The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1906-03-15
THE VOLUNTEER NAVY.
Some "reminiscences Of the Capture OF
New Orleans.
VIII


Admiral Farragut, we set sail for the
mouth of the Mississippi river 10 take
mart in the reduction OF Forts jackson
and St. Philip and the capture OF New
Orleans. which is acknowledged 70 oe
the most successful and the grandest
naval victory in the history OF the
world, 1t was GROWING victory, that
the leading naval stratogists OF Europe
had said was an impOsSlblllty-a VIC
tory that in very short time gave to
the Federal government the entire con
troll of the Mississippi river ana JUS
tributaries-a victory that severed the
Confederacv in twain. 1t marked the
beginning of the end of the Rebellion,
and was the most important event OF
the Civil war, with the exception OF
the surrender of Lees army at Ap,
pomattox. Could cycloramlc view OF
that night on the Mississippi have been
taken after the Union fleet had passed
the forts, and for three hours lherec
after. the cvclorama OF the Datlle OF
Gettysburg would have paled lhto III
significance III comparison. o1,
On our way up the coast TO oousIi-
west Pass we had light and varlaple
winds and a dense fog all the way So
that we did not sight the land during
sage and had to feel our way along
with the deep sea lead, keeping man IN
the main chains continuously 1ol Iie
purpose of throwing the lead ana as
pertaining the depth OF water. buI
we had been so long in the log, ana hau
sailed and drlfted so many courses
that we had become somewhat u uu-
died in regard to our true posltloll,
SO that the navigating officer Wouio
not have cared to positively state ouf
whereabouts within fifty miles, Win
this exception: he knew that we Mele
far enough off shore to be out OIL al
danger.
We were being famed along by a
light fog breeze, and nothing was heard
but the creaking of the spars, the Hap
ming of the sails and the preparatory
MEASURES for bringing the ship to
anchor for the night, when suddenly
and apparently right along slde Oh us,
a full band struck up Uhe stal
Spangled Banner" The eHect OF thaC
music can better be imagined Ihali
described. 1t had such an e11ecI upon
me that for a moment l was lealiui
that | should jump out OF my o" IL shin'
and think that all on ooaro were ~
the same condition. What was the cause
III w 6IE N tRIiiiSy Wv
Sea. his son Triton, the trumpeteI, ana
their hosts. giving us a serenade, or
WHAT Rut in a moment 1t was maze
plaiu To us. for the broadslde OF d
huge ship with her bristlns guns loom
ed mn right under our lee bow aud Will
in forty rods of US. 1t was the frlgale
Colorado. at anchor off Southwest Pdss
and the occasion of the music Was tiie
hauling down of the flag at sunset. l
have heard sweet and grand music III
INV time. but nothing i'll the form OF
music has so thrilled and delighted me
as did that old Star Spangled Banner
that appeared to come to US from out
OF the sea.
We found that we were the last ship OF
the fleet to arrive, and all OF the Heet
with the exception of the Colorado had
got over the ban into the river. The Col
oraQo was unable to get over on ac-
count OF her great draugEt OF water.
There was only II feet OF water on the
bar and the draugIt OF tie Colorado
WAS - feet. They We're eight days m
getting the frgdtes Brooklyn aud
Mississippi over the bar. The next day
We crossed the bar and come to anchol
in the RIVER off Pilot Town.
Now that the admiral had ordered us
up Ne did not know what disposition TO
make OF us. Earragut had decided ~
make an effort to run past forts Jack
son and st. Philip in the night time,
and III that event Il sailing vessel was
of no use The current was very Ssrong
al kuots-So that we could not 60
up of ourselves and we had no tugs to
spare, ali of them having been assigned
to other duty. Then there were three
sailing vessels of the feet that were
unassigned, VIZ, the sloop of war Ports
mouth the bark Midnight and the bark
entine Horace Beals. All the mortar
schoOners, nineteen in number, under
the command of David Porter, had been
assigned to their several stations and
had begun the bombardment OF Fort
Jackson two days before our arrival,
firing one bomb per minute through the
day. The nineteen mortar vessels had
been placed on the west bank OF the
river with great precision. The chief
of the coast survey had been called 10
make triangulatlon and to locate each
vessel so that their exploding bombs
would be directly over Fort Jackson.
All the plans Of the attack had been
made by the admiral and his advisers,
and nothing had been overlooked, with
the execution of the mortar fleet, IN the
event of our ships being repulsed while
attempting to pass the forts.
For better understanding OF the
situation | will say that these nineteen
mortar schooners had no other arma-
ment than one mortar each, which was
placed in the centre of the vessel; and
| may add that it WAS the opinion of
many of the naval officers who were
high up in the profession that these
vessels would be so racked and strained
by the conclusion that they would sink
before the discharge of the tenth bomb.
But not one was destroyed from the
effects of conclusion, and but one was
destroyed by the shots of the enemy
from the fort during that awful week
of bonn bardment These mortar schoon-
ers had no protection whatever against
the attacks of the enemy if perchance
they came below the forts, as they were
very likely to do when the chain that
spanned the river between the two forts
was removed to admit the passage OF
Farragut's fleet up the river. The
greatest danger to the mortar fleet was
the possible drifting of fire RATS that
would he sent down Ivy the rebels below
the forts In this event there would be
some sharp scrambling to save the NOR
tar fleet. so the sailing ships of the
squadron, viz, the sloOp-of- war Ports
mouth, bark Midnight, to which | was
cd and the ha rk pDtIne Horace