The weekly sun. (New York [N.Y.]) 1851-1869, 1862-05-03
Our Special Correspondence.
Operations against New Oricaus-~trcngih
and Position Of the Enemy-Tbe Federal
Forces Plnn Of Iron Protection
Preparations to Attack the Ci'y-N0riar
Fleet. Southwest Pass, Mississippi River.
AputI u iN6p

Several ;unhop.s nave reconroitrcd the enc
ny's position during the past week The hH-
.sJec approached so near to Forts jackson and
Phillip tina, she was in danger from che shell,
that we're fired towards her with considerable
precision. One OF tie shells fell into the water
within twenty yards OF the steamer Captain
Bell of the soop-ot-war Hdrtord was on hotrl
tho KenneJoc and ma lc the following cl,cryg-
tons Tho enemy appears to have number az
riilel guns and some whose range ia eXtcr-iv.
AS is proved hy the distance whicl. the htJu'i..
snstanod when exposed to the tire Tort Jack
son. which is on the left Ms you ascend the river,
is the .tro ,cr fort. 1t is casemui~i aud sivos
evidence OF having been recently strengthened
The trees ia the ueighborhood which uh'iruc' u'"
range Of the Guns have been ielled So that the tv"
A.x,;--- ions together command all tlca Iro.. Doe
cs from below. Several scows are moor,d nc..
the forts /, il said that their use Is in sulIor
ii.s an imm 'u~c iron chain which CROSSES thr
river at that point, and which may prove u
very serious obstacle in the way OF the flee,
when it advances. II is reported that the gun
q, both forts amount 10 more han three humoTc'
and that fire ships are in readiness 10 rcpd AS
salants.
Notwithstanding these immense prcpar-
ntuns for the defence of the river, ther,
seems u b. hut liulc doubt that before an
attack is made by the Federal forces our fleet
will have attained such formidable dimcH-
fi0ns that victory Tor the Union vii
he almost sure thing, All the YES
tcls oi the mortar fleet arc in good order
The mortars and their machinery operate Hdmi-
railv and the officers and men are IN good healti
aud spirits Besides the mortar fleet lar-,
number Of mcn-ot-war OF all sizes will assist II
the hOmharmeut. II was said that the tuioyd
d. "a fritato carry ing my guns, would lend hcl
assistance. But. ON account ot her great size il
will bc impos, die for her 10 cross the bar Il
rhc were once over the bar she would find II,
difficulty, the water in the river is in NAM
places more than one hundred feet in depth
But there are other vessels Of no insignificant
sile which can cross the bar. Such are tn
HUitord, Itasdco(a, brooklyn and RichHoHd
All these are iirst-class sloops CARVING abou
twenty-five heavy guns apiece, and all with TIM
exception of the Peasacota are now anchurc,
in the river above the bar The P,nsucoia i
now aground in her endcavor to cross, An acci
dent happened on board Of her two or tire
days ago, in the parting of hawser, b,
which two men were killed and eight wounded
An officer, said to he an Acting Master had nj
leg broken. The appearance Of the Richmond
very suggestive Of the action she il to take par
In before long She is painted all over
smoke stack and all, with dirt-colored paint
which looks qs If one OF its ingredients Is tn
may not present so fair mark to the enemy
Runrcrs, Besides this she is plated with yer
heavy chain cable for about one-third Of he
length, The chains are spiked and her side
cover them about half way up from the SUI
face Of the water. They look as ii they woul
be pretty good but not perfect protection
her machinery.
Besides the vessels above named the fo
lowing are in the vicinity preparing to accom-
Iany the mortar fleet. The side-whee frigat