March 31, 1863, The New York Herald
UNITED STATES SLOOP-OF-WAR RICHMOND, OFF PROPHET ISLAND, MISSISSIPPI RIVER, March 15, 1863.
Port Hudson, the rebel stronghold on the Mississippi, was attacked by the Union fleet, under command of Admiral Farragut, last night. The result was a partial success, as the flagship Hartford and the gunboat Albatross succeeded in getting past the batteries, and are now, in all probability, blockading the entrance to Red river. The Richmond, Genesee, Monongahela, Kineo and Sachern had to return, for reasons that will be fully stated in this letter. It was not intended that the vessels should pass. Among the casualties is the total loss by fire of the sloop-of-war Mississippi. But let me begin at the beginning.
WHAT WAS LONG EXPECTED.
For some months past rumors have been prevalent in New Orleans, among Unionists and secessionists alike, of an intention to make a combined attack both by land and by water on the rebel stronghold of Fort Hudson. The reoccupation of Baton Rouge by a portion of the forces under Major General Banks, on that officer’s taking command of the department, coupled with the advance of General Weitzel’s brigade to Berwick Bay, together with certain movements of the squadron, seemed to give form and consistency to the supposition. The general demand of the people of the West, too, for the reopening of their great water highway for the transportation of their produce to the usual markets, and the absolute necessity for the removal of all obstacles to a traffic on which the prosperity of the United States mainly depends, strengthened the belief that an expedition on a large scale would be fitted out at as early a period as possible, after the rising of the river, to destroy the blockade that has been so long maintained at Vicksburg, and for a shorter period at Port Hudson, and, by cutting off all communication by way of the Red river, and depriving the rebels of the supplies received by them through this source, break the backbone of the rebellion in the Southwest and adjacent sections.
This general expectation is in course of being realized. The post at Baton Rouge has been largely reinforced. But your correspondent at that place will inform you more at length than it is possible for me to do of the movements of the army in connection with the campaign just entered upon. It is my task to chronicle the doings of the naval arm of the service.
HOW THE FLEET WENT UP THE RIVER.
Towards the latter part of the week ending on the 7th inst., it was pretty generally known in naval circles that the greater portion of the squadron at New Orleans was about to proceed up the river, and it was believed that the object was to co-operate with the army at Baton Rouge in the reduction of Port Hudson. The first vessel to leave the Essex, in consequence of her low rate of speed; and, as the Richmond is anything but a fast ship, the Admiral gave orders for her to be the next in motion. Accordingly we left on Monday, the 9th inst., at half past ten A. M. During the night, while we lay at anchor, about forty miles up the river, we were passed by the Hartford (flagship) and one or two other vessels belonging to the squadron. As there was no hurry we anchored again on the following night, weighing by moonlight on the morning of the 11th, and arrived at Baton Rouge at half past one in the afternoon of the same day.
APPEARANCE OF THE STATE CAPITOL.
On nearing the town the blackened skeleton of the State Capitol – majestic though in ruins – was the most striking object that presented itself to the view, testifying to the work of desolation which this unhappy rebellion has scattered throughout the land; for there can be very little doubt that the fire that destroyed so superb a building the pride of Louisiana and of her once planter princes – was the work of a secret rebel incendiary. And now the white tents of the loyal soldiery became visible on every available open space, and the soldiers themselves began to show in thousands, testifying by their gestures the pleasure they felt at the presence of one more powerful vessel-of-war, so soon to unite with them in the anticipated attack on a place that is said to be more formidable even than Vicksburg itself.
PREPARATIONS FOR THE ATTACK.
It soon began to be evident that we were not to be permitted to […..] on our beef bones” where we lay at anchor, off the Arsenal buildings and barracks. On the 12th the preparations made on board the Richmond furnished outward and visible signs of a most unmistakable nature that we were soon to proceed to a place where broken heads and more serious casualties were to be the order of the day. The two twelve-pounder howitzers which had been mounted on the poop deck and the forecastle respectively were hoisted up and placed in position in the fore and maintops, and their places supplied with two nine-inch Dahlgrens, taken from the port broadside, as they were not necessary in their former position, for the reason that, as our starboard side only was to be presented to the formidable batteries at Port Hudson, that side alone would have to be fought. In addition to the starboard broadside of nine-inch guns, the Richmond, in consequence of this arrangement, gained, in addition to her thirty-pounder rifled Parrott on the poop deck, and her eighty-pounder rifled Dahlgren on her forecastle, a nine- inch gun in lieu of a small brass howitzer on each deck.
So much for offence. The defensive precautions taken were not less admirable. All along the starboard side splinter nettings were placed inside the bulwarks. This netting was made of stout ropes. The design was to diminish the danger that is always to be apprehended from splinters, that often, in a naval engagement, do more damage to the men at the guns than the cannon shot themselves. With regard to musket bullets, very little danger was apprehended from their penetrating the bulwarks, which consist of solid timber fifteen inches in thickness. The splinter netting was carried up so high that, with the aid of the tarpaulins that usually cover the hammocks, reaching up to the bottoms of the boats hanging to the davits, it would require animals equal in agility to monkeys to board the Richmond; for, be it remarked, the boats themselves towered above the nettings and the tarpaulins. The spaces between the several boats were also protected by the sailors’hammocks, lashed together and placed in a peculiar position, in order to protect the men working the guns from the enemymusketry. A similar arrangement was made on the poop deck and the topgallant forecastle, where there is nothing but a slight open rail.
In addition to these significant preparations for a bloody conflict, all brass work and everything merely ornamental projecting above the deck, and liable to be shot away, to the injury, perhaps, of the men at the guns, were removed. Only such things as were absolutely necessary were permitted to remain. In short, the ship was cleared for action.
THE ADMIRAL VISITS THE RICHMOND.
Admiral Farragut, who exercises a vigilant supervision over his entire command, came on board at half-past ten on Friday morning, the 13th. He was accompanied by Fleet Captain Jenkins. The Admiral expressed himself highly pleased at the preparations that had been made. General quarters were then called, when, almost before the drum had ceased to beat, every man was in his place. The exercises consisted of boarding and repelling boarders, and such was the precision with which all the evolutions were gone through as to impress even a landsman who might have witnessed the scene with the conviction that any insane attempt on the part of the rebels to board the Richmond, or any of our vessels as well fortified and manned, would meet with well merited punishment at the hands of our gallant seamen and marines.
ALL AWEIGH.
Early the same afternoon the signal for the squadron to weigh anchor was hoisted on the flagship, and at four o’clock all the vessels moved off. The Hartford took the lead, passing the Richmond, which was anchored higher up the river than any of the other vessels. We were also passed by the Monongahela, which vessel we followed. The Kineo came next, and the Mississippi brought up the rear. The Essex had gone up two or three days in advance.
Slowly the squadron proceeded up the river. The scene was a lively one, and was suggestive of matter for grave reflection. How many living, sentient beings in that squadron, through whose hearts the warm blood coursed gladly, would be stark and stiff in death ere the morning light, or lay mutilated on the bed of suffering? Such a reflection, however, did not seem to be very prevalent in the ship, for the merry laugh, suggested by the play of wit or the relation of some ludicrous adventure, was not less hearty than if uttered while on a party of pleasure. In fact, the danger in which all on board were so soon to be involved never seemed to enter into the minds of any. It turned out, however, that we did not attempt to pass the batteries that night; but the squadron came to an anchor about six or eight miles from Port Hudson, according to the pilot.
ARTIFICIAL MOONLIGHT.
There was one remarkable feature in the preparation for the expected fight that I think especially worthy of notice. That is, the whitewashing of the decks, gun carriages and the combings of the hatches on board the Richmond. The idea suggested itself to Captain Alden on passing the forts below last spring, on witnessing the effect by night of the dark splinter netting on the white ground of the bulwarks. It brought out the netting in bold relief, rendering it as visible as if the rays of the moon shape full on it. A sudden thought struck Captain Alden, and he ordered a spot on the deck, which lay deep in the shade, to be whitewashed. This done, he placed on that spot a dark object, which became quite visible, though on trying the experiment before the whitewashing the object could not be seen. The consequence was, Captain Alden on that occasion ordered a general whitewashing. The same plan was resorted to on the night of the 15th, as I have already stated. The success was startling. Stands of grape and canister, which had been placed in convenient positions, and other necessary articles of a dark hue that could not be seen before, were now so plainly visible that it was easy to lay hands on them in a moment. Besides this the entire deck partook of that quasi illumination familiar to all who have seen the effect of snow on the ground on a winter’s night. This is an advantage not to be overlooked, and it is enhanced by the fact that it does not benefit the enemy in the slightest degree. There was one spot that Capt. Alden did not have whitewashed. He conducted me to the place and bade me observe the difference of the effect produced on a coil of rope when placed on the dark spot and when removed to a part of the deck that had been whitewashed. The illusion was so great that when the object was placed on the whitened deck I almost expected to see a shadow cast from the coil of rope.
IN SIGHT OF THE BATTERIES.
At daylight yesterday morning we again weighed and stood further up the river, coming to an anchor at the upper end of Prophet Island, from which place the formidable batteries of Port Hudson were plainly discernable, about five miles off. About two miles above us we found the gunboats Essex, Albatross and Sachem lying at anchor, and close to them six mortar boats, already moored in position. Presently we saw several rebel gunboats coming down from above Port Hudson. They came singly, each of them running under the batteries and apparently landing troops. We counted five in all.
THE MORTAR BOATS TRY THEIR RANGE.
At half-past one o’clock a signal gun was fired from the Hartford, and shortly after the mortar boats, of […..],” (bombers) as they are familiarly termed in the squadron, opened fire on the batteries with the view of trying their range. The shells, however, mostly burst high in the air, and there is no reason to suppose that they did any material damage, though some of them seemed to explode directly over the batteries. A little before this the lookout man in the maintop of the Richmond reported artillery firing in the back of the woods, which was occasioned, doubtless, by the reconnoissance made by our troops, who had advanced from Baton Rouge for that purpose, and for creating a diversion in favor of the fleet.
THE ESSEX OPEN FIRE.
While the mortar boats were firing, some rebels made their appearance near to the water’s edge, within range of the guns of the Essex. The opportunity was too tempting not to be taken advantage of. Accordingly the Essex opened fire, throwing in four rounds. A number of the crew and some of the officers immediately left the protection of the iron sides and went outside to witness the result of the shots. They were fired on by two pieces of field artillery, but without doing them or the vessel any damage whatever. The rebels were distinctly visible from the tops of the Richmond.
THE HERALD CORRESPONDENT IN CONSULTATION.
Said an officer of the Richmond to me, “Where are you going to station yourself during the fight?” “Anywhere,” I replied, that I can be out of the way of the men working the guns, and yet see all that is going on.” “Then I recommend you to get up to the main or fore top,” was the rejoinder. “But suppose the mast happens to be shot away – such things do happen, you know – where will the HERALD correspondent and his report be?” “Well, you must take your chance,” was the comforting answer. “Of course I must,” I said; “but, don’t you see I have come here, not to fight or to be killed, but to describe what is done. Now if I should happen to be killed, or badly wounded, I should just like to know how the HERALD readers are to be enlightened about the battle of Port Hudson?” “Very cogent reasoning,” here put in the chief engineer. “Therefore, Mr. ______, you had better come down with me into the engine room.” But to this nice little arrangement I decidedly demurred, because in the engine room I would see nothing, and could describe nothing about the fight, and there was the risk of being scalded to death in the event of a shot being put into one of the boilers. At last a brilliant idea struck me. We were about to fight only our starboard guns. Why not station myself at the breech of the after port gun? A shot coming through the starboard after port would not come square through, but must glance from the gun it would strike in a diagonal direction. I told some of the officers this, and they seemed to approve of the idea. However, I did not place myself in that position, and perhaps it was well that I did not, as the sequel will show. I mention these facts in order to show that there is Providence that takes care of us all, though we may not know how. Eventually I elected to take my station on the topgallant forecastle.