The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1862-05-16
The Capture Of New Orleans.

orleans, with the capture oil the Forts 4
and the destruction OF the rebel fleet I
The first date is Friday, April 18Th, and @
gives the I
POSITION OF THE ATTACHING FLEET. !
The vessels are arranged in parallel
lines. On the outside are the frigates /
aud gubboats, and inside. literally mooied I
TO the stumps and margin Of the stream,
are the mortar schooners.
As the bonn bar dment is TO be made from
a point not more than hah a mile above =.
our present position, l will attempt to de.
scribe the natural features Of the place.
The river here IS about its average width I
of five eights Of a mile, and the velocity I
OF the current is from three TO five miles :
an hour. Commencing near the forts,
aud extending eight miles below them, on
the west or left bank Of the stream as we
ascend, IS dense strip Of forest, about
fifty yards wide, excepting for space Of
a quarter Of a mile in length, where the
river bends in its course, at which the enc
emy has cleared away the trees for the
purpose Of getting better range upon
our vessels. Beyond this belt Of woods
the land disappears in an impenetrable
swamp. On the right hand or eastern
bank there are no trees, but dead level
Of marsh, probably half a mile wide, and
sufficient water on either shore for vessels
Of the largest draft. From the mast.heats
OF all the vessels the forts may be seen
plainly, away across the msrhes, over the
tops of the willows, mangrGyes and trees
OF larger growth. ..
coNCEALMEHT OF THE MORTAR BOATS.
The mortar schooners at best afford a
small target for the enemy TO FIRE at, but
the chances Of striking them are still fur
ther decreased by the screen Of woods,
which hides the hulls completely from the
fors. Sill further to conceal them from
observation, their masts have been dressed
with evergreeus. All yesterday afternoon,
the sailors were busy in the tangled chap
: paral, cutting the branches and limbs Of
the trees for this purpose. 1t was great
fun for the tars, who felt no fear, 10 the
glow Of their excitement. at disturbing
the rattle.snakes and aliigators which in
. fest the morass. Imagine the pleasantly
= peculiar appearance Of the schooners in
/ their leafY dresses. Eighteen of them
8 converted into shady bowers ! A tree
dashed 10 each masthead, inter,wining its
I branches and boughs beneath, laced to
J The rigging on either side, jutling re-
. . freshing shade. They look prepared for
a q a festival instead of war. 1t is May-day,
n Palm Sunday and Christmas time exag.
it geraied Burnam woods come TO Dun
II shame "lorest of mas!s," with the ad
e iuncts of branches and leaves.
u DESTRUCTION OF THE FIRE RATS.
:, An hour alter the review. The men hat
~ an opportunity TO test in a practical man
A. =. ner their means or destroyisg FIRE RATS
ID and they proved to be an admirable sue
D. cess. A turgid column Of black smoke
d, arising from resipous wood. was seen ap
y proachinS US from the vicinity OF the forl'
n Signal lights were made, the varied color
70 Of which produced a beautiful effect upo
!. u the foliage Of the river bank, and render
20 ing the darkness intenser by contras
So when they diappeared Instantly hun
e. dred boats shot out toward the raft. whic
n. now was blazing fercely, and casting
n wide zone Of light upon the water
as Two or three Of the gunboats then &C
"a. under way, and steamed boldly towar
w the unknown thing Of terror. One (
o. o. them, the Wesl6eld, Capt. Reushav
no gallanllv opens her steam valves, ar
les dashes (uriously upon it, making the sparl
to fly and tlmbers crash with the force
OF her blow. Then stream Of water fro
a her hose plays upon the blazing mass
90 Now the small boats lay along side, cor
~ ing up helter.skelter, and actively en-
,0, ,o. ploying their men. We see everythir
ng distinctly in the broad glare-men, oar
boats, buckets and ropes. The sceI
looks phantom like, supernatural; i
tensely interesting, extremely excltin
ter inex;rcably confused. But finally the o
on' ~ iect is nobly accomplished. The raft, y
ava tiercely burning, is taken out OF range
AZ. the anchored vessels and towed ashol
lis. where it is slowly consumed. AS I
ray boats return they are cheered by the fle'
to and the scene changes to one Of darkne
ar and repose, broken occasionally by (
DC gruff hail Of q seaman, when boat, sc
av1 ,oh on business from one vessel TO anoth
are are passes through the fleet. We have
! in contempt for fire RATS. They ha
ca. proved. like many other things, TO
ual ''weak inventions OF the enemy"
Fire upon the fort was opened on F
'hlo day, April 18th.
no' OPENING THE BoMBARDMENT.
u's The engagement was opeued by Ft Ja
son few minutes before 8 o'clock, and
.S guuboat Owasoo, which had gone a LEM
'o", or two ahead of the mortar vessels. was
aus first to reply Presently the bomb flot
'"e commenced throwing it's shells, somew
we slowly at first, but With increasing rapid
Gun as tho sailors became accustomed TO II
""" work. until q bomb was sent from each '
'oe' sci on an average once in five minutes.
u'a u foro the fight commenced was lucky onol
"ou to obtain a place in the foretop OF the frie
Mississippi, whore the entire field of ST
':a 'I could be taken in at glance. From
r'ou @ point saw the effect of the firing. Tn
'hey we're 70 shots hred from the forts during
my first hour and a half. the larger numbe
VINO which came from Fort Jackson. Most of q
'ne passed over the masts of the sohooners
-, ~ the lett. dropping in range of those on
%ieu' % other shore, but from l50 to 200 "
Veu, short. After awhile, however, the re
uoeo . got the range of these elk vessels accurat
'ne aud tho balls fell about them, espcci
from Fort Philip. terribly thick and
>, In return, the bombs we're direc ted spiri
orid' ly upon the fort, and with such effect
men the enemy slackened bis FIRE.
'usiy The quick, sharp bark of the mortars
man man incessant. Following each report is an
tner ful rushing whirr.r-rr, as though ten q