Newbern weekly progress., 1862-05-31

or more had hecu), he passed ON to the city.
leaving three in lis rear. The iron s'cam.ba'
| tuy bci z very formidable, {. p Porter deemed
it prudent to withdraw his m,rtarfee some
miles bclow where he could have room TO ma
neuver if attacked by the irah monster, and
the bombardmrnt re ,Sel
| had got Big, Gen Phelps IN the river be-
low, with two rrg nents, To make demonStra-
tons in that direction il it became possible.
In the night Of the 9th, learning that the
fleet had Ct the city under 1t guns, left Brig.
Cen Williams IN charge Of the landing of tho
troops, and went up the river 10 the flag ship
10 procure light dmnsh transportation, That
i, INT the larger portion (about 25O) Of the gar
rson of FortnJaekson mentioned, spiked the
guns bearing up the river, came up and sur
rendered themselves to my pickets declaring
that as We had got their rear, resistance was
useless, and they would not be sacriiiccd. No
bomb I'd been thrown at them tor three days,
nor had they fired shot at US from either fort
T.cy acrrcd that they had been impressed,
and would fight no longer.
On the 2Sth the officers Of Forts Jackson
and St. Philip surrendered to Capt Porter, he
having means OF water transportation to them.
While he was negotiating, however, with the
officers Of the forts under white flag tho
Rebel naval officers put all their munitions OF
war on thu Louisiana, set her on fire and adri't
upon the Harriet Lane, but when opposite fort
St. Philip she blew up, killing one of their
own men by the fragments which fell into that
fort.
have taken possession ofthc forts, and find
them substantially as dclensiblc as before the
bombardment Philip precisely so it be-
ng uninjured. They are fully provisioned,
wen gDppliedwith Ammunition, andthe raya-
ges Of tie shells have been deiensibly repaired
BY the l,bors Of the Rebels. ] will cause Lieut..
Wietzol Of the engineers to make detailed re-
port OF their condition to the Department.
have left the Goth Regiment Massachusetts
Volunteers in garrison. and am now going up
the river TO occupy the city with my troops and
make further demonstrations in the rear OF tho
enemy now at Cornth.
The Rebels have abandoned all their defen-
sive works in and around New Orleans, lnclu-
ding Forts Pike and Wood, on Lake Pontchar-
train, and Fort Livingston from Barataria Bay.
They have retired in the direction OF Corlnth,
beyond Manchac Pass, and abandoned every
thing up the river rs far as Donadsonvllle,
some seventy miles beyond New Orleans.
propose to so far depart from the letter
my instructions as } endeavor to pursuade the
Flag. Officer to pass up the river as far as the
mouth of Red river, if possible, so as TO cut off
their supplies, and make there a landing and
a demonstration in their rear as a diversion in
favor of Gen. Buell., il decisive battle is not
fought before such movement is possible.
Mobile is ours whenever We choose, and NC
ctn bsttlr wait.
fad the city under the dominion OF the
mob. They have insuted our lag--torn it
down with indignity. This outrage will be
punished in such manner as in my judgment
will caution both perpetrators and abettors OF
the act, SO that they shall fear the stripes it
they do not reverence the stars OF our banner.
| send marked copy of New Orleans pa
per containing an applauding account OF tho
. itrage.
Trusting that my action may meet the ap-
probation Of the Department.
| am most respect fully, your ohedicnt servant,
BENJAMIN +. BUTLER,
Mfi,r General COMMANDING