Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1862-05-15

Com. Farragut had passed the forts and sue
ceeded in clearing the river, he sent dispatch
to Com. Porter, below, announcing his sucuess,
and that he had captured at the quarantine
grounds four hundred rebeles, whom he had
released on PAROLE not being able to take care
of them. The rebel forts, though cut off en-
tirely from communication with the city, re-
fused at first to surrender unconditionally, but
subsequently concluded to do so.
The Times correspondent wrote on the 23d
-"To-dav--thc 23d of April-wi henceforth
be remembered as the date of one of the most
desperate of naval battles. At 3 O'Clock in the
morning the greater part of Commodore Far
raguts squadron, consisting of five soops-of-
war and nine gunboats, successfully passed up
the river, running through fearful fire, and
are now above the forts. The mortar hotilla
and eight armed steamers are still below the
enemy, who is thus placed between two fires,
with his supplies from New Orleans cut off, and
rendering his surrender merely a question of
time. The burning hulls of three rebel steam
ers have passed by us down the river. and that
famous bug-hear, the ram Manassas, is de-
stroyed. saw it sinking, burning wreck, its
two smoke-st stacks totterng, its cylindrical sides
pierced with yawning holes made by rilled shot.
There is no doubt that Commodore Farragut,
with large squadron, is now at New Orleans.
Read the following letter, copy of which l
was permitted to make. 1t was written when
the flag officer was warm from the conflict, and
the words have the true metal in them =
Dear Porter: We had rough time of it,
as Boggs will tell you, but thank God the num-
Der of the killed and wounded was very small,
considering This ship had two killed and
eight wounded. We destroyed the ram in
single combat between her and the old Mis-
sissppi, but the ram backed out when he saw
the Mississippi coming at him so rampantly,
and he doged her and ran on shore, whereupon
Smith put two or three broadsides through him
and knocked him all to pieces. The ram
pushed fire raft on to me, and in trying to
avoid it ran the ship on shore. He again
pushed the fire raft on me, and got the ship
on fire all along one side. | thought it was all
up with us, but we put it out and got off again,
proceeding up the river, fighting our way. We
have destroyed all but two of the gunboats, and
these will have to surrender with the forts. l
intend to follow up my success and push for
New Orleans and then come down and attend
to the forts, so you hold them in statu quo until
l come back. think if you send flag of
truce and demand their surrender they will
yield, for their intercourse with the city is cut
off. We have cut the wires above the quaran-
tine and are now going ahead | took 800 or
400 prisoners at quarintine They surrendered
and paroled not to take up arms again. l
could not stop to take care of them. If the
General will come up to the bayou and lend
few men or as many as he pleases, he will find
two OF our gunboats there to protect him from
the gunboats that are at the forts. | wish to
get to the English Turn, where they say they
have not placed battery yet, but have two
above nearer New Orleans. They will not be
idle and neither will |. You supported us
most nobly. Very truly yours, ID. u. FARRA-
GUT"
"lhs dispatch was brought to Capt. Porter
by Capt. Boggs, late commander OF the Varuna,
whose vessel was sunk in the action. From
Capt Boggs | obtained some further informa-
ton. lie stated that before the Varuna sunk,
she destroyed alone SIX OF the rebel steamers,
OF which he learned the names OF four viz !:
the William ii. WEBB, Palmetto, PhenlX, and
Jackson. AS ne passed the forts, Capt. Boggs
as well as all the other vessels received their
hre. The Rlchmond, and one or two more OF
large steam sloops, slowed down and poured
three or four 6roadsides each into the enemy
Inc Varuna dld not wait after delivering two
oroadsides' but pressed directly on INTO a nor
net nest OF reoei gunboats when were mile
or two above. She was assailed by these, two
or three at n time, III ram-tashlon, buttlng at
her with their iron-cased prows, and several
large holes were made in her. AS long as his
vessel ioated Capt, Boggs fought galantly with
his guns, and drove the enemy's steamers ashore,
where they were fired by heir own crews.
One OF the Varuna's shot disabled still another
steamer oy making hole IN her boiler, ana
this vessel surrendered to the Oneida, who took
her' 'olhcers and crew prisoners. The Naruna's
last guns were fired when her decks were under
water and no clothing or other property was
saved by soul on board, There were three of
the Varuna's crew killed in the action, and