Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1864-03-05
SECOND EDITION.
81 O'CLOCK r. M.
THE NAVAL OPERATIONS BEFORE
MOBILE.
REBEL FORT SILENCED.

u. >. STEAMER j. r JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI
SOUND, Feb. Is, 1s6i.-Editor Star: This vessel
has been biockading the Mississippi Sound for
the past eighteen months, and you can believe
me when / tell you this is one of the most
monotonous stations In the Gulf squadron,
cruising around the sound by day, and block
ading Hone leland Pass at night, where We ssels
from the different rivers emptying iE the sound
would have to pass out to escape the blockade
Returning to the station last night at the Pass,
we met the gunboats Sebago, Octorora, and
Cainoun coming up the sound, the two former
boats OF the new style, double. enders and side.
wheel. We of course were curious to know their
business In the sound, and soon learned suffi :.
Gent to suspect that the long WISHED. for event
was about to take place.. e., the attack upon
Mobile and its defenses; and we were not long
left in doubt of the fact, for 1T dayiight this
morning we espied sixc OF the famous mortar
{bomb) schooners outside, waiting to be piloted
in the pass, which duty was devolved upon us.
We soon had them all inside, and at ten a. m
the fleet stood up the sound for the rebel fort at
Grants Pass, and known as Fort Grant. These
schooners gained no small amount of notoriety
as Porter's (bummers) mortar f1otilla, in the
reduction of Forts ST. Phillip and jackson, on
the Mississippi river, at the time our brave
Admiral ran the gauntlet and captured New
anchored, the mortar schooners were soon
engaged briskly in sending down and housing
topmasts, and dismantling themselves for ac-
ton. The afternoon being misty and unfavor.
able, nothing was done but mature our prepa.
rations for the morning.
February 16.-At daylight we were moving
schooners assigned to our charge. By a. m.
we had them placed in position. The other
gunboats and mortars were then in position.
The ball was opened at $50 a. m. by the flag
ship of the fleet, the Octorora firing the first
she'll The mortars and gunboats following,
we were soon sending compliments into the
rebel fort in the shape Of &C. pound Sawyer rifle
shells. The mortars being too far off, their
n q hoo
drawing too much water to get in nearer with
out grounding, their she'll mostly fell short
Not 80 with all the rebel shots, some Of which
isplayed most excellent practice Of gunnery,
whizzing around our bow, then our stern, and
next over our heads, and falling close along.
side, making one feel any thing but comfortable.
This did not last long. Our gunner soon got his
range, and after firing three lid shots, the next
seven successive shots from our rife were de-
Hvered directly into the rebel fort It was
gratifying and exciting sight when our pro-
the fort is constructed principally and sand
and timber flying up in the air. At almost
every shot we ELECTED the applause of the fleet,
and by 11.3O we had the fort completely 81.
fenced. At l2 80 we ceased firing to allow the
men dinner, we having fired forty one shots
altogether, twenty-five OF them falling into the
tort and exploding. There must have been sad
havoc among the rebel garrison, as numbers
were seen being carried away, apparently dead
or wounded, from their guns. After dinner,
the mortar boats made SAID and stood up closer
W 'ho Aeuoi AoI ~ anu tAe Whole ueeL was soon
engaged with the rebs. After firing seven shots
from our rifle our gun burst, not seriously
enough to injure any one, still utterly disabling
the gun and rendering rs with our smooth. bore
guns useless. The rebels this afternoon di-
rected all their shots at us, not paying any at
tention to the other vessels. We did not with.
draw for some time afterwards, feeling 10th to
fall back until ordered by the flag officer to do
SO. When our commander went on board to
report the accident he was very highly compli-
mented upon the splendid practice of our gum
merry. All the line officers agree that the prac-
tce displayed to-day by the Jackson was ad-
mirable. 1t is now p. m, and all quiet, the
firing having ceased at sunset. We have our
stations against surprise. &c, for the night 1
suppose operations will be resumed again to-
morrow II morning.
February 17.-At daylight this morning we
found the weather so unfavorable for further
operations, our boiler leaking very seriously,
the senior officer ordered us to Ship Island to
repair, where we are now. CLAY