Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-05-16

the main work. and moat one hundred ADD ahy Zee,
VIDE defends the fort from approach un the land fronts.
The latter ditch originally six feet deep bat has been
filled with prairie grass aud mud to within two feet Of
the surface OF the There is We; ditch six feet
deep and thirty feet wide around TIC attached chan
| nebeafing battery, the whole rendering the work al
most mpreguable against stuA attack The only case
in the fort IN the Two channel bearing fronts,
| and mount eight guns each.
The bitches defended by "A FOUNDER flank howit
zers IN each flank. The parapet carried the
gorgcs Of the bastons 40 that hereis no flank bab,e
defense. The hastions arranged only for musketry
fire the walls. The maiu work lower battery, aud
the channebcang branches Of the covered way cap
able Of mounting mount altogether 2 guns, Of which
100 bear or bore the river The work provided
with citadel one story high, the walls Of which are i've
feet thick, and was considered bomb proof but which
| was destroyed on The hfst Gay Of thc bomhatdment II
arranged with two tier 0flonp holes l muskety de-
tense The entrance 10 the work Is by lntinuous
wooden bridge over the outer ditch on the west side Of
the fort aud wooden bridge connected with draw ten
feet vide The fort is built Of brick with piles for the
basis Of the foundation aud is situated about three hun
bred Jarda from the river The bafbrtte guns Of Fort
Jackson are twenty feet above the river. and com
mand the approaches on all sides aud silence them
and breach the walls Of the fort the object Of BON.
bardmcnt, the work ofreducng Fort 81 Philip being dei
egAted entirely 10 the squadron Of Flag Ocer Farragut
The woods below Fort Jackson cut away by the ob
els in order TO bring ships under the fire Of their bar
bette guns and their chsunolbcarng battery lower down
is belt Of cypress cottonwood trees under u
which the mortar houa we're stationed. The guuboats
In advance Of the squadron constantly engaged IN
drawing the fire Of the forts from the mortar vesses The
barbctte guns of Jackson had range down the river
the point where the iHffufd thclls frequent
y passed over her and the ciHt0nd during the day.
FORT ST. PHILIP
Fort ST. Philip consists Of main work and two at.
Ached batteries VI which is the upper side and
the other the lower side Of the main fort which is
irregular work Of seventeen faces, and built on the foun
Is wet ditch, six feet deep and from twenty forty feet
vide, around the main work wet ditch from twenty
thirty feet vide around each " the bateuesi covered
way and gacs around the whole OF the work and
ditch % the foot Of the Racs from seventy hun
dfed aud forty feet wide aud sixteen feet deep There
still another ditch, which was dug TO furnish earth for
eYte around the SIDE OF the work twenty feet VIDE aud
four feet deep. The fort aud the water batteries will
mount one hundred Ruus, Of which seventy be
Drought 10 pear on the channel All the guns were bar
bette, and consequently the men who work them
! exposed 10 Our FIRE The soap walls u this fort were
strengthened before the war by relieving afches, and the
scarp pierced with loop holes in these ches, for
the purpose ofdeendiug the bitches TINS work like It's
neighbor opposite n built of brick aud De- nineteen feet
above the surface ofthe river The guns of the outer
wing batteries Of both forts fourteen feet above the
water line.
There in the two works together when the rebels
took possession only thirty six guns, Of which
hea, Than o2pounders, aud all mounted ON ,et} poor
but as hey stole the plans FROM the Custom House ia
New Orleans they probably cNer',d 'hcmseyc. TO make
them perfect The river between the two forts is ten feet
more than half mile wide, aud the centres Of the
works arc three quarters of mile apart.
TUE CHAIN AND ItuLKs.
Next to the forts the relied upon the obstruc-
nns which the, had placed arfus the river TO prevent
the advance Of the Union feet After the thousand
ports concerning this formidable barrier IL is gratifying
10 be able to give description Of il fom personal obser
yations
Below the forts, in section which wus not exposed to
the Ere Vt the guns II Fort Jackson the rebels
had anchored the hus VI seven vessels, Of which
were schouners and bafques and which had been seized
by the sccessiousts at the breaking out OF the rebellion.
lhtlT mess were removed aud their huls anchored be-
/ low the forts, about hundred yards apart They
were secured together with chains continuous, but
! secured to the m0oHng chains Between the huks the
chain was supported by RATS and each hulk had long
spar trailing down the river in order prevent boats
rom passing from one to the other without dropping
down below the spMs which, In the rapid current would
render the operation OF cutting the chain douby difficult
The chain sedulously watched by the rebels who
maintained guard on the hulk Kept anchored above the
line The vessel was all light, aud loaded with cot
ton as has been stated and Inc enemy had great difficult
" in keeping them in position the Their
rats were constantly breaking adnft and coming down
stream, The removal Of This obstruction engaged the
roOs attention Of the officers Of the squadron, and the
which was, however, finally accomplished in the most
simple and yet daring manner.
CUTTING THE CHAIN ACROSS THE RIVER.
On Saturday the 18Th inst, the flag officer decided to
send three steam gunboats up and break the chain
across the rler and open passage for the heet Ibis
duty assigned to the Lisod, Capt Caldwell, the RI
noa, Capt. Crosby and the hdpeo Capt Ransom. Capt
Bell Captain Of the fleet, going IN the PUOG with cleo
trio batteries connecting wires and pctads. and ope
attr, to blow up the chain. At 10 = NJ. the PihOa and
IfaSca steamed up the river The Kineo was not ready
in the order having been given for these vessels
to 60 alongside Of the large ships and have their
taken out When the gunboats started the whole
tar fleet Of twenty-one vessels opened tremendous FIRE
the forts to draw attention from the gunboats
but before the latter could reach the chain forts open
shot aud shell flying very briskly The operator on
board the Pnota did not succeed in blowing the chain
the connecting wires broke and the vessel could
not be blown up as the current pressed the Pnoa upon
her with such force that it took half hour clear her
The iaata took the merit schooner aud in half hour
pped the chains but unfortunately before she could get
well clear the current cast her to the shore
grounding the schooner dashed to her running the
itdScGs ioetoot into the mud, where she renamed
y two hours exposed TO the fire Of both l0rts. The Pr
noia parted two 0inch hawscrs in trying to pull her Of
but at last started her with ll-inch hawser After
/ m s
i nesday night Capt Caldwell with Acting Master Jones
and eleven Of the Hdscds men, pulled up the schoon
ers after dark TO make final reconnaissance Of the
sohoouers They pulled up and sounded round the
schooners on the west bank and then crossed and
did the with the schoOners the bank They
found the channel more than suh ieny wide and en-
tirey unobstrucied The rebels had lighted fire ON the
east bank 20 expose everything attempting to pass up,
the boat with mued passed safely up and made all
their observation unobseyed although they could hear
the orders gwen at the fort aud hear the uep calling md
talking very loudly about some business they cary
ing outside the fort, The boat then returned and
made the joymi signal, al rght--the Hdscas night
number. two white and one red larttns This a
reconeeried signal with the Flag Officer in order that
time should be lost Soon after the dag ship hoisl ted
another preooncerled signal two red lanterns. This
to get under weigh prepare for battle and pass up the
river Within two hours the deet performed Of the
navy, and made the glorious passage Of the river.
The poor little Itasoa, however doomed 10 be dis
appointed She hOatea down the river, Instead ofses-
ing up When abreast he forts she became riddrd with
shot and AZ pound bal passing through her, burst the
|
mos, ruanRing the oth ere aud men, and leaving her
helpless upon the water number Of shot passed
through and through her. But the order having been
given for every 70 throw himself fat upon the ok
after the boiler burst, four only woundcd-tsO IRE
men scalded with the steam, and two struck with
splinter.
The next morning the hulks had drfied down on either
side OF the river the great bugbear Of the rebels
removed, and the riVeropeu 20 the Union heot.
After Com. Farrsgut had successfully run
gauntlet of the forts he sent to Com Porter
whose feet still remained below, the follow
ing letter, previous TO his departure up the
river to occupy New Orleans;
Dear Porter: We had rough time Of IT, as Boess
will tell youi but thank God the number Of killed and
wounded is very small considering This ship had two
killed and eight wounded We destroyed tho ram in a
single combat between her aud the old MssMmp0i; but
the ram backed out when he the MsissiJDi coming
at him rampanty, and he lodged her aud on shore
knocked him all TO pieces The ram pushed a fire ran
me- and in trying to avoid iJ / ram this ship ON
shore and he then pushed the fire raft ON to me and got
| the ship on fire all along side.
thought was all up with US, but put Il out and
got Oh again and proceeded up the river fighting our
way. We have destroyed al but two NJ die gtinboats
and those will have 20 surrender with the forts in
tend follow up my success aud push for New Orleans
and then come down and attend to the forts. So you
mold them in statu quo until get back | think If YOU
sapHa Ns ~ frtlps aud a fi ola. Z