The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-05-27

four citizens will be interested by the
following letter from Willie Bridgman,
who is Midshipmsn in the navy:l
u. s. STEAMSHIP RlcHaoNn,
OFF NEw ORLEANS. April rs, '62
DKAE MOTHER: At last New Orleans
has fallen, and once more the Stars and
Stripes wave bcforethe city. can hard
ly realize that it is so,--that the greatest
city of the Southern Confederacy is in
our power. and that within the last day
or two We have accomplished the most
brilliant naval success of the war Only
a week ago the city was confident in its
strength and loud in its vaunts of the abil-
ity of their forts to resist or even annihi-
late us, and now what change, their
defences successfully passed or captured
and the city in our hands But let me
commence at the beginning and give you
connected account of our proceedings
during the last week.
On the 18th inst. the mortar boats hav-
iag been towed into position opened FIRE
on the forts these responded, and all day
long until 9 O'Clock at night the FIRE was
kept up, not rapidly, but at regular in.
tsryals. To understand the fight you
must know something Of the respective
positions Of forts and feet. At this point
the river makes an abrupt bend to the
left. nearly at right angle to its course
About % miles above the bend, on the
left hand bank of the river going up, is
Fort jackson; directly. opposite on the
right bank is Fort ST. Phillip. Below each
Of these forts. and l think above also, are
strong batteries mounting heavy riAed
guns. just below the forts heavy chain
was stretched across the river, the bights
supported by dismantled hulks anchored
In the stream. All their gunboats, about
fifteen in number, we're stationed above
the forts. During the first days attack
one of them would come down below now
and then TO reconuoitre, but Our gunboats
made tbs work decidedly hazardous, and
they soon abstaincd from it. The river
Is but half mile wide and with the cur.
rent against US, and considering the heavy
cross-6re to which we would be exposed
from their powerful forts and batteries for
distance Of five or six miles ia the mar
row channel, it is no wonder that they
considered it impossible for our aset 10
force the passage. The position our NOR
tar schooners took up was just below and
around the bend and effectually concealed
from the forts BY thick woods on the riv.
or bank. This was but slight inconve-
nience to them, for the proper elevation
had been calculated beforehand and j,
made but little difference whether thei,
adversary was visible or not, while to the
rebels It was a serious disadvantage. A
rather novel expedient was adopted to
prevent the schooners' masts from being
seen above the timber. The bouahs and
limbs of trees were dashed to the mast
heads. rendering them indistinguishable
from the surrounding foliAge, 60 that the
rebels could only guess At their position
from the puts Of smoke when they fred
Our war vessels were all anchored nea,
the mortar schooncrs and just below them
The nasthesds commanded good view
Of the forts. and during the bombardmep,
they were always crowded with spect.
tors Ager to witness the effect Of ON,
bombs. A good shot was sure to elici
cheers from aloft. During the first DAYS
hight SIX Of the mortar boats took posi,ior
some distance up on the right bank, bu
TINS was found too exposed position anc
that night Com. Porter had them tfuns
ierred to the other bank. On the morn.
ing OF the 18th the mortars opened AGAR
on the forts, and from that time they nev
er ceased, night or day, until We passed
the forts, on the morning Of the 9th
The hrlng was never rapid, but it va,
steady. This continued shower Of shells
dropping in and around the fort, mn
have caused fearful havoc.
The second day the inside Of the for,
was let on ire and all the wooden .,,..
lures consumed. Capt. Porter directed
the firing Of these mortars from hi. a.g
ship, the Harriet Lane. The enemy &C
Ter the first day, being unable to see on,
schooners. or witness the effect of HI,
shot, fired only at very long interval.
They had some splendid guns, tbrov;no