Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-12-21

fe3led to Gy Captain ID. y. Porter. q.
S ~. who had teen on blockade duty
In the gulf. to send ships and soldiers
To New Orleans be said; This shoa!d-
have i,een done before. The Missis-
sippi is the backbone OF the CUnfed-
eraCy."
The plan put down on paper was 10
send at once a Federal feet mounting
200 guns. powerful mortar tiotiIia
and an army OF 2ofOo soldiers 10 raze
the forts at the mouth OF the Missis-
sippi, capture New Orleans and fOrtify
the river bluffs Is. far up us Nicksburg.
At the same time the irOnciad gunboatS
hemmed in around st. Louis and Cairo
and never yet under fire would fight
their way down the river and unite
forces around Eicksburg.
Captain Porter created out of raw
materials almost the mortar feet, a pc
ruiiar adjunct Of the navy designed TO
fight against land forts. The required
vessels were not yet owned by the gov
eminent when the expedition was plan
ned. They were TO number twenty.
each carrying a thirteen inch mortar
and two thirty-two FOUNDER cannon.
The sOutherners appreciated the
backbone" importance of the Missis-
sippi for the purpose long before Pres
ident Lincoln coined the term. In
April, 1861. while the business Of seiz-
ing Federal forts on southern soil was
very brisk. they had hoisted the bon
ny blue flag over two old citadels
standing on opposite sides of the riv-
er below New Orleans. Fort Jackson.
tie first above the mouth. was star
shaped fortress. built of stone and
mounting seventy-fOur guns. heavy and
light. There were strong bomb proofs
and classmates and citadel of heavy
masonry, which. In anticipation Of some
raiding Farragut. they stored with am
munition and supplies for long siege.
Fort Philip. across the river from Fort
Jackson, was built Of stone and brick
and mounted fifty-twO guns.
Confederate Defenses. .-..
The best channel up the river from
the bar ran near the west bank under
the guns Of Fort Jackson. This pas
sageway the Confederates blocked
with row of old hulks. anchored and
bound together with chain cables.
Several tugs and steamers fitted out
for battle during the summer and fall
Of 1861 patrolled the river above the
line. of hulks. and farther upstream.
In actual waiting while Farragut was
securing northern harbors for his
ships. lay the new lronclad Louisiana.
mounting twelve guns. and the pom
derous whalebacked iron ram Manas-
sas. Several converted steamers. cot
ton clad, with heavy bales around
their engines and machinery, complet-
ed the river defense feet. Still-an-
other ironclad. the Mississippi. was on
the ways and nearly finished
Farragut reached the army rendez-
vous In person Feb. 20, 1862. but not
until March IS were the war steamers
assigned to him on the scene.
The feet which finally went into ac-
ton consisted Of the first class screw
sloops Hartford. Brooklyn. Richmond
and Pensacola. the second class sloops
CEeida, Varuna and Iroquois. the
screw gunboats Cayuga, Itasca. Ka-
tahdin. Kennebec. Kineo. Pinola, Scio-
Ia. Winona and Wissahickon. the sail
ing sloop Portsmouth and the side
wheeler Mississippi. E-@
+
The Mortars Begin to Shoot.
On the 1ethsof April the feet was
well into the channel. within three
miles of Fort Jackson. The mortar 4
boats went into hiding on both banks
IF the river. curtained or disguised by
the branches of trees. The range to
Fort Jackson was one mile and q half
and to Fort Philip two miles. !
Porter's mortars opened fire upon the
Confederate forts guarding the chan.
mel April IS. The third night of the
commandment the Federal vessels Pi-
nola and Itasca steamed up the river
to sever the line of hulks and chains
stretched across the stream under the
guns Of the fort. They were discov-
cred by the enemy and fred upon.