The National tribune., 1892-06-30

on every vessel of the icet and their assem-
| bed will, in humiliation and prayer, make their
| acknowledgements therefore to the Great pispen-
ser of ali human events. ID. q. FARhAe0p; E1a0r:.
New ORLEANS. April 90, 1862.
Soon after this brilliant achievement Capt.
| Farragut was made Rear Admiral, and Con-
| gress passed resolution of thanks for the i'm
| portant service rendered.
| About one week after tho capture Of New
Orleans Capt. Farrsgut proceeded up the river.
| going as far as Yickshurg and demanded its
| surrender, which was refused. A strong force
was concentrated by Farragut, and bonn
| bardment of the town and its defenses was be-
| gun the latter part of May. 1862 About tho
middle of June the vessels of the Gulf Squad
ron were withdrawn, as the troops called for
| by Farragut could not be furnished. The
Western Flotlla meantime arrived, and were
| left in front of Vicksburg, while Farraguts
vessels proceeded to the Gulf and assisted IN
the blockade of Mobile and the coast of Texas.
THE BATTLE OF MOBILE BAY
was the next important victory achieved by
the West Gulf Squadron, and was fought under
the personal leadership of Admiral Farragut
Aug. 5, 1864. This resulted in the capture Of
Fort Morgan and Fort Gaines, the city of Mo-
bile and all its defenses including many pris-
oners, ironciads rams, and armed steamers.
After this event Farragut was granted leave OF
absence, and on his arrival in New York was
rendered a grand complimentary reception and
a purse of $4,000.
In this engagement the Monitor Tecumseh
was destroyed by torpedo and carried down
over 100 of its gallant crew TO watery grave.
Admiral Farraguts successor in command of
the West Gulf Squadron was Commodore James
S. Palmer, Senior Officer. who continued in
command until about January, 1865. when
Acting Rear-Admiral ii. X. Thatcher was ap-
pointed and continued in command until the
close of the war, which took place on the sur
render of Galveston and all the Confederate
forces on the coast of Texas June S. 1865, at
which time the United States steamer r. Il.
Cuyler was flagship and on board of it terms of
surrender were arranged which brought the
war to successful termination.
EVENTS NEAR PENSACOLA, FLORIDA.
The discontented element who controlled
affairs in the State of Florida assembled in
Convention Jan. 10, 1861. aud passed an Ordi-
nance of Secession severing their allegiance to
the Union and uniting with the Confederacy.
Two days afterwards the Governor sent an
armed force OF 500 men, under Maj. w. II.
Chase, TO demand the surrender of the hand
some Navy-yar located about three miles from
Pensacola
Commodore James Armstrong, Commandant
of the Yard being evidently in sympathy with
the insurgents. cowardly complied with their
insolent demands and lowered his fag. This
act of treachery cost tho Government the loss
of the only Navy yard on the Gulf coast, and
with it much valuable property There were
two vessels at the yard, the Supply and Wyan-
dotte. but they were not included in the sur
render.
Commodore Armstrong entered the u. S.
Navy Nov. Is, 1909 and died on the Retired
List Aug. %, 1868. On the 18th of March, 1861,
a naval general court-martial convened in
Washington for the trial of Comm odore Arm
n1, ,lf, nx,l. Of l,,fxv
obedience of orders and conduct unbecomimg
an officer at the surrender of Pensacola
Navy-yard. These charges were preferred by
direction of the Secretary of the Navy. The
court found the Commodore guilty of the
charges and sentenced him TO suspension from
duty for the term of five years. with the loss
of pay for the fist half OF said term. aud be
reprimanded by the Secretary of the Navy in
General Orders
As soon as the Confederate authorities had
gotten control of the Nayy-yard they concen-
trated a large force there and appoined Brax-
ton Bragg as commander. lie demanded the
surrender of Fort Pick ems. guarding the ap-
proach to Pensacola Bay, and held by Lieut..
Slemmer with a garrison of about 100 men.
He met with prompt refusal, and then pre-
pared to take forcible possession. Meantime
the garrison of Fort Pickens had been rein-
forced by sesmen and marines from the Frigate
Sabine, under Capt. ShnLrielt, abou. the middle
of February, 1861 The runboat Waterwitch
arrived with force of Regular troops from
Fort Taylor, near Key West, commanded by
Capt. Vogdes. A relief expedition sent out
from the Brooklyn Eavy-yarl under Capt. ID.
d. Porter, had also arrived, and included the
st. Louis Brooklyn, Pawnee, Wyandotte. Mace
donian, Crusader Powhatan aud Mohawk.
This made the probable capture of Fort
Pickens an utter impossibility, and to make
matters worse for the enemy strict blockade
of the Port of Pensacola went into effect May
g. 1861.
DESTRUCTION OF THE PRIvATEEa JUDAH.
This vessel was fitted ont by the Confederates
at Pensacola Navy-yard and when about ready
to 90 to sea its capture destruction de-
termned upon. For this purpose an armed boat
expedition Of about 100 men from the L. S. S.
Colorado entered Pensacola Bay Sept. 13 1861
about midnight, and on boarding the Judah
desperate hand-to-h hand encounter took place
for the possession Of the vessel. Our men. COM
manded by Lieut.. J. Russell. finally drove the
crew of the schooner onto the wharf. TO which
the vessel was made fast The Confederates in
the meantime had received renforeements
and our men finding it impossible to take the
vessel out o. the bay, set her OIL fire in several
places and she was totally destroyed
IN this engagement we lost FIVE killed and
nine wounded. The whole affair was creditable
to all who participated. The boat expedition
returned to the Colorado about daylight next
morning
combined land and naval attack was made
on the enemy's works at Fort McRea and
Barrancas, Nov. %. 1861. The garrison of Fort
Pickens and the L. S. Steamers Niagara and
Richmond were engaged. Both our vessels
were seriously injured in this engagement, and
withdrew from action without any decisive
result.
The blockade continued until about May 8,
at hiph np hn tod tl,a
Navy -yard-frst setting fire TO all the buildings
in the town of WarreptOwn Just outside the
Navy-yard gates, and all public property that
could not be removed was destroyed previous to
their departure.
ITO be cOntinued.l
Canoe Life.
ILfuDincoffS