Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1862-05-16
THE FALL OF NEW ORLEANS
4 COMPLETE RISTOR J.
To the Editors Of the Enquirer

the events attending the capture of New or-
leans, frou, the time the" .enemy's fleet passed
tho forts up to the evening of the LIST instant,
when the transports arrived with portion OF
General Buffers forces. Ny report you will,
think, And to couprisa all material points,
though shall endesvor to make 1t hs concise
~ the nature Of the subject admits.
Ga Thursday morning the 24.h nIs.. tho
"Delta" published telegram from Gen. Dun
can, giving the most encouraging account OF
the condition of tho Mississippi river forts,
jackson and St Philip. The bombarduIenl
had then been continued for q week with ex-
traordi,.ary viccr Nearly $4,000 thirteen
inch shell mad been thrown by the onemy's
mortar boats, many thousands having fallen
within tho fort But, in spite OF this unremit-
ting bombardment, the works wero not at all
damaged only three guns had been dis
mounted and the garrison had suttsrea only
to the extent Of hvo killed and ton wounded.
These facts naturally inspired the public with
confidence of favorable result, although | am
compelled to state that Gen. Lowell never ceased
TO fear the very disaster which occurred-not
the reduction Of the forts by q naval attack,
but successful attempt to pass up the river
by the enemy's steam feet You may imagine
the CONSERVATION OF tho citizens Of New Or
leans, on awakening from their dream Of secu-
ri,y, to hear tho ,olling Of the alarm bells an
nouncinG tho approach of the foo. 1t was
a5 ut 9 clock, on the morning Of the oath,
that this sppslllng intelligence WINS received.
The whole city WAS at once thrown into in
tense CONJUNCTION; every one rushed into the
Streets---to the public p!acec-to headquarters
to the City Hs!l-irquiring tie meaning Of
tho agitation which prevailed the extent OF the
danger, and its proximity. 1t vas soon an
nouncsd, on authority, that the enemy's vas
sells bad succeeded in passing the forts and
were then on their way to the city. TIE num-
Der was not known, but was afterwards ascer.
tanned 10 amount to Eve heavy sloops Of war
and seven or eight gunboata 1t appesrs that
the demonstration was made at o'clock in the
morning. The attempt was audacious enough,
and proved successful only in consequence Of
a variety Of contingencies which couspired
to defea, our preparations for defence. The
defcnces of the Mississippi consist, as you are
aware, two torts-Jackson and St Phillp-the
former situated on the left bank, and the latter
on the right bank of the river. About three
quarters OF a nile below, the river had been Oh
structed, By means of & raft consisting Of o line
Of eleven dsmasted schoonerS, extending from
bank TO bank, strongly moored, and connected
together Win SIX neaSy CHAINS
Unfortunately, violent storm had rent a
large chasn in the raft, which could not DO
closed IN true. Gen. Lowell saw tho danger
to which this accident subjected US, and, in
order 70 obviate il, requested Commander
Whittle, stationed in New Orleans, to order
the Louisiana to take position in the gap,
where she could have effectuslly prevented
the passage of the Feet, and whence she might
have driven the mortaT-boats FROM their pu-
si,:on behind the point, and thus have Afforded
to the belesguered and exhausted garrison OF
the forts some relief from their incessant tolls
Commander Whittle directed Commodore
Mitchell, commanding the Con ederate squad
ron at the forts, to comply with this request
il, IN bis Judgment, the movement appeared
expedient; bur, for some unexplained reason,
the latter refused, or neglected to act in &C.
cordance with Gen. Lovels suggestion. II is
proper 10 state here that General Lowell rad
no authority over the naval branch Of the de-
fence, aud, consequently, there was a want Of.
concert between toe na"a, and the military pow.
er which, in the end, led to disastrous results.
IL letter, written subsequently, Gen. Duncan
complained that, on the night of the attack,
the river huL not been lighted by fire RATS,
although ne mad several times requested that
it should DO done. Moreover, the person in
charge of the signals neglected 10 throw up
rockets on tho approach Of the feet, and, by a
strange coincidence, the enemy's signals, on
that night, were identically the Same as those
used BY our gunboats. The consequence was
that the advance of tho enemy's vessels was
notdiscovereduutil theywere abreast of the forts
These opened fire from all their guns that
could be broughtto bear; but it was too late
10 produce much impression. The ships
passed Oh, the Hartford, Commodore Fsrragut's
dag ship IN tho v"n delivering broadsidoo 9,
grape, schrapnel and round shot at the forts on
either side. On arriving at this point they
encountered the Confederate feet, consisting
of seventeen vessels in all, only about eight Of
which were armed. Tue Confederate gun.
boats carried some Of them two guns, and others
only one. Nevertheless, they fought with des
peration against tho enemy's overwhelming
force, uaiil they were all driven on shors and
scuttled or burned by their commanders
The Manassas was not injured by the enemy
FIRE she was run ashore and then sunk. The
louisiana ~ss not IN good working order
She could not marcsuvre, and only her three
bow guns could be used, although her full
complement consisted of eighteen. She
emerged from the action totally uniriured.
TIE brcsdsides OF the Pensacola delivered
three times, within distance OF ten wards.
failed to loosen single fastening or to pene.
trats single plate. The forts, likewise. re-
NAMED intact; but the garrisons lost So in
killed and wounded. Commander McIntssh
was desperately wounded Hs and Commander
Mitchell both stood on the deck OF tho Louisi
ana during the whole engagement Beverley
Kennon, OF this city, was made captive by the
enemy. He commanded the Stale puoboat
Governor Moore, and fought har With a des.
perate gslantrv neve: excu!,ed in the annals
Of naval warfare
Gen. Lovc! had gone down 20 the forts to try
to persuade CommxnGer @tche!!: . sdcr. he
suggestions previously alluded to. lie mr.
rived just II; t!tne to see tbs Federal fleet uas-
sing Fort 81. Philip, and to witness tho deg-
perate but Intellectual attempt of the Oopfcd.
crate gunboats to check its progress 10 the
river Just at this moment, the Iroon, one of
the enemy's vessels, started in pursuit Of the
Doubloon, Con. Lovel's boat and was rapidly
overhauling her, when the Governor Moore
darted upon the lroou, and ran into her three
times The Federal vessel managed to escape
from this assault and was again chasing
the Doubloon, when the Qaitman attacked her,
ran into her amidships, and sank her Thus
Gen. Lowell narrowly escaped capture. In
the meantime, kennon sped down the river
into the midst of the eneny's feet, darling
hither and th!ther, attacking first one and
then another OF his 1nonstruus antagonists,
until he had fred away his last round of smnu.
milton. He then drove hs vessel ashore and
applied the torch to her with his own band In
this way the forts we're eluded, the Confederate
naval forces destroyed, and the great city OF
New Orleans placed a, the mercy OF the Federal
squadron.
at o'clock, 2. NJ, on the 24.h, General
Lowell arrived at the city, having driven and
ridden almost the whole way up, along the
levee. He was immediately called on by the
Mayor and many other citizens, and in reply
to the inquiries Of these gentlemen, stated