Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1862-05-13

our coming, for the foremost OF the aeet had
scarcely got abreast OF the line of fire when sig
nal rockets were made from st phjhp. and
shot began to fall rapidly upon them. For
time there was no reply but soon we could
hear the noise OF the broadsdes, which sound
ed IN comparison to the bombs like i pack Of
Chinese fRe. crackers let off together
had got boats crew, and ventured along
the river bank as near to the forts as was pru
dent in order to get fair sight of tue engage.
ment but could make out nothing distinctly.
Broad flashes of light momentarly burst through
banks of clouds on the horizon which resemble
sheet lightning on sultry day. A fire raft cast
a lurd glare near Fort st. Philip, and for half
an hour the din was the terrible. Pandemonium
could scarcely be more awe-inspring. At the
end Of that time it began to grow lighter and
soon saw the Harriet Lane, with Capt. Porter,
and all the vessels Of his Division, coming rap
IDLY down the river
Behind them were the gunboats Kennebec.
Winooa ARD Itasca, which had been unable to
pass beyond the forts The ltasca at the time
was under showerof shell from Fort St. Philip
| afterwafd ascertained that when she was di.
rectly under the guns of the Tort shot passed
through her boiler, and this rendered her unable
to proceed On her way down she was exposed
TO a rakng fire, and received thirteen shots be-
low her water line. Singuiarly enough, only
twO men We're injured on board # her Their
names are Richard Kane, captain Of the hold,
who WAS struck by u splinter, and kaney, fire.
man, who was scalded upon his arm and face
by the escape Of steam. On the Wiaona. A lex
ander Taylor, a boatswaiu- + mate. was cut 10
two by shos, and live others oi the crew were
adly wounded The Kennebec was struck sey-
eral times, but none on board were hurt
1t was now about clock, and the mortais
which had Kept up tAelr fire incessanty, were
sgnazed to cease. Then report was spread
that larger part OF the squadron had passed
beyond the forts, aud cheers upon cheers Ut eX
ultation made the welkIn ring
Read the following letter, Il copy OF which
was permitted to make. lt was written when
the Flag Ofiicer was warm from the conflict. ana
the words have Tie ring oi true metal in them
DEAR PORTER Nehad a rough time ol II,
rs B0GGs will tell you, thank God, the number
Of killed and WOUNDED was very small, consider
ing. We destroyed the ram in u single combat
between her and the old Mississippi but the
ram backed cut when she saw the Mississippi
coming at him 50 rampantly, and ne lodged her
and ran ON shore, whereupon SMITH put two
or three broadsdes through hin and knocked
/ him all TO pieces. The rom pushed ire raft on
10 nle, anu IN trying to avoid II ran theshp ON
shore. lie again pushed the fire riit me, and
got the ship on ire all along the side thought
II was al up with US, but we put 10 oul ana got
Of again, proceeding up tie river, hghtirg our
way We nave destroyed uit but TWO Of toe
gunb04,s, and these VIII haye 70 Surrender with
th3 forts. lulead 80 iolsoN up tuy success and
push ior New Ohlsns .,na 'hen come dlwn auG
attend IL tae FORKS, 50 yuu p.ld tacm ia Sf0tu
quo uull come .lea ,aaa - ,ou .cnd
figOi uuoo an. d .JluG to.if >ilrruu,r thr, will
yIeld, .or ,'iyig Intercourse "ttu thc cas- j, cat
off. W & have Ga, tle sac, al Ae tu- Q4aran-
tine ana ale nOw gong ahead. took 800 or
100 prisoners at Quarantine. They surrendered
ana paroled them not to take up arms again.
could not sop to take care oil them Ii the
, General will come up to the bayou and land
few men or as many as he pleases, he viii hnd
TWO ol our gunb1ats there tu protect hiin from
the guuboats that are at the forts. wish 70 get
to Tie Eogllsh Turn, where they say they have
not placed u battery yet, but have two above
. New Orleans They will not be idle aud
neither will !. You supported as most no0ly.
Very truly yours
d. q. FARRAGuT
To Capt d. d. PORTER, Commanding Mortar
FluuilA
1he dispatch was brought to Capt Porter
this afternoon by Capt Bog5s, iaie Commander
: OF the Naruna, whose vessel was sunk in the ac-
ton. From Capt Bogss obtained some ur.
ther Information. lie stated that, before The
D Naruna sank, she destroyed alone SIX OF the rebel
steamers. 90 which he learned the names OF iOur,
viz: The William H. W eb3, Palmetto, phuuX
/, aud jackson. As nc passed the lorts, Capt
b B1Igs, rs well as all the other vessels, received
3 the,r ire he Richmond, and one OF TWO more
oil the large steam soops, slowed down aud
5 pourtd three or four brOadsldes each INTO the
9 enemy. The Naruna did not wait after deliver
4 my Two br0adsldes, but pressed directly on utu
u a hornet nest OF reotl gunbOats whlch were a
+ mle or Two above, She was aSsdlled by these
T two or three at u time, IA ram-Nshlon, buttiug
J ut her with their ir0n.caS5d prowS, aud several
= large holes were made IN her. rs long as his
d vessel t0ated Capt Boggs Iought gallan,ly with
u his guns. and drove the enemy STEAMERS ashore
= where they were hIed 10y their own crews One
Il OF the Naruua sh0t disabled still another steam.
er hy making a hole in hel boiler, aud TINS yes.
, sci surrendered 20 the Oneida, who took hel oli-
II GERS ana crew prisoners. HE Naruna . last
0 Guns were fred when her decks were under wa
n ter, and no clothing or other property was saved
= by a soul on board. There were three OF the
y Vurunas crew killed IN the action, and seven
h wounded, wo OF whom are not expected 10 sur.
P yiye their injuries. Including the ram. there
e were eleven ol The rebel s,oamera destroyed. ANA
o the captain of tho ram is d prisoner ou board
Il the Mississippi
h Alter the light, the whole squadron repaired
to the Quarantine anchorage which is seven
a miles above he iOfts There the dead were
q buried and the wounded matte as comlaftab1
h as circumstances woold permit rho number
s OF our killed and wounded is estimated by Cant.
1t Boggs at about l25, aud II oi these belong ia
IS the Richmond lie thinks that the loss on the
If side Of the rebels was enormous. The chain