Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-05-10

muddy water, or, II exploding in the air,
BY the spiashes which the scattered Fragments
made as they dropped into the river, or sank
deep into the cosy soil Of lie banks.
The engagement was kept up almost un-
ceasingly until Wednesday the 2sd, when
Commodore Farragut took his asst past the
forts, although they had not surrendered
The correspondent writes on that day;
PASSING TIE PORTS.
At o'clock in the moi ming the greater
part OF Commodore FaFFaguts squadron,
consisting of Eve sloops Of war and nine gun
boats. successfully passed up the river, run.
ming through fearful Gre, and are now
above the forts. The mortar hotilla and
eight armed steamers are still below the enc
my, who is thus placed between two 6res,
with bis supplies from New Orleans cut Of
and rendering his surrender merely ques
ton of time. Of the damage thst has re-
suited to either side, have at present little
knowledge. From my position with the
mortar vessels can see the masts of our
feet, apparently three or four miles beyond
the forts, and the flag of the Union is flying
from the top Of every spar.
As soon as the vessels got under headWsy
a furious Ere was thrown In the direction OF
the forts from the whole line of mortar ves-
sels. which seemed to shake the very waters,
and at times / could count nine bombs
at once in their fight as they twinkled thro'
the air, radla7ty as falling stars. The rebels
seemed cogniEaSt Of our coming, for the fore
most Of the feet had scarcely got abreast OF
the line of FIRE from the forts when signal
rockets were made from st. Phillip, and shot
began to fall rapidly upon them. For time
there was no reply; but soon we could hear
the noise Of the broadsides, which sounded,
in comparison TO the bombs, like pack OF
Chinese fre-craekers let of together.
The boats got past about 8 P. n.
LRrFER FROM CON. FARRAsUT.
Com. Fsrragut after passing the forts,
wrote the following letter to Com, Porter Of
the mortar feet. It was written when the
Flag Officer was warm from the conflict and
the words have the ring of true metal in
them:
DHAR PoRTER: We had rough time of it,
as Boggs viii tell you, but, thank God, the
number Of killed and wounded was very
small, considering. This ship had two killed
and eight wounded. We destroyed the ram
In a single combat between her and the old
Mississippi, but the ram backed out when she
saw the Mississippi coming ct him 50 ram
PANTY, and he lodged her and ran on shore.
whereupon Smith put two or three broadsides
through him and knocked him all to pieces.
The ram pushed FIRE raft on to me, and IN
irving to avoid It ran the ship on shore
he again pushed the FIRE raft on me, and got
the ship on fire all along one side thought
It was all up with Gs, but we put It out and
got of again, proceeding up the river, fight
ing our way. We have destroyed all but
two of the gunboats, and these will have to
surrender with the forts. intend to follow
up my success and push for New Orleans and
then come down and attend to the forts, so
you hold them in Stdtu quo until come back.
I think If you send q flag of truce and de-
mand their surrender they will yield, for their
intercourse with the city Is cut of. We have
cut the wires above the Quarantine and are
now going ahead. took 300 or 400 prison
ers at Quarantine. They surrendered, and |
paroled them not to take up arms againss
could not stop to take care of them. If the
General win come up to the bayou and land
few men, or as many as be pleasss, he will
find two of our gunboats there TO protect him
from the gunboats that are at the forts
wish to get to the English Turn, where they
say they have not placed battery yet, but
have two above, nearer New Orleans They
will not be idle and neither will 1. You sup
ported rs most nobly. p
Very truly yours,
n a FARRAGUT.