Today in History:

510 Series I Volume VI- Serial 6 - Fort Pulaski - New Orleans

Page 510 OPERATIONS IN W. FLA.,S. ALA.,S. MISS.,AND LA. Chapter XVI.

squarely against it; another, and the 13-inch mortar, had been dismounted. In other respects not much harm was done either to the armament or Fort Saint Philip.

The armament of Fort Jackson consisted of 45 heavy guns en barbette, 20 in casemate, 2 pieces of light artillery, and 6 mortars; in all, 73 cannon, and 509 stand of small-arms, with equipments.

Fort Jackson had been very much injured by the bombardment. Of the some 7,000 13-inch shells which had been thrown at it, besides other large shots from our gunboats, many had either struck within it or burst over it. It was in a great state of disorder, the brick barracks inside being destroyed by fire, the parapets and terre-plein much pitted and torn by the shells, and the work partly flooded with water. The country generally is so flooded that a ferry-boat is necessary to reach the counterscarp of the works. Of the artillery en barbette several pieces had been dismounted. Three instances are reported where casemate arches had been broken through.

Some of the defenders of the forts whom I particularly noticed had been members of the garrison during a period of fourteen months, the forts having been seized by the conspirators as early as the 21st February, 1861; they seemed to be generally foreigners, heartily tired and disgusted with the thralldom under which they have so long labored, and well satisfied with their recovered liberty. The only question is whether they can maintain it now that it has been restored to them.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. W. PHELPS,

Brigadier-General, First Brigade, Department of the Gulf.

Major GEORGE C. STRONG,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Department of the Gulf.


Numbers 3. Reports of Major General Mansfield Lovell, C. S. Army.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT Numbers 1, Camp Moore, La., April 26, 1862.

SIR: The bombardment of Fort Jackson, which commenced Friday, the 18th instant, was continued day and night until about 3 a. m. on the 24th, when the whole of the enemy's fleet came up abreast the forts, and while a portion of them engaged our batteries and vessels the remainder passed under the fire, our men being greatly worn and exhausted with an incessant fight of six days. General Duncan and Colonel Higgins were in command of the troops.

I had just arrived in a river steamer and was about to disembark as the engagement commenced. When the enemy's fleet passed I was satisfied that New Orleans could not be held for more than twenty-four hours; I therefore started at once for the city, in order to remove as many of the troops and as large a quantity of stores as possible. I was well aware that my batteries of 32-pounders at the lower levees, manned by inexperienced troops, could not detain for any length of time the heavy ships of war of the enemy armed with 9 and 11 inch guns.

I will state that when the current and drift had carried away the obstructions in the river I became convinced that a portion at least of their fleet would pass whenever the attempt was made, and had already


Page 510 OPERATIONS IN W. FLA.,S. ALA.,S. MISS.,AND LA. Chapter XVI.