Newbern weekly progress., 1862-05-17

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In one hour and ten minutes after the yes
sels had weighed anchor they had passed the
ferts, under NEST terrific fire. which they re-
turned with interest The mortar feet rained
down shells on Fort jackson, to try and keep
the men from the guns, while the steamers OF
the mortar feet poured in shrapnel upon the
water battery commanding the approach at
short distance, keeping them comparatively
quiet.
When the last vessel of ours could be seen
among the fire and smoke to pass the battery,
signal was made to this Mortars to cease firing,
and tho fotilla Steamers were directed to retire
from q contest that would soon become un-
equal.
1t was now daylight, and the feet having
passed along, the forts began to pay their at
tsntion to our little squadron Of s!eamers--ths
Portsmouth, which was being towcd up, and
three Of tho gunboats, which failed to pass
through. These latter became sntanslsd in
some wrecks and chains, placed in the river 10
obstruct it, and whiek wsre only partially re-
moved. One Of these vessels, Winona, got
through as far as Fort St. Philip, but having
all the guns boarisg on her she ssnsibly re-
\ tired
The Itaska was fairly rildlsd, ald hada shot
Ithroush her boiler, and tbs Ksnnsbec escaped
unhurt.
l am disposed to think that our squadron
received but little damage, considering the
UNEQUAL contsst-ons hundred and forty-two
guns on board ship opposed to ons hundred
, on shore placed in 3 most commanding posi-
ton.
For thirty minutes after the ships passed,
tho forts 6red very issbly on the vessels that
: rsaisipod outside; SO much so that the Ports
mouth was enabled to drop with the current
. out of gunshot though the shot fel! freely
, about her al last. | think the fire from the
. ships must have been very destructive Of life.
o The last we saw Of our vessels they were
I standing up the river. Some explosions took
place, which made us feel rather uneasy, but
which may have been the rebel gunboats. We
could see that our squadron had not destroyed
oil the ensmy's vessels al tho fort, for three or
four of them were moving abont in all dires-
tons, evidently in state Of excitement
Before the fleet got out OF sightit was re-
!. ported to me that the celebrated ram "Manas.
J. sas" WAS coming out to attack US; and, sure
+ enough, there she was apparently stsanins
g along shore, ready to pounco upon the appa.
!, rsntly dsfencslsss mortar vessels. Two ofo
u steamers and soms of the mortar vessels
= opened fire on her, bat soon discovered that
= the Manassas could harm no one again, and
A ordersd the vessels to save their shot She
o was beginning to emit smoke from hSr ports
., or holes, and Was discovered 10 be on Gre ant
r. sinking. Her pipes were all twisted and rid
Il died with shot, and her hull was also well Gu
ir up. She had evidently been used up by thu
squadron as they passed along. tried ,c
"a save her a. a curiosity, by getting a hawss
= around her and securing her to the bank, bu
- - Just after doing so she family exploded. He
at only gun went of, and emitting flames thrcusl
70 hsr bow port, like some huge animal, she CAV
ID a plunge and disappeared under the water.
Noxt came steamer on fire, which appear
n. cd to be a vessel Of war belonging to tn
q. rebels and after her two others, all burninI
n and floating down the stream.
II Fires seemed to bs raging all along up tn
n. n. river, and We supposed that our squadro
~, were burning and destroying the vessels a
Vt snv nrusc anu TWO river boats, and thei
IN celebrated floating battery, brought down tn
IL night before, were left unhurt, and were still
flying tho Confederate flag
= The matter Of the floating battery become
n. very ssriovs affair, as they are all hard a
n. work at Fort jackson mounting heavy gun
10 on II, which are Of no further use to them il
Is 'ho Tort. She mounts sixteen guns, 10 aln,os
as formidable a vessel as the Msrrimac, per
r. fsctly shot proof, and has four powerful en-
sinss in her shall at all events take sucl
. steps as will prevent her from destroying any
~ thing, and We may vt Il hold her in chsck with
~ the stsamerS though they sre rather frsgil,
IN FOR such service. This is ono Of the l.etfect.
y" of leaving an enemy in the rear. suppos,
n that the ships Cred on her as thsy passet
through, but that her mail resisted tho shot
, She bad steam on this morning, and wa,
moving about quite lively. tried to put soms
mortar shell through her root, but withou
10 effect, as she moved of.
!. The forts are now cut of from all commua
nation with New Orleans, us presume tha,
Flag Officer Farragut has cut the wires.
have sent the Miami around with General
Butler to the back Of Fort ST. Philip to try and
throw in troops at the quarantine, Ave miles
along the forts, and at the same time open
communication that way with the flag officer,
r and supply him with ammunition. am also
q going to send part Of tia mortar fleet to the
IF back of Fort jackson, to cut of the escape ol
). the garrison by that way and stop supplies
" A dessrter, who can be relied on, informs US
T. that they have plenty Of provisions for tive
= months, plenty of ammunition and plenty OF
J. diScomfors.
. Our shells set the citadel on fro the first
> afternoon we opened. 1t burned tisrcely for
, sevsn hours, thought it q fire raft behind the
Tort, as they continually send them down on
: US, but without any effect But few casual
ties occurred to vessels on this side Of tho forts
The Harriet Lane Loaf brt ons ron lilI.d ,,S
one fear mortally wounded. The Winona
lost thrae killed and threo wounded and the
itaska, with fourteen shot through her, had
, but few hurt Those forts can hold out still
for Somstims, aud | would suggest that the
Monitor and Mystic, if they can be spared, bo
sent horc without moments delay to settle
the question.
The mortar feet have bscpt very much OK.
posed and under heavy fire for six days, dur.
ing which time they kept the shells going
without ntermission. One of them, the Ma.
RIA j. Carleton, was sunk by shot passing
through her magazine and then through the
botton. The fotilla lost but one man killed
ard six wounded. The bearing of the officers
and men was worthy Of the highest praise,
They never once tagged during period Of
six days; never had an accident to one of the
yesscls by firing, and, when shot and shell
were flying thick above them, showed not the
least desire to have the vessels moved to
place OF safety The incidents Of the bonn.
bardment will be mentioned in my detailed re-
port merely write this hurried lottsr to
appriso the department Of the state of affairs,
and shall sond it off at once via Havana. The
SIGHT oil this night attack was awfully grand.