Today in History:

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

Page 647 Chapter XVI. CAPTURE OF NEW ORLEANS.

leave her two 7-inch rifles, now at Fort Jackson, She has one on board, besides other heavy guns; all she can use in the upper river to advantage. We have not now as many of heavy caliber as at Mobile.*

M. LOVELL.

[Document Numbers 14.]


HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT Numbers 1,
New Orleans, La., march 21, 1862.

General SAMUEL JONES,

Mobile, Ala.:

DEAR GENERAL: Learning that most of the guns at Pensacola were to be removed, I wrote to bragg, and learned that he had requested some to be sent here. Major Duncan then went after them, and only succeeded in getting one 10-inch columbiad. There is not another one in this whole department to defend this the most important city on the great water communication from the Gulf to the Ohio River. The enemy is collecting his ships at the mouth of the River to combine his attack with the great effort from above, yet all the heavy guns are kept at places of minor importance. I shall send Major Duncan over again, and beg that you will give him every 10-inch columbiad and 10-inch seacoast mortar that you can possibly spare. Time is passing rapidly. More than a dozen ships of war are at the mouth of the river, of which seven are inside the bar. if you can spare a dozen 10 inch columbiads, do let us have them. Beauregard telegraphed me that the heavy guns would be sent here. Duncan only got two, one of which he says you took from him. Give us a share. What is Mobile worth with the Mississippi in the hands of the enemy?

Yours, very truly,

M. LOVELL,

Major-General, C. S. Army.

[Document Numbers 15.]


HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT Numbers 1,
New Orleans, La., March 7, 1862.

General G. T. BEAUREGARD,

Jackson, tenn.:

DEAR GENERAL: I received your notes of February 24 and March 3. Have ordered the additional flags you wish. I have pushed forward to your support every available man. Seven companies of the Crescent Regiment left here yesterday; the remained will leave on Saturday wit the Washington Artillery. I shall also send you the Twentieth regiment and the Orleans Artillery, with a battalion from that corps; Gibson's and Vaiden artillery has already been sent. You will have in all from me ten infantry regiments and four batteries of artillery. Full 40 rounds of ammunition (in some instances 100) have been furnished to every description of troops sent on. I shall have to hold up now and look out a little for New Orleans. I asked Bragg for some 10-inch guns, but he had none to spare. New Orleans has inferior caliber to Mobile, Pensacola, and even Galveston. People send here for everything, and I have literally stripped the department, but never get anything in return that I ask for. I wrote and urged General Polk to send me the anchors and chains from Columbus to obstruct the river at the forts below the city, but the never would send them, and finally

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* See answer of same date, in "Correspondence, etc. - Confederate," p. 873.

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Page 647 Chapter XVI. CAPTURE OF NEW ORLEANS.