Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-24

J: !: ::
~~ steamtug left New
Atl H~ Orleans, having on
IE5 FRA board d dozen or
lE5 81 IA more United States
isl - IA Army signal Of
- !: !: !: !: !: !"
tA ~ ~ ficers and ser
s Al H geants. with their
n1GNi E3 detachments OF
CFEdINA 81 two or three men
A"AIT 81 each They start
VAA ed with sealed
h;ch when opened. were
found to contain instructions 10 lep''
to the fleet under Admiral ARA -
then block aiding the entrance 10 MOUTH
bay. the only important point aiohs
the gulf coast still held by the Con
federates ON the morning OF the ~"
The fleet was reached. the command re
ported To the admiral. and 1t was 'h'
good fortune of the writer To De Dc
signed To duty on the hagshlp lia''
ford The Union fleet was rldlne AZ
anchor in the gulf, the wooden Nesseis
being several miles from the forts a.
the entrance of the harbor. Mootie
bav is shaped somewhat like tunnel
gradually widening from the city 10
the gulf a distance of some tnlrtS
miles The entrance is protected eE
long narrow arm of sand. extending
from the mainland westerly, and nav
ing Fort Morgan on the extreme west
ern point. Across the channel from
Fort Morgan. and perhaps three miles
distant is Dauphin Island. narrow
strip of sand having Fort Gaines on
its eastern end. directly opposite MOT
gan \ little further to the west is
Shell Island upon which stood little
Fort Powell. commanding Il narrow
cha nnsI through which hight draueht
vessels could enter the bay. \ short
distance ou' to sea. between Dauphh
Island and Fort Morgan. and in front
Of the main entrance TO the bay. is
Sand Island a barren spot. under the
lee of which thrc" OF our monitors
were living. At the rear of Fort
Gaines Gen. Granger had effected
landing and had begun the work of
laying siege Ia the fort. The army
signal officers were sent on board the
feet not with any intention of having
their services used IN passing the forts
(which Farra gut had fully determined
TO dop. but in order to establish COM
municatinn afterward between the
fleet and the army, for the purpose OF
cooperating IN the capture Of the
forts.
The primary objects of Admiral Far
rasut in entering the bay were the
moral effect of "a victory. the complete
closing of Mobile TO the outside world
and the capture or destruction of the
ram Tennessee. then considered the
strongest and most powerful ironclad
ever put afioat; he also wished to cut
off all possible means of escape from
the garrisons OF the forts. and to give
his fleet which had been tossed on the
uneasy waters of the gulf for many
months. safe and quiet anchorage.
There was no immediate expectation
of capturing the city of Mobile, when
was safe by reason of solid row OF
piles and torpedocs across the river,
three miles from the city. Moreover,
the larger vessels of the fleet could
not approach within a dozen miles of
the city on account of shallow water
But the lower bay offered charming
resting place for the fleet, with the al
ditional attraction of plenty of fish and
oysters and an occasional chance to
forage on shore.
The afternoon of the day of our ar
rival ADMIRAL Farragut with the com
handing ofrlcerS OF the different yes
sells. made reconnaissance on thc
steam tender Cowslip, running inside
of sand Island. where our monitors
were anchored. and near enough TO get
a good view OF both forts. On the le1t,
some two miles distant, was Fort
Gaines a small brick and earth Work,
far away from the ship channel to
cause much uneaSlnesS to the Meet.
Fort Morgan was on the right one OF
the strongest of the old stone forts.
and greatly strengthened by immense
piles Of sand bags. covering every poI-
tion OF the exposed front. me Iori
was we'll equipped with three TIERS OF
heavy guns some OF them OF the pes
English make, imported by the Confed
crates. In addition there was IN fron'
a battery of eleven powerful guns al
the waters edge on the beach. All the
guns of both fort and water battery
were within point-blank range of the
only channel through which the fleet
could pass.
The enemy considered the works i'm
preenabIc but they did not depend
solely upon them Just around the
point of land, behind For. Morgan, J"
could see that afternoon three saucE
looking gunboats and the famous ram
Tennessee. looking like n great turtle
with sIopinc sides covered with iron
ulates six inches n thickness. thor
oughly riveted together, and havins
a formidable iron beak projecting
under the water Her armament con
sisted of six heavy guns of English
make sending solid shot Weighing
10 pounds small affair compared
with the heavy guns OF the present
time but irresistible then agalns'
everything but the turrets of u
In addition to these means OF fesls'
ance the narrow channel in front o1
the fort had been lined with torpedoes
These were under the water, anchore'
to the bottom. and were chiefly in th'
shane of beer kegs filed with powder
from the sides of which proJectet
numerous little tubes containing 1ui
inmate which it expected woui
be exploded BY contact with the pass
ing vessels.
Except for what Farragut had al
ready accomplished on the MISSISSIPPI
il would have been considered 1901
hardy experiment for wooden vessel.
to attempt 10 pass close to one oil
the strongest forts on the coast; hs.
when TO the forts added the
knowledge of the strength Of the ran
and the supposed deadly character ol
the torpedoes, IL may be imagined that
the coming event impressed the person
taking his first glimpse of naval war
fare as decidedly hazardous and un-
plea SAINT So daring an attempt was
never made in any country but this
and was never successfully made by
any commander except Farragut.
The scene on the CowSlip that after
noon was notable one. She
steamed along within range of the
forts. The central figure was the
grand old admiral his plans all com