Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1863-02-13
U, s. srEAM-sLooP HARrroRD,
AT ANCHOR OPP NEW ORIRANs,
Ianmara 10 lAal

AT ANCHOR OPP NEW ORLEANS, :
January u 1868.
sir In conformity with your Instructions proceed
10 state the facts in relation To the capture Of Galveston,
Texas the st Of January 1863 elected by the tes
timnny before the Court Of Inquiry.
The naval force in possession consisted Of the West
field, Clifton, Harriet Lane, Owasco, Sachem, and Cory
pheus The two latter had joined only two days previous
TO the attack, having come up FROM below; the saohem
(steamer) in broken-dOwn condition. and the Coyphe
US as her escort The position Of the vessels were as
shown by the accompanying chart The United States
troops shore consisted OF hundred and sxty rank
and 6le commanded by Col Buue Of the Forty second
Massachusetts, volunteers, occupying, by advice Of the
commanding naval officer, a whan in the town
1t seems, that the night previous to the attack. nor
nation had been received by the commanding officers OF
both land and naval forces that such attempt might
be made.
Al 80 a. M, the lst Of January. it being bright
moonlight, three rebel steamers we're DIS
covered in The bay above by the Chfon The Westheld,
from the other channel, likewise made the discoy
cry The naval forces therefore, were not taken by sur
Prise.
Very soon after our troops on shore learnt through
their pioket that the artillery OF the enemy was in pos
session Of the market place. about quarter OF mile
distant
The attack commenced shore sOout a. by the
enemy upon troops which defended by the ha-
chem and Corypheus with great energy our uoops
ly replying With musketTy, having no artillery About
dawn the Harriet Lane attacked, rather attacked
two rebel steamers of which, the Bayou City, was
armed with 6sPounder rife gun had two hnndred
trooPs and barrcadd with cotton bales some twen-
iy feet rom the water line The other the Neptune,
brass pieces and handred and sixty (boh
common iiser steamers) The Harriet Lane was under
gun With was answered by the rebels, but ther o.
/ pounder burst at the third hTe
The Harriet Lane an into the Bayon City carrying
AVA her wheeguard passed her, and gave her broad
side, which did her little damage. The other Teb
e steamer then ran into the Harriet Lane but was
disabled by the collision that she was soon Afterwards
obliged back in the fats where she sank in about
eight feet Of water, TO the scene OF action The
Bayou City turned and into the Harriet Lane, and
she remained secured To her by catching under her guard
pouring in iucessant Voeys Of muskery as did also
the other steamer which returned by the Harriet
Lane, with musketry. This drove the Harriet Lane S
men flom her guns, and probably wounded Commander
Wainwright and Lieutenant Commander Lee the latter
mortay she then carried by boarding, by the Bay
OF City her commander summoned to surrender, which
he refused gsanty defending himself with hi revolver
until killed But hve OF the Harriet Lanes men were
killed and iye wounded-one hundred and ten, exclusive
Of officers aud wounded landed shore prisoners
Her Commander aud First Lieutenant we're buried on
the following day shore, in the cemetery with the
hOnors Of war, and her other officers parolled. The
Owaseo which had been anchored below the town. coat
ing the night before, got uudef way, moved up at the
Of the attack, aud engaged the enemy
ARTILLERY shore When II was light enough for her TO
observe that there rebel steamers alongside the
Harriet Lane she moved u her assistance, ground
ing several times in dons lowing TO the nATrowness
OF the chAnnel) She could only occasionally bring her
l-inch gun to bear. She driven back by the
incessaut hre OF the enemys musketty, aud when the
hoWzefs Of the Harriet Lane opened her, she con-
cuded she had been captured and backed down below The
Sathem and COTypheus continuing her engagement with
the enemy on snore. She had all her rifle gun crew
wounded when above, and lost in all killed and
fifteen wounded The Clifton, before the action com
menced around into Bolivar channel, TO render
ssianee the Westheid who had got under way when
the rebel first discovered Soon alter
wards got hard and fast ashore, high water, and III
made signal for assistance While the Clifton in
the OF rendering this assistance the hshes OF the
enemy's guns first seen in the town. Commander
henShaw then directed Lieutenant Commander Law to
leave him and 10 return TO the town
The moon had now gone down, and 1t became quite
dafk yet the Clifton with some dliheuy got around mo
the other channel, opening the batteries upon Fort
Point which the rebels had possession Of shelling
them out and driving them up the beach she neared
the town. Here she anchored and continued the en-
gagement. but did proceed up the Of the
Harriet Lane, osing the failure OF the Owasoo the in
lIieaey Of the channel and the apprehension Il killing
the crew Of the Harriet Lane who then exposed by
the rebels on her upper deck II now about 80
m white flag was hoistsd on the Harriet Lane A
boat bearing flag 0f truce, with rebel officer, and
acting master Of the Harriet Lane, down to the
Clifton, informing her commander OF the capture Of the
Harfie' LAoe the death Of her commander and hrst
lieutenant the killing and woundng OF two-thirds of her
Grew, all of which coroburaied BY the acting master.
Major smith, their commanded now proposed that our
yesses should all surrender and that should be al
lowed with the crews OF all 10 leave the hArof other
wise, they would proceed down with the Harriet Lane
and all their steamers three ioTe Of which had appear
ed in sigh after day light but we're neither armed or
bafcAded) and proceed TO capture the gunboats IN line
Lieutenant Commander Law replied that he was not
,he commanding oheer aud he could no, imagine INA.
such terms could be accepted but that he would take
the acting Of the Harriet Lane, aud proceed over
70 the Weshsd and tender his proposal to Commander
henshaw. This he did, and went in his own boat.
Flags Of truce this time fyng our vessels.
and by the parties on shore ring the absence OF
Lieutenant Comnander Law, aud undsT these flags ui
truce the rebels cody made prisoners on our troops
shore got Of their artillery into position, aud ed
the Harriet Lane alongside the wharf, though It had
been understood that everything should remain in fdt
gao until an answer should have been received. Com
ander Kenshaw refused TO aeeede 10 the proposition
directed Lieut. Commander Law to return and get all
the vessels out Of port : possible aud as he
found could not get the Westfeld ahoat, he should
blow her and "a board the army transports saxon
and NJ. A. Boardman, which we're lying near him, with
his officers and crew.
Upon Lieut. Com Laws return to his vessel he pro-
ceeded 10 carry these directions The flags Of truce
hauled down. the enemy firing upon the vessels
We then len the haIbor
When the Clifton was halfway toward the bar, her
commander informed by boat from the Westheld,
that the explosion Of that vessel which they observed
! some hAfhOuf before, Con. RcnshAw, Lieut. Zmmer.
man. Engineer Green, and 10 10 Of the bad
persisted (the explosion being pfematre.) Lieut. Com
Law being commanding officer, proceeded 10 cross
his vessel over the bar and finally concluded TO shan
dln the blockade altogether. considering the OwascO
his only efficient vessel and regarding her not equal
10 resist un attack from the Harriet Ane, should she
cpmc out fs that purpose by Jpn they bad all l'i
tic blnckadr although the cnmmAudcf uf thc Cifi1n had
beon nalihed by au officer board the NJ A Boafdnan
that another transport would be down Within inrycigh
, huura and requested that he would warn het OIL
The vessels which leh In possession oi the
were the Harriet Lane aud two coal bagks, The Casallo
aud klas ike The only iulnry sustained by the har
rirt Lane appears tu have been fom an ll'lneh shell
under countsf, fired from the uwaseo aud the dam
age TO her guard nom the collision.
Very respectfully,
JAS S. PALMER, Captain
MELANCfOs ShIrH, Captain.
L. A kinBRRLEY, LIEUT.. Comd'g.
Rear Admiral D. q fARpAgur, Commanding
III. a