National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-04-26
BURNING OF THE JUDAH.
A Daring Exploit I'm the Gulf of Mexico
In 1861.

BURNING OF THE JUDAH,
A Daring Exploit In the Gulf of Mexico
In 1861.
Rear-Admiral Theodorus Bailey, who
died at his residence street in this city some
years ago, and who lead the van of the New
Orleans expedition under Farragut yesterday
nineteen years ago, brought the news of the cap
ture of that city to Fortress Monroe Immediately
after the battle in the Cayuga and from that point
the glad tidingS were teiegraphed to the North
and created great rejoicings. Bailey, then a cap
tain, was in command of the United States frigate
Colorado just before the feet moved up the river
His vessel was too large to the bar at South
west Pass, and the majority of the officers, seamen
and marines were scattered through the other
vessels of the fleet
Among his trusty lieutenants was John H. Rus
sell, commanding the gunboat Kennebec, and who
had Just before been the executive officer of the
Colorado. He is now a captain, in charge of the
Navigation Bureau at the navy-yard in this city
Lieutenant Russell, in the autumn preceding the
fall of New Orleans had commanded an expedi-
ton in Pensacola harbor which successfully
cut out rebel vessel lying under the
guns of their forts and batteries, and
which, for bravery and daring, rivaled
the action of Decatur years before when he burned
Tripoiitan fortresses. Hadley, in his Great Re
belion" says of this exploit: 1t was one of those
daring, gallant actions for which our navy has
always been distinguished"
A participant in that expedition who was at
tached to Farraguts feet gives the following inter-
esting account of the fight:
On the afternoon of the 18th of September, 1861
ninety eight men were picked from the crew OF
the Colorado, including Lieutenants John II. Rus
SELL SproStOn, and Blake, NIiddies Steece Forrest
and Hgginson, Captain E. Med. Reynolds and
twenty marines. Each man was armed to the
teeth" with breech- loading Sharps rifle, with
sword bayonet, revolver, and ships cutlass. A
white cover over the cap was worn, to distinguish
friend from foe in the dark
As soon as darkness came on the two launches
and first and second cutters dropped into the
water from the davits and the men embarked At
eleven o'clock we left the ship, and at twelve
reached Fort Pickens where q consultation was
had at the landing with the army officers of the
fort
Lieutenant Russell then informed us of the OBJ
ject of the expedition, follows: " To creep into
the harbor, passing the rebel forts and batteries
and Braxton Bragg's encampment of 5000
men; two boats crews to surprise the
schooner Judah, lying in the dock, drive the
crew ashore, and set fire to her, while the
crews of the other two boats were to land at one
ofthe wharves, directly under the shears, a few
rods above, and capture and spike large twelve
inch pivot gun, the most dangerous piece of ord
nance they were in possession of at that time"
After telling to sell our lives dearly as posi-
ble we showed off toward the mouth of the har-
Dor.
The night was pitchy dark, and with skillfu
manGuvering we slowly and quietly rowed by the
rebel forts and batteries without detection, and
entered the bay, keeping close under cover of Fort
Pickens, and, hugging the inside shore of Santa
Rosa, We kept our course in opposite direction
from the navy yard for several miles up the bay,
and then headed for the city of Pensacola In few
hours we were far above the navy-yard, and COM
menced to drop down quietly upon them from di-
recton that they least suspected enemy to appear
and from which their own guard-boatS were in the
habit of coming. The ruse was successful, for
with long, steady, quiet pulls from our sturdy
oarsmen, with palptating hearts and nervous
clutchings of our small arms, we were within
twenty yards of the schooner and battery before
we were discovered. The yells and cries and
shouts from the baffled sentries the long roll from
the rebels drums, and our defiant yells seemed to
occupy but moment.
We were quickly alongside the schooner and
wharf, and clambered up their sides amid MUIR
derous fire from the rifles of the enemy. Gaining
the schooner's deck from the bows, we fought the
surprised crew, many of them diShdbiNe, hand to
hand from the deck to the shore, and overheard
into the water passed up bags of shavngs from our
boats, then threw them into the fore hold of the
schooner, sprinkled them with gallons of turpen-
tine applied the match, and took to the boats.
John H. Smith, a marine, in gaining the SchooneTs
deck lost his cap, and after receiving two balls in
his body from the rebels, was pinned to the
bulwark by one of our own sailors with a
&c 1r1r I
into the launch. Lamphere and Herring
were shot through the heart while in
the boat before boarding the schooner. The
two cutters at the wharf were equally successful
They drove the rebels from the columbiad, while
Lieutenant Sproston and Gunner Borton spiked it
and brought away the compton as a trophy. The
rebel sentry perched in the shears, who had first
discovered us, was brought down with a ball from
FitzSimmons' rife, his body falling with heavy
thump into the water, food for sharks" With
three killed and fifteen wounded, many of them
seriously, we struck out hurriedly for Santa Rosa
Island, and so complete was the surprise that we
commenced to rally their scattered forces in any
considerable number.
The flames were by this time shooting up from
the interior of the Judah, leaping wildly around
the rigging, and casting a fitful shadow out upon
the placid waters of the bay. Keeping behind this
shadow, we were enabled to see everything going
on and not be seen ourselves. Then again we sur
prised them, for they, supposing that we had left
never to RETURN" received from our howitzers
four rounds of a little more grape" and shrapnel
that wildly scattered their detachmentS, which
were strung along the wharf, peering into the
darkness in order to catch a glimpse of our re-
treating boats.
In the full blaze of the flames we could see the
havoc the four rounds created; and Lieutenant
RUSSELL perfectly satisfied with the result ordered
a speedy return to the ship. Although still inside
the bay, and the signals, rockets, and cries from
the mainland told US that the enemy were fully
aroused and on the qui uiue, we boldly pushed for
the channel, and succeeded in again passing
safely out under their very guns into the gulf AT
daylight we reached the ship, and were cordially
received by Captain Bailey and the crew. The
dead and wounded were hoisted on
board and properly cared for, the main
brace" splieed, the "battle fought over
again" for the benefit of admiring listeners, and
Sleep that knts up the raveled sleeve of care, en-
braced the tired-out participants
That night our dead companions were buried on
the island with the houors of war; sandy hill
lock near the fort, with head and foot board, with
inscriptions, marks their resting place to-day.
The Merrimac's Prov.
In an obscure junk-shop in Baltimore
there now lies rusting the iron PROV of the famous
steamer Merrimac, that destroyed two frigates in