St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1888-11-03

and was under command Of Mai Gen. ". g.
Franklin. 1t consisted Of = land force of
400 men and four gunboats in charge Of
Lieut. Frederick Croker. The gunboats
were the Arizona, Capt. Tibbets; the Cliff
ton, the Sachem and Granite CITY. The
Arizona led the way. Immediately follow.
ing her was transport conveying portion
Of the land force. Gen. Godfrey We;tze,
was on board the transport with his staff
Gen. Franklin and Lieut. Croker planned
their attack for daybreak, Sept. g.
Contrary to expectations, however. tbs
Confederate fort was able to make spirited
res.stance. 1t contained eight guns and a
garrison OF 2Oo men, well armed, under COM
mand of Capt F. A. Odlum. With this
soreo Capt. Odlum managed to cap ure two
OF the gunboats, with the commander of the
feet, cripple another of tile vessels and
secure 200 prisoners, and drive the whole ex-
petition OF LOCO men back to Now Orleana
A United States blockading vessel was
usually stationed in the mouth of the harbor.
Guided by her light, in the darkness of the
night of Sept, Z, the feet was to enter the
hcrbor OF the town and make the attack. Tn
the pass it steamed, therefore, hour after
hour, keeping lookout for the light of the
blockader. But no light appeared, and at 8
O'Clock, Sept. y, tho fleet hove 70 and dis
covered that it had long since passed
tho point where the attack was to
to 10 made. There was 10 biockading vessel
there. 1t was away on a cruise By the
time the feet had steamed back it would bs
too late to make the attack.
Nothing was therefore ATTEMPTED, cxceot
that sonse shots from the Clifton were fred
into the fort early in the forenoon. No reply
to this was made The water was very low,
and 1t was vita difficulty that the three other
gunboacs and tie transports were able tn get
over the bar. The transport anchored about
two miles away from tho tort
Thus, for Tire most Of the day, Sent 5, the
whole feet ard transports remained In full
sight OF tho town and fort, giving the Con
federate.s every opportunity to prepare for
them. Late in the afternoon tie Sachem,
Arizona and Clifton steamed UP abreast OF
the fort and opened Ere twas not supposed
there would he much opposition. Tothe sur
prise Of those Oh board Of the Union gun
boats, however, great sheet Of Fame burst
from the fort. accompanied by thunderous
eound. The fort was replying with trernen
dous fro from eight guns on the three light
ermored boats.
The boilers Of both the Clifton and tho
Sachem were pierced with shot. Steam poured
forth. e-veloping both in fog. The Sachem
was struck Grst, and lay helpless, swinging
around fast aground. She lowered her fas
in token of surrender.
Tho Clifton caEre next, moving swiftly for |
ward under full head OF steam. On board OF |
her vas detachment Of sharpshooters. The |
Clifton ran close up under the guns of the |
fort. She meant to deliver broadsida, elso |
to give the sharpshooters opportunity to pick |
OF the Con ederate Gunners who were doing !
such destructive work.
As size approached the fort, under full |
steam, the Clifton struck hard aground and |
swayed around b-oadsida to the fort. Sac
ever, when suddenly O shot passed clean
through her boilers also, and all was over
with the Clifton. She raised white Gag,
and the Clifton and the Sachem were at once
takea possession OF by the Con sederates
The Granite City he'd remained behind to
guard the transports, two miles away, and was
not in the fight. There was, therefore, ouly
tho Arizona now left. The channel was so
narrow close to the forts that there was no
room for her to pass the Sacheni, which lay
directly in the channel he Arizona there
fore backed down stream and away from the
dgLt. At length she too grounded, the third
and last but one Of the gunboats accompany
ing that i'll starred expedition to Sabine Pass.
Tho cbb tide caught tho bows Of the All
rectly across the channel, There was thu,
no Opportunity for tho Granite State to come
to the rescue, even If she had desired o doso
The officers and crews of tie Clifton and
Sachem were taken prisoners, so was Lieut..
Croker, commanding tie feet On board
both boats were shprpshooters. These, too
were captured. A few men from tie Clifton
escaped down the beach and wero taken of
By the feet With the rising Of the tide in
lie night, the Arizona SGT oH end rejo.ned
The feet.
The fort still might have been taken by the
ard forces There were 1000 Elen against
zoo inside the worls But no attempt was
made against the Confederate garrison by
3ens. Weitzcl aud Franklin. There was no
attempt made to land tho troops
The naval force of the expedition was GRIP
,led. The land force moved silently out Of
he bay that night aud returned 10 New Or.
cans.