Year: 1864

and set fire to and burned up. The Hind
man had her wheel, ropes cut away, and
drifted past, turning round and round, and
getting well cut up in going by. e.
The Juliet was cut to pieces in hull and
machinery, and had fifteen killed and
wounded Four miles below they met the
Mesho going up, too late to cover them.
Had she arrived in time she could likely
have cleaned out the batteries; at least dl-
verred the fire of them until the passage OF
! the boats. a,te 7.r ol.
| l inclosa the report of Lieutenant Com-
manding Phelps, from the time OF his ilrst
misfortune until his arrival at this place.
where now am with ali the feet having
lost none Of the gunboats, but very mucn
surprised that have any left considering
the difficulties encountered. When the
rebels had followed our army to point
where they could effect no more, all their
attention was turned to the little squadron
had escorting the Eastport


Every man and gun was brought to the
river, and we had to contend against such
odds that it seemed impossible to escape
destruction or very severe handling No
vessels were ever better fought, and none
of this class (mere thread-paper vessels }
were ever under so hot fire.


In FIVE minutes the Cricket was struck
thirty>eight times with solid shot and shell,
with loss Of twenty-three Killed and
wounded half her crew The juliet was
struck about the same rumber of times,
with loss of fifteen killed and wounded
The Hindman lost three killed anu four or
five wounded.


I NAV have lacked judgmentin not blow
ing the Eastport up sooner, when | iouho
that We were secondary consideration
to the army, but as | had staid behind
myself to see the last transport through
safely, could not DO less with one OF my
own vessels.
was unable to keep up communication
with the army, as the means OF communl~
cation were with them, and as they march
cd along faster than calculated, 40 miles
in one day, when supposed they would
only 60 2O,) l was nearer in their rear than
I should have been
This arose from my desire to save the
Eastport, and hoping that some signal sue
cess on the part Of the army (Which ttlt
confident was about to whip all the rebels
in that part of the country, would dispose
of the enemy altogether


From the beginning OF this expedition
up to the present time, the officers and
men of this squadron have worked with
seperhuman zeal, and overcome diihculties
which seemed insurmountablc The sue
cess of the expedition depended entirely
upon the success of the navy in getting
the transports safely to an appointed place,
Springfield Landing, which would have pnt
us in communication with the army ana
then in possession of all their materials
of war.


This we accomplished, and when the
army returned, unexpectedly, We fought
our way back without the loss Of auy kind,
(excepting men J inhicting loss OF five
hundred men on the enemy, killed their
best general, (Green,) and a number OF his
officers.


On our way down to Alexandria, obsta-
cles were overcome enough to appal the
stoutest heart. Guns had 10 he taken out
of vessels and then jumped over sand bars
and logs, and the squadron arrived here
in time to prevent any attack on our re-
serve stores.


The difficulty about water Is a m'st un
usual one, and we must certainly have
rise of tho few feet we want before the end
of the season. All the rivers are booming
at this time, and it should be SO here, |
am no way responsible for the failure "'
water here than would be ii the Missis-
sippi went dry at this season, thing that
never happened yet. 49,,


came up here with the river on the
rise, and water enough for our largest YES
sells and even on nv way up TO S"reVe
port from Grand Ecore the water rose,
while it commenced falling where l lett the
largest gunboats. Falling or not l could
not 90 back while in charge of the trans
norts and the material on which All army
of 10000 men depended


I have still confidence in a good Provi
dence. which | am sure will not desert US,
and confidence that the nation will not per
NIT their feet to be sacrafced which has $"
we'll performed its part in what should
havs been complete success.