The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-05-23
Farragut's Great Success.
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NI.OFFICIAL LETTER FROM THE FLAG
OFFICER, TELLING HOW THEY
RUN THE FORTS AND CANE
.ossai{p q, TO NEW ORLEANS. s4
U. s. FLAG SHIP HARTFORD, OFF NEWT
ORLEANS. April ~. 1862.

ao US. FLAG SHIP HARTFORD, OFF NEWT
.a59 F.l ORLEANS. April ~, 1852.
G.. ". Fox, Assistant Secretary of the Navy:
DEAR SIR: In the excitement of the last
two days, you must not be surprised if l
leave undone many things which ought to
do, and one Of which was to write to you
on the occasion of my taking this city. But
thank God it has been done, and in what l
consider handsome style. s..ss
had two Union men on board who had
been forced into the COME lerate service at
Fort jackson as laborers or mechanics.
They informed me that there were two
forts near the city, and as we approached
the locality tried to concentrate the
vessels, but we soon saw that we must
take raking fire for two miles, so we did
not mince the matter, out dashed directly
ahead. l.s81tlE y. b.
They permitted US to approach to. within
mile and quarter before they opened on
US. Captain Bailey, in the Cayuga, Lieut.
Com. Harrison, was in advance of me, and
received the most of the first fire but al,
though the shooting was good, they did not
damage his little vessel much. He fell back
and the Hartford took her place. We had
only two guns, which had placed on the
top gallant forcastle, that could bear on
them until we got within half mile. We
then sheered off and gave them such FIRE
Gas they had never dreamed of in their
philosophy" The Pensacola ran up after a
while and took the starboard battery off
our hands; and in few moments the
Brooklyn ranged up and took chance at
my friends on the left bank. They were
silenced in, 1 should say twenty minutes or
half an hour. But cannot keep note Of
time on such occasions. I only know that
half of the vessels did not get chance at
them. The river was too narrow for more
than two or three vessels to act to advan-
tage, but all were so anxious that my
greatest fear was that they would fire into
each other, and Captain wainwright and N.Y.
self were following ourselves hoarse at the
men not to fire into our ships.
The last affair was what l call one of the
little elegancies of the professions dash
and a victory. But the passing of the
Forts jackson and St Phillip was one of
the most awful sights and events I ever saw
or expect to experience. The smoke was
so dense that it was only now and then you
could see anything but the flash of the can.
non and the fire ships or RATS, one of which
was pushed down upon us (the Hartford)
by the ram Manassas, and in my effort to
avoid it ran the ship on shore, and then the
fire raft was pushed along side, and in q
moment the ship was one blaze all along
the port side, half way up to the main and
mizen tops. But thanks to the good ors
ganization of the fire department by Lieut..
Thornton, the flames were extinguished,
and at the same time we backed of and got
clear of the raft. But all this time we
were pouring the shells into the forts, and
they into US, and every now and then q
rebel steamer would get under our fire and
receive our salutation of broadside.
At length the fire slackened, the smoke
cleared off, and we saw to our surprise that
we we're above the forts, and here and there
a rebel gunboat on fire. AS we came up
with them, trying to make their escape, they
were fired into and ridiled, SO that they
ran them on shore, and all who could made
their escape to the shore. r..
1 am told, don't know how truly, that
General Lowell had gone down that even
ing to make an attack with thirteen guns
boats, a large ram of eighteen guns, and the
Manassas. The Mississippi and Manassas
made set at each other at full speed, and
when they were within thirty or forty
yards, the ram lodged the Mississippi and
ran on shore, when the latter poured her
broadside into her, knocked away her smoke
stack, and then sent on board of her, but
she was deserted and riddled, and after a
while she drifted down the stream full of
water She was the last of the eleven we
destroyed.
The larger ram was still at Fort jack
son, but they say here she was sent down
before she was ready, end that she cannot
stem the current. She will have to surren-
Ger with the forts, which hope will be to
day or to morrow. will give them my at
tentiOn as soon as [ can settle the affairs OF
the city. .Gg&
demanded the surrender of the city yes.
terday of the Mayor, through Captain
Bailey, as the second in command. His
reply was that the city was under martial
law, and he would consult lien. Lowell His
Lordship said he would surrender nothing,
but at the same time be would retire and
leave the Mayor unembarrsssed.
This morning the Mayor sent bis Secre.
tary and the Chief of Police to see me and
say that he would call the City Council to-
gether at ten o'clock and give me an answer;
that the General had retired; and that be
had resumed the duties of his Office as Mayor,
and would endeavor to keep order in the
city and prevent the destruction of prop
erty. sent him by his Secretary the letter
No. 1, (copy enclosed.) / also sent him a
letter demanding the surrender Of the city,
in conformity with the demand made by me
yesterday through Captain Bailey, (copy
No. 2) eea ~
This morning at six A. NJ / sent to Cap.
tain Morris, whose ship commanding the
Mint, to take possession of it and hoist the
American flag thereon, which was done, and
the people cheered it. At ten sent on shore
again and ordered Lieutenant Korz, of the
navy, and Lieutenant Brown of the marines,
with marine guard; to hoist the flag on
the Custom House; but the excitement of
the crowd was so great that the Mayor and
Councilmen thought it would produce q
conflict and great loss of life.