Newbern weekly progress., 1862-05-31
CGicial Report OfGen. Butler.
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF, j
Forts jackson and ST. Philip,
April 20, 1862
To IIUII, II NJ, DTNNTUN,
SecretdrY Of Var:

-'l''' ~ iN'-'
To Hon. f NJ. STANTON,
Secretary y Var:
SIR have the honor to report that, in
ODE Hence TO my instructions, reInail ell on the
Mississippi River, with the troops named in
my former Dispatch awaiting the action of the
fleet srgsg.i in the bonn mbaru,nent of the Forts
Jackson aud St, Philip.
Failing to reduce them after six days Of in.
cessaat fire, Flag Officer Earragut determined
to attempt their passage with his whole fleet,
extept that portion thereof under the immediate
command OF Capt Porter, known as the mortar
ilLet.
On the morning of the 9th inst the feet got
under weigh, and twelve vessels, including the
four sloops-ot.war, ran the gauntlet of the fire
Of the iortS and were safely above. Of the gal
lantry, courage, and conduct of this heroic ac-
ton, unprecedented in naval warfare consider
ing the character of the works and river too
much cannot be said Of its casualties and the
details OF its performance the Flag Officer will
give an account to the proper department. |
witnessed this daring exploit from point
about 500 yards from Fort Jackson, and un.
Willingly under its fire, and the sublimit.' et
the Scene can never be exceeded
The fleet pressed on up the river to New Or
leans, leaving two gunboats 10 protect the quar-
anine station, five miles above.
In case the forts were not reduced and por-
ton OF the fleet got by them, it had been ar.
rangco between the flag officer and myself that
| should make landing from the Gulf sidc in
the rear of the forts at the Quarantine, aud
from theIce attempt Fort st. Philip BY storm
and as. ault, while the bombardmcnt was con.
tinucd by the feet.
immediately went to Sable Island with my
transports, twelve miles in The rear of Fort ST.
Philip the Eearest point at which sufficient
depth Of water could be found for them. Capt,
Porter put at my disposal the Miami, drawing
n feet, being the lghtcst draught vessel in
the fleet, TO take the troops from the fleet as
far in as the water would allow. We were
delayed twenty.tour hours by her running
ashore at Pas a rOutrc The 2Gth regiment
Massachusetts Volunteers, Col Jones, were
then put on board her and carried within six
miles Of the fort, where she again grounded.
Capt Everett, of the 9th Massachusetts Bat
tcry, having very fully roconnoitered the waters
and bayous in that vicinity, and foreseeing the
necessity, had collected and brought with me
some thirty boats, into which the troops were
again transhipped and conveyed by mos,
ialiguing and laborious row some four and a
half miles further, there being within one mile
of the steamer only two and half feet Of water
a large portion OF this passage waSagainst q
heavy current through a bayou. At the en-
trance OF MamceNs Canal u mile and hall
from the point Of landing, rowing became I'M
possible, rs well from the narrowneSs of the
canal as the strength OF the current, which rar
like mill race Through this the boats coulC
only be impclled by dragging them sirgy
with the men up to their waists in water.
1t is due to this fine regiment, and to por
ton Of the 4th Wisconsin Volunteers and .2ls
INDIANA who landed under this hardship with
ont a murmur, that their labors should bt
made known to the Department, as well as t,
account Tor the sownesS of our operations.
The enemy evidently considered this moll
of attack impossible as they had taken NJ
measures to oppose it, which might very easil,
have been successfully done
We occupied at once both sides Of the river
thus eiIectually cutting them off from all sup
plies, information on succor, while we made ou
dispositions for the assault
Meantime Capt Porter had sent into tn,
bayou, in the rear of Fort jackson, two schoon
ers OF his mortar fleet, TO prevent the escape o
the enemy from the fort in that direction.
In the hurry and darkness of the passage o
the forts the lag-oitcer had overlooked thre
OF the cremy's gunboats and the iron clad bat
terry Louisiana, which were at anchor uudc
the walls OF the fort Supposiag that all tn
Rebel boats had been destroy yel (anl doza