The New York herald., 1862-12-07
OPERATIONS or the NAVY.
Aausai Report OF the Secretary OF the
Navy.


NAVY DEPARTMENT. Dec. l, 1862
ssu due 20 the naval service that in this sport
shSad drst OF ALL recount 10 you. and through you GO
Congress and the country the operations and achieve
naval forces during the evenul year whcn
has elapsed since my last annual communication Since
the of national difficulties, four pow
er.u squadrons have been collected organized and
tooed for duty maritime frontier with rapidity
and suddealess which finds approach 70 parallel il
previous naval history ana which 1t believed other
country but could have achieved These squad
have been necessarily meintaining strict block
of such gigantic proportions that eminent fore gu
the highest scenes of legislation did hesitate.
at its commencement, publicly % denounce il as IA
material mposshility and yet after this most imos-
ing naval undertaking had been for period OF eighteen
months in oreration and after its reach had been ec:
tvelv extended along the entire sweep Atlantic and
Gut coasts from the outlet OF the Chcsai cake 10 the
mouth OF the Rio Grande, the same eminent authit
with lst Ia their hands Of al the vessels which had
evaded or escaped the vigilance OF cur oucSadng orces
could refuse ia their oca statements 10 admit with
reluctant candor thar the proof OF the ecicncy the
blockade conspicuous and wholly conclusive. and
that previous war had The ports OF an enemy's
country been 50 eirctusy closed by naval force But
testimony not needed. The proof OF the
ac IN the current price of our Southern staples
In ts.e r-ai merciai of the world, and
especially the whole industrial and commercial cond
iasargent region It should be forgotten
that circumstance wanting To attest the magnitude
OF thus greatest OF AL naval trumphs The Industrial
and the imme cial cupidy Of all the principal
the resources d mod rn invention, are kept at hay
multitude Of island harburs under foreign jurisdiction
looking nearly uloa .ur shores and aIordhg the most
convenient lurking places from which Illicit COM
may leap forth 10 lis prohibited dcstna-
ton and purpose closely watched 60 render the
peril OF all such greater than their
enormous gains when successful. And finally, vast
line OF coast nearly three thousand miles extsut
much OF IL with doube shore aud almost honey combed
with nets and narbNs has been so becagred and lock
ed up thai the whole immense foreign commerce, which
the life of he industry and opaence OF the
region which borders has practically ceased to exist
DIsIRiBuTIoN
Some changes N the command OF tho squadrons and
fotllAs have taken place, and new organizations have
been made during the yer.
The North Atlantic squadron, guarding the vir-
gina ald North Carolina coasts, continued in charge Of
Rear Admirst Golisborough until the 5th OF Septem
Der, when he renewed on his own request by Acting
Rear Admiral s. L. Lee who since had that command
In the South Allan c squadron, which blockades the
harbors and uf nth Carolina, Georgia aud The
portion o the Florida c insua, change has
taken place Rear admiral DuyAmt, assigned 20 til Il
squadron when IT first made distinct organization
stl remains in active ana useful service on that highly
Interesting station.
been stated be necessary in my last annual report
consunmated the 2st OF February, Flag Oliicer Nc
Kean retaining command of the eastern Gulf squadron,
the limits OF which comprised the southern and
portions OF the Flo ida peninsula, commencing al Cape
Canavera the eastern coast and extending Peusaco
la On the sh of June he ives on his own app ication
consequence Of impaired health, relieved by Acting Rear
Admiral L1rincr This officers health also giving way,
he compelled to asa 10 be relieved, and Commodore
Theodorus Bailey has beea appointed his successor.
Tho Western Cult squadron guarded coast which,
csmmencug at and including Pensacola, extended
ward 70 the Rio orindc, aud was, from a variety Of
causes OF the most important and responsible
mauds over ntruscd to nava! officer From the har-
bors and rivers beet 70 that blockade there
ported in peaceful times vast amounts Of cotton sugar.
and other products Athia those limits the
outlets OF the great cehtal valley Of the Union and
selecting the officer vito sh ud be put in command the
squadron regard had 10 expedition for which the
department had made extensive PREPARATION, and in
which the whole nmeut had part. ipatec for the
II
the Mississippi After scrutiny and deliberate consdera
this responsible position was ntrustod TO Captain D.
G. farragu III the condent belief that his courage
energy equal b. tho exigency
fesides :hese large squadrons maritime
frontier II became a necessity AT early pc.
ROO d the insurfecton 10 have an organized
naval force on the Mississippi and its tributaries On the
10th OF May 1861 Coniaider ohn Rodgers directed
70 report 10 the War Department. which in the prelm
nary stages assumed the chief expense for the purpose
OF initiating IN armed o,a on the Western waters and
immediately entered upon his dues. Proceeding tho
West he purchased steamers which, under his supervis
ION. fitted, armed and armored gunboats and
thus was commenced rganization Of the Mssisspu
6ottlia. which few mon hs a,er itself iclt in
succession OF achievements that electrified the country
nut bofore Commander Rodgers bad opportunity of
comrlonR his rcmcuts and taking his vessels
actiorCaptan A. II. Fuote appointed TO the
Of the tlola. The iabors commenced by Commander
Rodgers swelied into gigantic proportions under ~
OMcer Foote, whose cnersrs ara talents were exerted
Ia creating and preparing that navy on the Western
0puutry. Painfully wounded at Fort Donelson, he
0as relieved on the 9th OF May b, Captain Charles II.
Davis, who was som aicr appointed Chief OF the bureau
- Navigation, and ir O;tobcr rcnqushed the command
Dy ordor Of Congress the guuboa, acct erred
Che navy, and now Institutes Important sluasrou
snder the command { Acting Rear Admiral H. D. Porter
who entcrcd upon his duties the 18th of october
The active operations OF the Potomac otila ceased in
groa measure after the ercc ION OF the extensive rebel
batteries on the Virginia shore IL the autumn 0f 1861
Fur several months the commerce this important
nue. q the national pita alnos, entirely SUSPENDED
though no time was the passage OF Our armed naval
ses prevented Ia March the batteries were abandonc b.
the insurgents and the troops which garisonei c
withd avn. The advtrce OF oGr army towards Rrhrcad
made the duty Oh the Poininae comparatively Right during
the sriEg aad inme. Al present the notila Is under
the Command OF Commodore Hirwood and is rendering
good service by checking Illicit trac and sapurng a, nv
prisoners and no small amount OF property
The transfer q the army to the York peninsula, ad It's
detention before Ricmond, compelled the Navy Depart
mcnt to divert some of IT'S gbos and vcgscls des ued
Tor other service ~ the OF James and York
After the hattie Of Malvern Hill and the cenccntrtcn
the army ON James river, such the condition 0f ars
that ecc1ino necessary 70 organize the vessels which
had bcen retained cooperate with protect the
was detaied vr t duty on the 9th OF July and cnerct
upon the work with energy, but the wtndrawa The
army from tho peninsula in August released the
which had been diverted from their original destinations.
and rendered II UNNECESSARY to con,innc ndci
organization IN James The liotia WAS therefore
dishanGcd on the 3lst o August.
The persistent and systematic attempts 70
violate Blockade and furnish ass.siancc
10 the insurgents in defiance OF Our laws, n,ado II
necessary that specific and effective measures should
adopted W prevent those awess proceedings This pur
pose had bceu interrupted. and the proceedings effect
before Richmond dnring the spriag ind summei our
vessels being indispensable anNliafies while tine army
fingered on the uircr waters of James iscr. IInnci
aeiy "n bcing liberated lying ;ladron was organized
With view of sweeping from and the hcis nor.
ing waters the lawlcss corirabandtsts slade Il
business To violate our blockade ard promote the Efforts
OF those who arc engaged III schemes p.cak up our
Inion and subscri the government. ine coninand Of
this nyina squadron has been gvca 70 Acting Rear Ad
ioral Wilkes, who sailed fftm lamDol R0ads ~ the
wachuset on the 2ith of September.
NAVAL EXHIBITIONS.
This exhibition OF the distribution and attitude of our
naval orce naturally trouces succpct history o. that
rcmarkaoc series of naval .exueioag aud operations
along southern s,husrd and through the great
OF the central valley. ia which too pnwer ana
our navy hsvn bces sirkingy displayed. These expe
dtons, II must he remembered, were undertaken ad
don to, m rather IA ad or the unrsiasIng abors os tho
blockade They c,urc.vci and directed the poicy
early adptei aud uniformly adhered to ~ this depart
mcu " the n s active and strenuous of Tho
rhr % long as the war should last aud whenever AMI
wherever effect al blow cnud bo struck against the
power OF The rebellion by the
ih,s thiS Department has ,oEsti Ally sought tho
operation nf the army when such operation nals.
10 such alton uOt