Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-05-16
FROM NEW ORLEANS.

MS nun hOhNiiNN NiNhUho'hs "
this Village, giving very concise statement
Of the bombardment of Forts Jackson and st.
Phillip, below New Orleans on the Mississp-
ri river. From this letter, and also from
extracts which we make from the correspond
ont Of the Boston Journal, it will be seen that
VIC have not yet any direct account OF the oc-
cupaton Of New Orleans, as the mail was dis
patched before they had heard from the feet
which passed the Forts, and was then on its
way TO the city;
L. S. STEAMER "HARRIrr LANE"
Mississippi River, April 25, 1862. I
Ny DEAR FArHER,-Well! The great
fight Of this war is over. New Orleans Is
ours | will give a description of the affair.
On Friday last at ten o'clock in the morn
ing our mortar feet opened on Fort Jackson,
which is about eighty miles below the city.
The fire was continued during the day, but
ceased at night. On this day we burned all
Of the quarters and wood work Of the Fort
During the night large FIRE RATS were sent
down for the purpose Of burning the feet,
but they did us no damage, on the contrary
they appeared very nice as they illuminated
the river and made it very pleasant indeed
Saturday morning the mortars opened again
on both Forts--Jaokson and st. Philip
During the day the gunboats and small sloops
of war assisted, and great amount of work
was performed. Our ships received a number
Of shots from the Forts and one Of the NOR
tar schooners was sunk An incessant fire
was kept up night and day until yesterday
Thursday morning about two o'clock. At
about thee o'clock in the morning Thursday
terrible fire was opened by the mortars and
our ships-of-war got under way and com
menced moving up the river toward the Forts.
They went up in three (or four divisions. the
object being to pass the Forts sure and silence
them, If possible without too great loss
The steamers belonging to Capt. Potter, some
eight in number, were not to attempt to pass
the forts, but to divert the FIRE of the forts
and water batteries from the ships going up.
Well. they did 90 up l-butit was sharp work
1t was the most terrible battle that has been
fought for many a year. | pray | may never
witness another sight of the kind and have
heard those who have seen some fighting say
that it was the hardest fight they had ever
heard Of 1t was a perfect Yankee trick-no
other nation on earth would have attempted
20 pass between bro forts and any number Of
water batteries. | was on deck and could
form an idea Of the affair i. was truly grand
The heavens were illuminated by the fash of
guns and fre-rafts The roar Of the guns
from the forts and ships was like thunder
the ships delivered their broadsides in grand
style. In our little fleet the loss was consid-
cradle. This ship had one killed and one
badly wounded,--his leg is of just above the
knee If we had been five rods either side
We should have been blown out of the water,
we are so good mark The lPinond, which
was close to US, had three killed and five
wounded. The haska received nine shots,
one of which passed through one boiler,
causing her to take fire and drift down the
river; but she was run ashore and the fire
extnguished. After all, she only had one
man hurt, and he is not badly injured. / do
not remember the loss on the rest of our fleet
it was not very large.
Well, after the ships had passed up, the
forts became too hot for us, so we fell back
by this time it was daylight. After we had
repaired damages, Capt Porter sent the
Otoaseo up with flag of truce demanding an
unconditional surrender. As as the
steamer got within range they fred on it. OIL
course Capt. Guest returned to Capt. Porter.
Soon after our lookout reported flag of
truce coming down from the Fort in small
boat. Capt. Guest started to meet it. The
boat contained Lieutenant of artillery, who
apologized for firing on our flag. and said it
was a mistake. Captain G. then demanded
tho surrender of the forts. The lieutenant
said that they should not surrender them.
but took the request to Lieut.. Col. Higgins.
I'm command.) Col. Higgins refused to sur
render; therefore we have not got the forts.
but we haze got them-that is, fourteen of
our ships of war are above the forts. Five of
these shins carry one hundred and TWENTY
five guns. In all | suppose we have two
hundred guns above the fort. This is all we
wish for.
This afternoon one of the commanders who
went up, came down to us in a small boat
He avs that all of the fleet passed nm by the
forts in safety. They received a good many
shots and probably lost one hundred men,
Soon after passing the forts one of our steam
ers. (the Verona WAS sunk. after she had
sunk sr of the rebel steamers. some of them
iron-clad. She was the fast shin of the feet
which went up and was sent ahead for the
purpose of cutting off the retreat of the
steamers, &c. She gave each steamer A
broadside as she passed, and sunk six. The
others sunk Rye-in all eleven. The Missis.
sipoi did well. She run. stern on. into the
T,rtle-Capt. Hollin's Ram. which hit the