Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-05-16
THE NAVAL BATTLE ATTN. ORLEANS.

A.
The New York Post prints private letter
from Capt. Boggs, addressed to his family in
New Jersey, in which graphic description ia
given of the gallant part which the gunboat
Varuna bore in the terrible contest on the
Mississippi We quote:
Yesterday great battle was fought The squadron
passed the forts under fire as any Meet prob,
Dy ever endured Inc ships were much cut 10 and
there many killed and wounded c,, ,,f, 80,
you nasty narrative ot what occurred on board the Va
runa, as IN thatyou will take a special interest
we started al clock A. NJ, and received the first
hre ooO' Just as the moon rising Ny vessel was
terribly bruised but returned the ire with nterct
IN passing the forts found myself the leading ship and
sulouhueu oy asquadron OF rebel steamers who annoy
p ue mueh 10y thtlr hrei so that suered close TO
them as possible giving each broadside ia sueosssn
as passed driving one shore, and leaving four oth
sIslh nAmes During this time the firing Of guns whisf-
ling Of shot aud bursting Of shells was terrble tb 49,
dense As this cleared off, finding more steamers ahe.d
stopped to look for the rest Of tile squadron 11cIi
was leaking badly bui thus far we're hurt Astern
"a" NE Oneida engaged with rebel steamer The
natter shorty after came up the fNer when / engaged
nl guy louhu ny shnt Of no avail. he oii-cad
about the bow. lie tried run me down and 40 avoid
Nun ana reach his vulnerable pa Is. During these oyc
Nv ne IaAtu me- Nilhng three and woundng seven
anu attempted TO boafd but we repulsed him. Driving
aBanstm he battered severely but in these Efforts
exposed ms Vulnerable side. and succeeded ia planting
couple OF broadsdesint him. that crippled his cngine
ana set him on IRE lie ;hen dropped OIL and las he nov
eu slowly up the river and passed me gave him anoher
ava parting broadside now found my ship on IRE from
out just then another steamer bore down and
struck heavily on my port quartet and backed oil for AZ.
V"bu oo" ms second blow crushed IN my side hut AZ
the same instant gave him full complement Of sbot ana
smell that drove him shore and in flames sFnding
mystli ~ sinking condition ran my bow INTO tho banf
anu landed my wounded, still keeping up FIRE on INV
ns' opponent who at last hauled down his flag Ny last
sul "is nred as the decks went under the water
NO Time 10 save any thing; the ofiicers and ctc,x es
oaphs wan the clothes they had on their backs
we were now taken off by boats from the souadron
VINO hsu now come up the cheering as The VarunA
went down with her flag Tying victorious IN defeat and
covered with glory think We have done we'll eleven
steamers destroy 10y the squadron The old ram Ma
nassAs sunk by the Mississippi This has been gallant
nsr, 10 no less lhan no guns play ng upon
ihe SVhmodote' as post Of honor, dispatched me In
ny ohly remaining boat with picked crew from the
SiuhA smtn 10 carry dispatches to Gen. Butler
HaNllg bten IN the boat for twenty-six hours after
Ju ual previous work, you may imagine am some.
Nn"t exhausted What my next position may be [ do
nai hnowpehaps "a 60 home for anthsr ship md nos
sIuY !" oeoome naval aid to-asjor Gen. Butler.
captain bGggss too modest say he destroyed
siA out OF the ele'en.-EDs
Commander Charles S. Boggs, of the Unit. /
ed States gunboat Varuna, which was sunk in
me recent engagement with the enemy at
New Orleans, where he attacked Thirteen |
gunOoats of the rebels aud sunk six of them
1 native of New Brunswick, n. j. When
a lad be told hls father he wished to 20 into
the navy. His father said to him: ~ GU are
t clumsy You would fail into the water
from the deck The next morning his faith /
er saw him ON the roof Of the house he had
climbed The lightning rod, going up hand
over hand. His mother was sister Of the
gallant Lawrence Of the Chesapeake.