Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-02-12
Official Dispatches Relating to the Cap
ture of the Harriet Lane and other Ma
val Disasters near Galveston.

Official Dispatches Relating to the Cap
ture of the Harriet Lane and other Ma
val Disasters near Galveston.
The navy department has received the fol-
lowing from commodore Farragut =
FLAGSHIP HARTFORD, New ORLEANS, Jan.
20, 1868. Sir,-I herewith enclose the report
of acting master J. A. Hannum, of the Har-
riet Lane, by which you will perceive the eX-
aggerations which have been circulated con.
corning the defence of that vessel, and also
the pusilianimous conduct of the officers who
accompanied the flag of truce and corroborat-
ed to Lieut.. Col. Law the enemys statement
that all the officers and crew of the Harriet
Lane had persisted save some ten or fifteen
persons, whereas there were scarcely that
number of killed and wounded. l take it for
granted that of the nine slightly wounded, the
greater part of the wounds amounted to moth
ing, so that the testimony of the rebel pilot
was very near the truth when he said five
killed and six or eight wounded. l must
think that but for the death of Com. Vain
wright and Lieut.. Cawlee, the vessel could
not have been captured. 1t is difficult, how
ever, to conceive more pusillanimous sur
render of a vessel to an enemy already in our
power, than occurred in the case of the Har-
riet Lane. Very respectfully, your obedient
servant, d. g. FARRAGUT.
Flag DHlE IlAhItObtDs NEW OlAl~LANSi Olu'
29.-Sir: / have received dispatches from
Commodore Bell and Lieutenant Commander
Read on the coast of Texas, extracts and
copy of which | herewith enclose, by which
you will see that our disasters on that coast
are not yet ended. As | had anticipated, it
appears that the enemy came out of Sabine
Pass with two cotton-fortifed steamers, on
a certain morning, and ran out to sea some
twelve or fourteen miles, where the Morn
ing Light was. The latter soon got under
way, but by the rebel accounts-and we have
no other-they gave chase, soon came up
with and captured her without losing man.
The same course of non-resistance appears
20 have been pursued by the officers and
crew of that vessel as was pursued bv the
Westfield and Harriet Lane.
The schooner Velocity was soon made also
to surrender and was taken into port. l am
very thankful that they did not get the guns
of the Morning Light, as it would have en-
abled them to erect battery of great strength
i'll such shallow pass. You will notice the
guns of the Morning Light were loaded, and
went Off when they became heated, by which
circumstance | judge that the men did not
even fire their last charge, but surrendered
without struggle.
am pleased to see by Commodore Bells
report that the Harriet Lane is still in Calves
ton harbor, although they had tried to impress
us with the idea that she had run out during
the last gale, which is now known not ia be
the case. Your obedent servant.
ID. G. FARRAGUT.
T. ST. have just learned that the Morning
Light was taken in a dead calm, by steamer
coming up astern OF her.
u. S. STEAM SLooP BROOKLYN, OFF GAL
WESTON, Jan. 20, 1S63.-Sir:-I am very con-
fdent that the Harriet Lane is within Calves
ton waters The sea broke heavily on the
18th AMI 10Th, from one end OF the shoals to
the other, and nothing drawing over six feet of
water could have possibly crossed the bar,
and nothing could have passed through the
gunboats anchored there without being seen,
although the night was very dark. Suisse
quently the officers accompanying the flags OF
truce, tried to create the impression that she
is out one of them saying plainly, 81 don't
believe it."
This morning Lieut. Mitchell reported that
he could see a square-rigged vessel, sails
loosed from the main topmast head, which he
takes to be Harriet Lane. She lies beyond
the upper harbor, in the direction of Virginia
Point, and was doubtless carried over the