The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-05-03

opened out abreast of the ship. and our guns
replied with viii. The gunners would watch
for flash aud then blaze away As the action
became general the pyrOtechnic display was
magnificent. The deep. hollow roar of the
mortars could be heard In contradistinction
from ali other sounds, and the 13.inch shells,
with their burning fuses passed across the
heavens like meteors. The old ship quiy-
cred at each discharge of her Dahlgrens, aud
seemed a mass of fire. The enemy bad started
bonfires at different points to perfect their aim,
and these added materially to the illumina-
ton and enhanced the grandeur Of the scene.
At this juncture the smoke of the guns 80
enveloped the ship that the pilot called out
from the mizZentOp that he could not see ahead.
The firing from the Hartford was Immediately
stopped and not moment too soon, for the
fact was revealed that the ship was running
on shore
RIGHT UNDER THE ENEMY's GUNS.
She was grounded for an instant, but
was pulled of by the Albatross into the mid
die of the stream. The Richmond follow
ing closely after, and, unaware of the accident
| doomed up through thesmoke with her bowspTit
almost over the Hartford. After this Far
ragut deemed it prudent TO discontinue firing
and the Hartford forged ahead under full steam
| and anchored beyond range having been under
fire an hour and 10 minutes. No such success
however, attended the Hartford's cOnsorts
set on fire by her Captain to prevent her falling
into the hands of the enemy. The Richmond
met with an accident when nearly passed, and
all the other vessels had suffered to such an
extent as to cause their abandonment Of the
attempt to pass the batteries.
Things had not gone well on shore, either
| Gen. Banks had advanced in force and driven
in the Confederate pickets, but found the de-
fenses too strong and the garrison too well pre-
pared for him to attempt a serious attack
Alter the passage of Port Hudson by Farra-
gut the crossing Of supplies by the Coufederates
! grew more and more hazardous for several of
Porter's feet above Yieksburg gradually join
ed Farragut, aud
THE RIVER WAS REGULARLY PATROLED.
Banks. after Withdrawing from Port Hudson
prepared and consolidated Growers aud En-
ory's Divisions, and moved them to Berwick
City, in south louisiana with the intention of
dispensing the Confederate forces under Tay-
Tor, Morton and Sibley, whose headquarters
were at Opelousa5. By the 18th of April the
concentration was so far effected that a for
ward movement commenced, striking the enc
my at PattersOnville. No persistent resistance
was made by the enemy, but continual series
of skirmishes were taking place on the route to
Opelousas and Alexandria, where the army
arrived about the 9TH of May. Our forces had
taken on the route 10 pieces Of artillery and
about 1000 prisoners, as well as dispensing the
Confederate forces. Two weeks later Banks
and his whole command crossed the Atcha-
falaya to Smmsport and continued down to
Pointe Coupee, where, crossing the Mississippi
to Bayou Sara on the 23d of May. they two
days later formed junction with Augur's Di-
vision in the rear of Port Hudson
! While Banks was making his Teche expedi-
/ ton, portions of T. w Sherman's Division were
making raids to jacksonville across Lake