Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-12-27

I
! sg volumes of pitchy smoke, and adding hH lurld
/ glaze to the gradeur of the scene.
Steadily the cunn-rs worked their pieces, thOug gh
ths me7ts shells fell thick and fast and the parRpets
were swept by grape and she'll from the passing ess
Here and there gups disabled, and men even tl-
ing dead and wounded at their pieces. Stehdly 100
the fact pressed on vessel succeeding vessel prooRg
ing the contest until the day dawn d. and revealed the
bulk Of the fleet above the forts the slooP OF war Eos
mouth just around the point below, and three gun
boats steaming rapidly bsek from out OF the hre OF the
forts which the increasing light was making every mo
ment deadly. of own feet, the Louisiana with
her tenders, the McRae, and the ram Den nee we. e
alone visible The Resolute lay crippled and on ne in
the bend above The rest strewn along the bank
sunk or burning, where also, tn Federel gnn-boat
Varuns new steamer mo unting. it is sad fourteen
/ guns, having been crippled by Kermons vessel and
subsequently struck by the Stonewsll Jackson saDK
carrying down With her her dead Shortly alter the
Manassas, after gallant fight, came floating helpless
down the river chimney gone, and after grounding
below 81. Philip swung or and bur'tmg iato hsmes
swept around the point out OF sight, ana az appears
from Commodore POrters report, shortly after unged
below the surface Notwithstanding his efforts to secure
/ her prize.
! The feet after stopping at the quarantine long
enough to bury their dead and make Necessary repairs
proceede up the river, leaving two or three gunboats
at the qusrantins to guard the river and cover the
loading Of Butlrs troops from the bays back Of Fort
st. Philip il having been arranged that in the event
of the passage Of the forts and their surrender,
that Butler should land and attempt the assault Of
ST. Philip from the rear. A this time all firing had
ceased both from the fleet above and POrters feet be.
low and about noon flag Of truce sent by COmmO-
/ dore Porter, demanding the surrender Of the forts
| To this sn unqualified refusal was returned.
Our casualties during the siege and the ssage Of
the feet has been ascerCiued to be fifteen killed and
! forty wounded Among tke killed the morning Of
the S4th Lieut.. T. R Pearson of the 23d regiment
Louisiana volunteers; Capt J. B. Anderson, lst Lou
isans artillery had been slightly wounded on the morn
ing of the irst bombardment. By arrangement be-
tween Capt Mitchell and the senior Federal naval on
GER the McRae, whose fghtyg against the most terrific
odds had been beyond all praise, was allowed to pro
coed TO Sew Orleans under flag Of truce, csrryi her
commander Lieut. Huger mortaIy wounded, ana the
wounded from the two forts. Capt Mcintosh, Of the
Louisiana, also mortslly wounded, was too much in
jured to be moved and was left at Fort 81. Philip.
The Mese reached New Orleans n safety but sank on
her return.
This left the Louisiana and the ran Defiance, tbs
only armed vessels Of the COnfederacy below New Or
leans The Louisiana still inefficient, and shortly
after the commander and the Of the Dehsuee, de-
serted their vessel and took to the swamp Thursday,
Friday and Saturday were spent in repairing the
damages Of the bomba dment, replacing gun-esrrisg
and shifting heavy guns to bear up the river In
antic paiOn OF attack from FarTaguts hset above
The land defsnses carefully looked to- and tickets
were thrown out 10 prevent a surprse. Daring this
me the transports OF General Buffers feet appeared
about twelve miles back Of Fort St. Philip, and by
lnean Of lght-draft steamers and launches, troops
were being landed in large numbers at the quarantine
hve miles above and on the same side with Fort 81
Philip. Their pckets thrown either snk under
cover Of gunbosts in the river, presented communca
uon with th7 city by land and all the water approaches
W re completely controlled By their feet Sunday morn
ing another flag Of truce received from Commodore
Porter stating that Commodore Faragut was IN posses
sion Of the city Of New Orleans having raised the bat
teries below the city and that in consequences Of that
event further resistance by the forts would be nseess
and adding that in consequence of the cha acter Of
the defense already made he felt warranted
in offering liberal terms of capitulation. His
proposals were that the forts and the public property
In them should be surrendered TO the United States
ernmept that the officers and should retain their
private property, that the officers be entitled TO
their side arms and both officers and be p8roed
until exchanged. These terms also declined That
evening general order from Gen Duncan was read to
the garrison Of Fort Jackson complmentng them on
their conduct informing them Of the two demands for
surrender and Of his rfusa and intimAtng that
work rmaned for them. This announcement, and re-
port which gained 3redence smsng the men, that 81
mutsneOus attack TO be made az three clock the
next morning, by the fleets and the land forces Of
Butler from the resr produced among the Of Fort
Jackson state OF alarm and discomfort which resulted
at midnight in general nutiuy Of the garrison. That
this was unexpected and almost incredible to the oh
in command but nEural, after the conduct Of
the men during the siege At little after u O'Clock,
the majority Of the ocers who were attempting to re-
cru their strength and make up for the loss o. of
the previous fortnight were awakened to find the whole
garrison undec arms
The sentres ordered OF their posts the detach-
~nts scuttled the batteries the guns bearing up the
river, and some Of the heavier guns the lower front
were spiked Several Of the officers who went up to
the barbetO batteries and standing the guns
we're shot at An attempt fo-cibly 70 suppress the
meeting was clearly impraetcsble. Every attempt to
reason with the proved useless and only Ihres hn
dred AMI twenty men could be prevailed to remain
even until morning. TIVE hundred and fifty left that
night aGd eapt-rsd five miles above. by the Fed
! erRl pckets The nsIt morning flag Of truce was
Mt down to Commodore Porter offering TO accept the
terms refused the previous evening This answered
by the appearance of the Harriet Lane flagship, and
several gun6oats Of the mortar feet well as three
gunboats driven back Thursday morning al carrying
flags Of trucs As the Federal vessels in sight the
/ louisiana rolling out volumes Of smoke from
her ports An hour or two afterward she blew kill
ing man and Wouudlng another At Fort st Philip
The terms previously pied formally drawn up
and after the evacuation by the gasOns the forts
taken possession of the naval officers detailed that
/ purpose. The officers and men with their baggage
were transported to the city Of New Orleans gun
boats, after having given their paroles not TO serve
against the Federal government until regularly eX
changed.
OF the officers and Of the Louisiana, some made
their escape through the swamps bat the majority
made prisoners and sent to the North.
The circumstances attending the demand FOR surreG
der of the city its evacuation by the the Teuss
Of tie civil authorities surrender its occupation bl
Commodore Fsrraguf, and subsequent transfer Gen
Butler, are too well known to need repetition.
ARTILLERIST.