The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-04-04
Farragurs NOV. up the River.

g $50 CAIRO, March 81, 1868.
Your correspondent accompanied Farragut's
feet from New Orleans, and came up on the
Hartford to Yonug's Point. al,
Gen. Banks left New Orleans on the 9th inst,
arrived at Baton Rouge on the lltb, and 18th,
disembarked and reviewed the troops at that
post. On the 10Th and 18th the forces we're put
again on transports, and the feet steamed mp
until within six or seven miles of Port Hudson.
Here we lost sight of the land forces. ,-src7
On the night of the 14th, expecting support
from Gen. Banks, Farragut started with the fol.
ing steamers in pairs:
HARTFORD. H ALBArRoSs. ztj,s
GENEssIE. MoNoNGAHELA,
MISSISSIPPI.
We started up the river at l l o'clock at night,
arrived off Port Hudson, and furious lombard.
ment commenced. It is not known whether
General Banks co-operated or not The steam
ers Essex and Sachem and six mortar boats ar
rived three miles below Port Hudson, and also
kept up constant fire upon the rebel batteries
While engaged under the batteries, two rebel
rams endeavored to engage the Hartford and
Albatross, but were beaten offby succession of
heavy broadsides. This engagement was kept
up briskly on both Sides and lasted for some
time, when finally, the feet steamed boldly past
the batteries, under FIRE. After passing, the
Hartford and Albatross being dashed together,
grounded, the former sticking tight for Eve min.
utes, all tie time subjected to CALLING cannon
ade. She finally got off and steamed above
Afterwards the Richmond ran aground at the
same place, as did the Mississippi. The latter
boat did not escape SO we'll, for while trying to
get clear she took fire from some unknown
cause. This caused q momentary confusion,
and all efforts we're made to extinguish the FIRE
and save the crew. $50 az, Ts1
While this was going on, all the feet but
the Hartford and Albatross, along with the
burning steamer drifted down before the en-
tire length of the rebel batteries, all the time
under the same scathing FIRE. The guns Of
the Mississippi exploded as she passed, as
though in scorn of the rebels on shore, to
whom the spectacle must have been sublime in
the extreme, Finally, all were out Of sight of
the batteries. H 37af2s
At five in the morning, the burning wreck of
the Mississippi still foated The magazine ex-
ploded sixteen miles below Port Hudson. 'e
The Hartford and Albatross were out Of
range at anchor, above the batteries. Loss
on each three men killed and two wounded.
No serious damage occurred to either craft.
The casualties and injuries on the remainder
OI the ueet, dTc 81 pTcscut unknown 10 U.s.
the Richmond probably suffered as much as
any. 7 ed ~
At 10 o'clock the ensuing morning, the
Hartford and Albatross steamed up as far as
the mouth Of the Red River, and there ascer.
tanned that four or five rebel rams had just
passed up, the smoke from whose chimnies
could yet be seen in the distance; also, that
fifty of the crew of the Mississippi had been
taken prisoners. Still passing up, at hatcher,
the steamers destroyed the telegraph line, by
Farragut's orders. This was on the 18th.
On Thursday, the 10th, We passed Grand
Gulf. and were fred..upon by the battery of if-
teen field pieces, but the boat was uninjured.
Three men were killed and eight Wounded
The loss on the rebel side is not learned. On
the same day, Farragut distinctly saw, IS he
thought, the wreck of the Indiauola, shattered
as though she had been blown up near the
shore.
90 the goth our government steamers passed
Warrenton, Smelling the batteries vigorously,
but no enemy was seen, and NO reply made to
the cannonade. The same day We reported to
Rear Admiral D. D. Porter, of Vicksburg.