The Portland daily press., 1863-02-12

WASHINGTON. Feb IL.
The Navy Department has received the fol-
lowing from Com. Farragut:
Flag Ship Hartford, Nen Orleans, January
29.-Sir: l herewith enclose the report of
Acting Master J. A. Hartman of the Harriet
Lane, by which you will perceive the exag-
gerations which have been circulated concern
ing the defence OF that vessel; also the pusil-
luminous conduct Of the officer who accom-
panied the flag of truce, Lieut. Law, and
corroborated the enemy's statement, that all
the officers and crew of the Harriet Lane had
persisted, save some 10 or IL persons, whereas
there was scarcely that number killed aud
wounded. l take it for granted that of the o
slightly wounded the greater part amounted
to nothing, so that the testimony of the rebel
pilot was very near the truth when he said )
were Killed and q or wounded. cannot
think that but for the death of Com VAIN
wright and Lieut.. Lee, the vessel could not
have been captured. 1t is difficult, however,
TO conceive of a more pusillanimous surrender
OF a vessel to an enemy already in our power
than occurred in the case Of the Harriet Lane
Very respectfully your ob't serv't,
ID. G. FARRAGUT, Rear Admiral.
To Hen. G.. Welles, Secretary of Navy.
Flag Ship Hartford, New Orleans, Jan. 49,
Sir-l have received dispatches IRON Com
Bell and Lieut.. Com. Read, on The coast O;
Texas, extracts and copy of which here
with enclose, by which you will see that our
disasters on that coast are not yet ended. As
had already anticipated, it appears that the
enemy came out OF Sabine Pass with two cot
ton fortified steamers on a certain morning,
and ran out TO sea some twelve or fourteen
miles, where the Morning Light was. The
latter soon got under way, but, by rebel ac-
counts, and we have no other, they gave chase
and soon came up with and captured her
without losing a man. The same course o.
non-resistance appears TO have been pursued
by the officers and crew of that vessel as wa.
pursued by those of the Westfield and Harrie
Lane. The schooner Velocity was soon alsc
made to surrender, and was taken into port
am very thankful they did not get the guns o.
the Morning Light, as 1t would have enabled
them to erect battery OF great strength
You Sill notice that the guns of the Morning
Light were loaded and went of when the,
became heated, by which circumstance
should judge the men did not even fire theil
last charge, but surrendered without struggle
am pleased to see by Com. Bells report that
the Harriet Lane is still in Galveston harbor
although they have tried to impress us with
the idea that she had run out during the last
gale, which Is now known not to be the case.
Your obedent servant,
u. q. FARRAGUT, Rear Admiral
To. Hon. g. Welles, Secretary of Navy.
y. 81 have Just learned that the Moruins
Light was captured in a dead calm. by q
steamer coming up astern of her.
ID. @. FARRAGUT.
U. S. steam sloop Brooklyn, off Galreston
January 25.-Sir: / am confident that tn,
Harriet Lane is within Galveston waters
The sea broke heavily on the 18th and 10th
from one end OF the shoals to the other, and
nothing drawing over six feet OF water coul,
have possibly crossed the bar, and nothing
could have passed the gunboats anchored
there without being seen, although the nigh
was very dark. Subsequently the officers ac
companying the flag of truce tried to Great
the impression that she is out. don't belev,
it. This morning Lieut.. Mitchell reported tina
he could see square-rigged vessel, with sail
loosed from the main-top-mast head, which
takes to be the Harriet Lane. She lies beyon,
the upper harbor, in the direction of Virgin
Point, and was doubtless carried over she's
waters by the rise during the heavy easterl /,
weather.
Very respectfully your obt serv't,
ii. II. BELL, Commander.
To Rear Admiral Farragut, &c.
| Lieut.. Reed, of the U. S. gunboat New Lon
don, in dispatch referred To in Admiral Far
| raguts report, states that he was ordered, II
company with gun5oat Cayuga, to proceed Il,
Sabine Pass TO the relief OF the Morning Light
Rachel Seaman and Velocity ,blockading there