Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1862-05-02
THE CAPTURE OF NEW ORLEANS.

TIE CAPrU RE OF NEW ORLEANS
The Connecticut at New York from the
Southwest Pass, April l2,h, brought &C
counts of the commencement OF active op-
erations below New Orleans. The biz frig-
stes by tightening them and with great ex-
ertion, had been got over the bar. with the
exception Of the Colorado, Capt. Bailey, (of
PlattsbuIg.) which drew too much water to
cross. Her guns, officers, and most Of her
crew were accordingly sent up to the other
ships, and Capt. Bailey left her to take sec
ond command Of the squadron, and imme-
di4te charge Of the steam gunboa;s. The
mortar fleet had passed up to tie head of the
passes, and the gunb0at> were reconnoi;er-
ing. several Of them having been up under
fire of Fort jackson, which opened on them
with 100 10. rifles. They discovered the h;g
chain, which has been talked about, extend
ing across the river just below the lorts, and
resting on the decks of six dismantlcd
schooners, one end being fast to an anchored
raft. leaving passage close under the guns
Of Fort jackson for the rebel fleet to pass
up and down. They saw also two ir5n-clad
gunboats with 81 ping sides, and several
other rebel gunh1lts, together with "A
hou-c-ikc affair, which wa. supposed to
be the ram Louisiana, the Merrimac OF the
Mississippi The Forts are thus described.
by correspondent on one Of the gunboats:
-' Fort Jackson is the first work approached
and Is situated On the right bank Of the river
Il is a five sided work, with bastions Two OF the
curtains only arc clsem7ted, each containing eight
guns Inc tastcn guns are also casenatcd. TIE
Up river side Of the tort is poorly armed, and j,
not css-ma-ea- An auxiliary work way down the
river was euiit 90 command the upward npproach
ana mounts tTenty-eizht guns. Tie parade
Erouhl has ovfn Jug up, and the water let %, so
that II a shell, unexi lodcd, falls inside of tie
WORK lts value Is diminished by its nom xpl,-i
On point outlyiug from the fort is 4 small mud
work, probably cor sfIuctsd l.. cover the % ain
huIk-. me Magazine capacity Of the fort o. ere
hundred rounds 60 each gun.
" Now for Fort ST. Philip. Il j. an irregular
work, Il considerable size with no caseIna.c. aud
Is strengthened by heavy batteries on each side
ID Is a formidable WORK, and j. in many respects
equal 20 Fort Jackson. Inc two rifei gun, whose
metal was brought cut to-day, feel colfden. are
Armstrong l0O-p0unders. The rebels have large
number Of q Founders in these forts, and they
have, by practice, obtained beautiful ranges
The rebels We're found to have two heavy
batteries Of over twenty guns each On each
side Of Fort 81. Phillip.
The L. :. aset numbered 'orig-sil Cornifd-
able vessels, as follows.
Flagship Hartford, twenty-six guns.
steam sioop Brooklyn, twenty-six guns.
steam o'p Mississippi, sixteen guns.
stem soop VaTuua, tea guns
steam sloop Pensacola tKeuty -four guns.
Steam sloop Oneida, eleven guns.
steam sioop Iroquois, nine guns.
steam sloon Richmond. tweuty-eighl guns.
SerenfesH guubolts, many Of them new
war vessels mounting from four to nine gunt
each and t,o.uty-one mortar schooners,
each carrying enc Of the immense mortars.
weighing about 1900 lbs. and throwing
the terrible IS inch shells, which weigh over
200 lbs each.
The feet in al CARED ,,ro huudred and
e'ghfV-sir guns and toeHfJ one mcrtars, Ex-
traordinary preparations were made, such as
placing hOwitzsrs In the main tops of tie
irigates. The Richmond was painted all
over, smoke stack anG all. with dirt-color-
ed pant. TO match the mud OF the river, so |
that she would not Tres,n Mt 50 far "a mark to |
the enemy gunners. and was plated with |
very heavy chain cable spiked to her sides
tor about Onc-thIrd Of her length, to protect
her machinery. The Hartford and BROOKLYN
were rrotc' led IN the same WY. 1t was un-
iersto0i that ten. Butler WAS 90 cooperate
Hi,h the feet. by land attack from Back
Bay, five miles in the rear ol Fort st. Phil.
Ip. About ten thousand lu,i were to ac-
company the fleet, and occupy the city when
,apiured. This number was thought album
liant.
Ia losing New Orleans, the rebels lose
ty Of Us ,0o0 inhabitants, the fourth city
4 size Of the United States. the great me
ropolis Of the Mississippi valley, ana the
entire OF wealth aud commerce for Cotton
ON Its capture is glory enough for one
ay.