Evening star., 1886-07-03

hostile coast, whose shallow waters must be
| oiockaded, no supporting land force was avail
aole, ana the scene OF his operations was not
his accustomed element, the open sea- but the
current-swePt and shifting course OF a tortuous
| stream, against forts OF great strength, an OBJ
| structed channel, land a hostile neet. whose
| strength rumor greatly magnified.
| success. however, was the watchword, and
Farragut began the work OF organization early
| In 1862, on arriving on the station. After the
ardqons task OF getting the heavy ships over
plished, he proceeded to put his ships into the
| highest state of efficiency. A land force had
quests OF the fleet. There was finally gathered
| together under his orders feet by far the most
powerful that had ever been assembled under
| the stars and stripes. 1t consisted OF five heavy
| steam sloops, one sailing sioop three light
| sloops, nine gunboats, and q supporting fleet of
four gunboats and twenty-one mortar schoon-
ers, under the command of Capt D. d. Porter.
| he fleet carried one hundred and seventy
guns, In addition TO the mortars. Few Of these
guns were rifles, but many OF the smOOth-bOreS
| were nine-inch Dahlgrens, and especially the
batteries of the heavy sloops.
| Opposed to this force were forts, distractions,
hre-rafts, an ironclad ram and some seventeen
gunooats. Inc forts were not of the strongest,
bnt were sufficiently formidable, it was gener-
ally believed, TO stop any wooden fleet They
were placed al the lowest turn in the river,
| where an English feet had been stopped for
! nine days, in 1915, by . fort far inferior to
these.
Fort Jackson, to the left hand Of the ascend
Ing Meet, was a astar-shaped work, built of stone,
heavy rifles. Fort st. Philip, on the other bank,
hall mile above, was a stone and brick work,
three guns. Below the first were the obstruc-
| lions, consisting Of nine hulks, mOOred across
the shore b 70 eaen
notliIa lay just above the forts. and carried
| thirty-nine guns The ram Manassas was
pearaDce, some time before, at the mouth OF the
| river, had spread CONSERVATION among the
! blockading fleet. There was another irOnclad
| nearly ready for use, but she did not succeed In
getting out to do any damage. The current Of
| the river here ran three knots strong and the
wooded banks of the stream were lined with
| sharpShooters ready to pick off the men in the
| tops and on the exposed decks. SO formidable
did the works seem that a French admiral and
an English captain, who inspected them Just
before the action, reported them impossible.
Farragut seems TO have expected little from
the mortar-fire, and impatiently waited six
! days tor them to reduce the torts, and then
dashed Oh up the river. The mortars undOubt-
| eoly contributed to the result, and accomplished
| all such fire can do.
/ In The preparations for the coming conflict
| the thoroughness, the seamanlike tact, and the
| service are apparent His order was cOmpre-
| hensive and concise, every suggestion tnat
6oad 6u ado d TO the eeency OF the vessels having
! order OF things, and, along with the advantage
OF being rid oil the cumbrous saiigear, had rem
\ dered the ships more vital, and thus the pro-
lection OF the boilers and engines desirable,
and was sought as far as possible. Farragut
self-relant IN all things, listened with q ready
| ear to the plans proposed for the attack, but
modified them as he thought desirable.
] Ihe obstructions having been removed, under
heavy nre, the signal to weigh and proceed up
| the river Was given on the morning OF April "a,
| long before tue first streaks OF the gray dawn
| had shown forth, and the single column OF ves-
seis In three divisions, with the admiral i'll the
center, started up the swift and tort rous stream
Tne ire under which they advanced was the
| heaviest That fleet had ever encountered.
| While still abreast OF Fort Jackson, the ships
were exposed to an enfiladins fire from Fort 81.
Philip, and just beyond lay the confederate
| fleet.
The somber gloom was partially dispelled by
| the glare of numerous fireraits, sent down
| from above, which threw into broad relief the
forms OF the approaching ships, thus rendering
them better targets. These were fiat scOws
filled with pine-knots, and they were allowed
to DRIFT with tue current, Or We're pushed by tugs
! The admIrals ship was attacked by one OF
these, aud, grounding ia her effects TO avoid it,
the blazing raft was pushed against her, setting
/ ner on fire as high as her tops Her situation,
| for moment, was perilous. My God, is it to
END saus a sad sarsasu.; then recovering his
crew sprang to the rescue, speedily
extinguishins the flames, and the ship backed
pass in hand, watching her regain her place.
| Cropping on in the dark, receiving in turn the
deadly hre Of the iorts, and avoiding the float
! ing RATS with difficulty, the vessels encOunt-
| cred the fleet above. The lighter ships In ad.
vance bore the first brunL of the attack, and
| the Naruna, swlIter than others, boldly dashed
| in advance into the very midst OF the enemy
attacked and destroyed 1our vessels and as
the lingering daylight appeared, was assailed
by two rams. Being light merchant vessel
she was soon destroyed by their blows not
however, without vengeance on her foes The
/ Brooklyn was twice rammed, but beat of ner
| opponents and destroyed an attacking steamer.
As daylight approached, the fleet ancnored
above the iorts, all but three smaller ones,
| caught at daylight in heavy fire. having
| safely passed, with but one lost.
But the eno was not yet, tor the ram Manas-
saS now gaiiantly fought her dying stru.sie
| As sne approached up tine river, the powerlui
padole-wheei Mississippi started to ram her
| but she avoided the blow, received q dc idly
i fire ran as md
| Between the fleet and New Orleans was the
| heavy battery al Chalmette; but this could not
Stop II, aituouku II gave the cred crews a half
! hours contest before the gunners were finally
! driven from their posts.
And thus the great feat, believed to be impos-
sible, was accomplished in the most dashing
| anu brave InalIner. with the loss OF but thirty-
! five killed and one hundred and twenty-eir6t
wounded, and but one ship destroyed Is
/ trust, says the report of the admiral to the
| department., " THAT 1t will be found that have
carried out my instructions to the letter and to
! and now splendid tnose abilities that despising
all obstacles, could gain signal q victory
| where defeat seemed to others certain!
| Inc hign authority above quOteu says the pas-
sage o Tue forts was 'tne greatest naval victory
since Exmoutns victory at Aigiers.'' He also
| izing 1T as zone OF the most remarkah
| trininphs IN the whole history OF naval opera
tions,' is fully justified by the daring with
| Whlcn unknown obstacles were laced. and
| tine vast i'm nportance OF the victory gained
The TASK was not yet accomplished. The first
| ahu Sicdtcst Stcp Wds SdlEcu, Out the river
| fIom New Orleans TO NichsDurg, was still ia
Tue hauos vi the insurgents, and the duty OF
| Clearing 1t was assigned TO the successful fieet
AND now comInvnced = period OF anxious
and perliouS TOLL In which appears prominent /
the patient devotion to "a duty irksOme 10 the
| sailor, hemmed In with his great ships in the
marrow river, whose banks We're lined with
hostile cities. and whose hign bluffs were
! crowned by formidable batteries perched far
above his unprotected decks. Every needfllI
| thing seems TO have been lack king-ancbors
coal, provisions pilots-and the ships sadly
| wanted repairs. We hear com plants of these
things not in official reports, but from private
| letters to his family, published long after
| wards.
The department. having found its Hercules.
set hlm to work at the Augean task OF clearing
| up" the river.
| The first encounter was at Vicksburp Here
Was no liz ht work. The high bluffs To the rIaht
| We're crow ned with fOrInid liable batteries and "a
sudden turn in the river made the navigation
very difficult. The admiral here formed mis-
neet IN double column, the three heavy siOOps
| to starboard, the lighter vessels to port In the
Intervals between the former. the fleet adj.
| vanced steadily and deliberately under the
| heavy hre, replying gaiiantiy TO 1t, while the
bombs from tiIe moriars below did deadly
| work upon the gunners in the works. For two
hours the ships advanced under this terrific
nre, those In advance occasionally stopping to
wait ior the Others, but ali passed save three
| whose captains, aiter gallant hight, misunder.
standing the orders, dropped down stream and
anchored.
The admiral reported that the batteries had
been passed, and could be passed again. but
that u large land force would be necessary to
| take the place. The sequel proved the correct
ness OF his views.
Farrasut now joined the feet of Davis from