The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1862-05-14
The Capture of New Orleans.

We have been favored by an interview
with an intelligent gentleman of charac.
ter, who has just come from New Orleans,
where he was at the time Of its fall.-
From him we obtain the folio wing partic
alars Of the capture Of the city:
The Yankee feet consisted Of seventy
boats Of various descriptions-gunboa.s,
mortar boats, steam frigates. &c. The
defence OF New Orleans rested upon two
forts, jackson aud St. Phillip, few infs
rior batteries above the forts, and feet
Of twenty boats, the strongest Of which
we're the McRae carrying seven a2.pouu-
dsrs aad one 9.inch gum and the Man.
asses Ram. The Louisiana carrying
eight large guus) was complete failure
She had to be towsd down the river and
used as a floating battery, for the two
large wheels working in the middle OF the
boat interfered with one another and rem.
dered her uumanageabls. She was an
old hulk rooted with iron. The snemys
fire was concentrated chiefly on Fort
Jackson. until the work WAS only bat.
tered shell. The officers anS garrison
we're said 10 have behaved with great
spirit and fortitude. Three of the enemy's
boats are said to have passed by withou,
the knowledge Of the forts. The river is
about mile wide, and covered with hea.
vy fog at night. The naval engagement
extended for some miles up the river.-
Exchanges Of broadsides and collisions
were continuous, until but one of the Con-
fsdsrate BOATS steam hulk with one
gun-re.urned 10 the city, and was burn
cd and turned adr;h. A Gslves,on steam
or sunk one Of the best of the Yankee
gunooats after running into her tire.
times. She was soon sunk herself. The
MeRse was seen gslIap.Iy exchanging
brosdside for broadside with two double
bank frigates. She was commanded BY
Capt. Tom Huger, Of Charleston, and was
sunk. Her commander is said TO be in
New Orleans. wounded, having saved bis
life in one Of the small boats, it is suppos.
ed. The Manassas. commanded by Lieut..
Marley, of South Carolina, disappeared,
but It was not known whether she Letook
herself to one Of the bay yous. was captured
or sunk. The conduct Of the Confederate
Navy was desperate in the gaIlan~y aud
devotion displayed. 9ut their fight was
hopeless from the beginning. Tbs great
Mississippi steam ram bad just been
launched few days, ard would no. have
been ready to operate for forty days more.
She was propeller, with three screws
and sixteen engines, to carry twenty guns
Of the largest calbre. Her projection, or
ram, was twenty feet Of solid timber, to
be shod with an additional steel point.-
She VAS three times As large and power
ful as tho Virginia, fioalsd beautifully,
and was sea going. All the naval officers
who saw her say that she Was the finest
sh'p in the world, aud il is confidently as.
serted by officers Of high rank, that with.
out . gun she could have destroyed the
whole Yankee feet. She WIS 10 have
been ready BY the let Of February. The
contractor was q Mr.. Tft, a brotbe, 10.
Law Of Mr. Mallory. The woodwork Wa.
anishsd long ago. aud there bs. bs.o
grsst anxiety and impstisncs about Tia
dilsiory manner Of completing the iron
work and machinery. The people Of New
Orlsans and the surrounding country Of,
fsred the Government aud its agents all
their mechanical resources, and woskmep.
They we're declined. until thsss days BE-
ore The suspk. Up TO that tine night