Evening star., 1863-05-09
ADMIRAL PORTER'S OFFICIAL RE.
PORT OF THE ACTION AT
GRAND GULF.

MISSISSIPPI SQUADRON, Flag Ship Benton,
Below Grand G ulf, April g, lsS3.-Sir: had
the honor of sending you a telegraph announc-
ing that that we had fought the batteries at
Grand Gulf for hours and IS minutes, with
partial success. Grand Gulf has been very
strongly fortified since Admiral Farragut went
down to prevent his coming up again, and four
(some of very heavy guns) are placed at the
distance Of q q uarter -of-a. mile apart on high
points, and completely commands the river.
ordered the Louisville, Carondelet, Mound
City, and Pittsburg, to lead the way and
attack the lower batteries, while the Tuscum-
bia, Benton and Lafayette, attacked the upper
ones. The Lafayette lying in an eddy, and
fighting STERN down stream. The vessels
below silenced the lower batteries. and then
closed upon the upper one, which had been
hotiy engaged by the Benton and Tuscumbia,
both ships suffering severely in killed and
wounded.
The Pittsburg came up just at the moment
when large shell passed through the Benton's
plot-house, wounding he pilot, Nr. Williams,
and disabling the wheel This made the YES
sci unmanageahle for short time, and she
drifted down to the lower batteries, which she
opened upon while repairing damages.
The Pittsburg, Act. Vol. 1t. Horl, for a short
time bore the brunt Of the fire, and lost killed
and IS wounded. The Tuscumbia was cut up
great deal. AS the fir" of the upper battery
slackened, Il presume frLin want of ammuni-
lion,) l passed up short distance above the
fort TO communicate with Gen. Grant, to see
whether he thought proper to send the troops
in the transports by the battery Under what
was rather feeble return to our fire.
He concluded to land the troops and march
them across BY road TIVE miles long, coming
out below the batteries. AS there was a pros
pect OF expending good deal OF ammunition
on the upper battery, without being able 10
occupy it if it was silenced, the vessels moved
up stream again by signal without being much
fired at or receiving any damage while the
enemy had ra king fire on them
then sent down Capt. Walker in the Lafay.
ette, TO prevent them from repairing damages,
which they were doing with great diligence.
He opened on them, to which they res ponded q
few times, and finally left the fort, waen he
fired at intervals of five minutes until dark.
AT o'clock p. m. again go. under way
with the transports following us), and at
tackled the batteries again, the transports all
passing down safely under cover OF our fire
we are now in a position to make q landing
W here the General pleases.
l should have preferred this latter course in
the first instance, it would have saved many
lives and many hard knocks The Benton
received AZ shots in her hull alone, not count.
ing the damage done above her rail, but she
was just good for a fight when she got
through as when she commenced.
All the vessels did well, though 1t was the
most difficult portion Of the river in which to
manage an iron-clad-strong currents (run-
ming six knots) and strong eddies, turning them
round and round, making them fair targets.
n n
1t was a hard fight and long one on both
sides. The enemy fought his upper battery
with desperation have ne YER yet witnessed,
for though we engaged him at a distance of SO
yards, We never fairly succeeded in stopping
his fire but for a short time. It was remarka-
BILE that we did not disable his guns, but though
we Knocked the parapets pretty much to pieces
the guns were apparently uninjured.
The squadron has been six hours and half
to-day under a not and wel1-dIrected fire, and
are ready to commence at daylight in the morn.
ing.
] will send list of killed and wounded the
first opportunity. No Naval officere were
killed or severely wounded.
In our attack to- night only one man killed
he was on the Mo und City.
DAVID PORTER, Act'g r. A.
Cong Miss Squadron.
Hon. GIDEON WELLEs, Secretary of Navy.