quarantine to an
l. Choir, when 10! the ram made its ap
It pearance, and sauciy fired at the Rich
n mond.
h The Mississippi being near at han,
:, about ship for the black devil, and a
him she went with the idea of running
him down. The ram ran, but finding
the Mississippi gaining on him, he rul
his nose into the bank of the river, ant
immediately about thirty men came NJ
1t out of the hatch and run on shore
The Mississippi fired two or three broad
:. sides into her and boarded her; bu
o. finding she was of no earthly account
= onain 6roH into har o,J 81, l..:c.