Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-10-10

The observations Of u Sailor on Farra.
CUTS Flag Ship.

! CUTS Flag Ship.
| oRLEANS-How FARRAGUT LOOKED TO HIS
/ MES-THE PREPARATIONS FOR RATTLE
| ABOARD SHIP.
The following extracts were taken by STAR
| reporter from the rough diary notes Of a sailor
| who never went to school a day in his life, but
who picked up reading and writing while a
| sailor in the navy. He was seaman on
| board the u. g. S. Hartford during her famous
| naval engagements on the Mississippi before
| New Orleans, where Admiral Farragut gained
/ his worldwide reputation. "fhe Hartford re-
| ceived her crew about the middle of January,
1862, from the receiving ship Princeton at the
| Philadelphia navy yard. They were picked
| from about seven hundred men. She then
| dropped down the river to the magazine and
/ the powder was put aboard. At Newcastle Flag
Officer Farragut came aboard for the first time.
We had heard that our ship was to be the flag
ship and everybody was anxious to see the
new commander: We had heard a good
Of him as expressed by the ' crew We're
rather unfavorable. l, like the rest, wanted a
the poop ladder, near his cabin door. After
coming alongside he hurried over the side of
| the Hartford and, after hastily shaking
| walked aft into his cabin. He was a
small man, only about feet 8 or inches
In nh height, and his weight was not more than
| top of his head was bald The bare place he
| tried to cover by combing the side hair across
| though rather pleasant and his manner was
upassuming. He was very quick and
| active in his movements. He was dressed
plainly in the naval uniform of a captain. His
coat was buttOned by single button at the top.
This was his ordinary way of wearing IL, /
noticed afterwards, except on occasions Of cere-
| mony, when he would button an odd button
down the breast and then unbuttOn 1t again.
He was received on board ship with no cere-
| afforb IT,.
out again, and called to me, the nearest of any
OF the men, to bring him a small nail. saw the
drove the nail himself and hung the picture on
his cabin wall. His presence made no change
in the conduct of things aboard ship. We az
rived at Hampton RhOadS about January 9Th,
and here commenced our
PREPARATIONS FOR WAR.
The crew was composed mostly of men who
had never been in the navy before and much
instruction was needed to fit them for their
| various stations The continued drilling to-
gether with the wild rumors floating about
Fortress Monroe, satisfied that there was
real work ahead. On the Sd of February we
sailed for Key West, thence to Havana and
Ship island, near the mouth of the Mississippi,
arriving at the latter place February Goth.
1t was soon evident to us that this was the
which were to attack New Orleans. Here
Farragut relieved Flag Officer Mexican,
flagship, and Captain Bell came On board our
snip as fleet captain: or, the men called him.
fighting captain. The story told among
the men that he had fought several duels with
English and French officers, and always killed
his man: and that he was the best swOrdsman
in America. He certainly looked all that was
said of him. He was tall, straight and wiry
with stern commanding presence. But he
was kind and gentle to the men, and was
Company conn His hair was ' gray ay''e and amp he
wore no beard except mustache, which was
perfectly white, and was kept cropped on line
with his mouth. Numbers of vessels reported
at the rendezvous, and about the middle of
March the fleet was made up, and we sailed for
the mouth of the river, selecting the Southwest
Pass. after examination by a coast survey Off
Ger. The small vessels passed over the bar with
out trouble but every thing had to be taken out
sending down yards and masts. taking every
spare article out of the ship, and landing them
at Pilot Town where, with much hope and great
cheering, we hOisted
THE STARS AND STRIPES
The old man-ofwar's-men were the greatest
GROWERS at SO much work, while the new hands
thought it was all right and worked cheerfully
The Brooklyn and Hartford passed the bar with
cola had IA time of it. The Colorado could not
make III, however. so that the largest and best
ship OF the fleet was lost to us. Her
most needed among the other vessels.
When we were all at last over the bar and an
chored above Pilot Town we could draw breath
and look about us. The number and variety of
vessels that had assembled in ten days was
astonishing-coal schoOners, beef-boats las the
ships, peddling boats, transports, and, In fact,
vessels of all kinds. At least One-third of these
ships were moving all the time, making it a
lively and busy scene. After establish
ing hospital at Pilot Town we moved grandly
up the river, our nOn-cOmbative forces following
in our rear, and anchored five or six miles be-
low Forts jackson and St Philippe. AS the
mortar schoOners arrived they were placed in
position and commenced the bombardment on
the 18th of April. The forts Immediately re-
turned the fire and drove the mortar ships sta.
toned on the east bank to the shelter of trees
on the other side. They also made it warm for
the larger vessels, causing US to drop further
down the river. About p. m. volumes
of smoke began to rise from Fort
something wrong with the enemy. deserte
who came down on the 18th told us that TIL
smoke was caused by the burning of the citade
OF Fort jackson, and that one of our shells had
dismOunted one OF their largest guns and other
wise did great damage. He also said til q many
chance to get away. The first evening they
sent
A FIRE RAFT
down upon us. 1t was a Missi ssippi fiat boat
about 100 by $50 feet, filled with pine knots
and other cOmbustibles. This all in flames was
sent down with the current among our vessels
We. had great difficulty in keeping clear of it,
and the vessels fouled each other several times
Sciota lost her mainmast. Not having
another to replace it, the other mast was
taken out. She was greatly improved by It,
not being so liable 10 foul, and her appearance
was more snug and tidy. 1t was decided to re-
move the masts OF nine other gunbOats of her
class. These vessels were much alike that it
was necessary to number them on the smoke
stack to tell one from the other. On the second
DAY the rebs sunk one OF our mortar schoOn-
ers. and it was necessary to change the position
of the rest, for the fort had pretty neat range
On them. Their mastheads were covered with
green boughs dashed to them, as TO re-
sembie the trees near which they were
anchored. This ruse was successful in throw
ing the .rebs' off the range, and the forts did
them little harm afterwards We We're kept
busy lodging fire RATS and trying to keep our
anchorage. The current of the river was so
strong seven or eight miles an hour that
anchors and chains were continually being
lost. whirling current or eddy would swing
ship To one side, and she would come back to
her Old position with a lurch that would
almost Invariably carry away some
the capstan, with bars shipped ready
10 heaNe anchor at a moments notice
About midnight OF the Goth our ship came back
with lurch. The capstan flew round and the
| bars were sent in every direction, injurinx
many OF the men who were asleep around the
capst;ih Three of them were sent to the hoSpi-
TAI at Pilot Town. The fire RATS became more
numerous and caused us end of trouble
| Ihey came down upon us at all times from
dark tiil daylight. To fight them
FIRE RAFT BRIGADE
was organized. It was composed Of one or two
small boats rom each ship, supplied with grap-
lines, buckets, axes, &c. These little boats were
| made fast astern of the gunboat doing picket
| duty, which was in advance of the fleet As
soon as fire raft appeared around the point
! the boats cast of and pulled for IL. and gran.
An 4