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GEN. BUTLER ON A SECRET EXPEDITION.

enemy by feints in different directions, advanced" directly on Goldsboro'; but did not reach that point, because of a concentration in his front of more than double his force, under Maj.-Gen. G. W. Smith," with regiments drawn from Petersburg on the one hand, and Wilmington on the other; but the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad bridge over the Neuse was fired by Lt. Geo. W. Graham, 23d New York battery, after several who attempted the daring feat had been picked off by the Rebel sharp

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shooters. The bridge being de-
stroyed, Gen. Foster commenced a
rapid retreat on Newbern, which he
effected without difficulty. His total
loss in this expedition was 90 killed,
(including Col. Gray, 96th New
York, while charging at the head of
his regiment at Kinston bridge), 478
wounded, and 9 missing. Smith's
official report admits a Rebel loss of
71 killed, 268 wounded, and about
400 missing. Gen. Foster paroled
496 prisoners. Thus closed the year
1862 in North Carolina.

V.

NEW ORLEANS AND THE GULF.

with his headquarters at Boston. When his 6,000 men had been fully raised, and part of them dispatched, under Gen. J. W. Phelps, to Ship Island, he was stopped for a season by the lowering aspects of our relations with England, consequent on the seizure of Mason and Slidell; whose ultimate surrender he profoundly deprecated, believing that a war waged against us by Great Britain would double our effective mili

GEN. BENJAMIN F. BUTLER, having, after the capture' of Fort Hatteras, returned to the North to find himself an officer without soldiers or employment, sought and obtained permission from the War Department to raise, in the New England States, six regiments of volunteers for special and confidential service. This undertaking involved fitful collisions with the general efforts then being made by the authorities of all the States to raise troops for service un-tary strength, while paralyzing that der Gen. McClellan; and Gen. B. was peculiarly unfortunate in thus colliding with Gov. Andrew, of Massachusetts, from which State he naturally expected the larger number of his troops. But his indefatigable energy and activity at length triumphed over all impediments; he having meantime been appointed, in facilitation of his enterprise, commander of a new military department composed of the six New England States,

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of the Rebellion, by the spectacle of hostilities waged against us in our extremity by that nation, which very many, alike in the North and in the South, regarded as our hereditary foe. The substitution of Mr. Edwin M. Stanton for Gen. Simon Cameron, as head of the War Department, caused some further delay, during which an order was once issued to send Gen. Butler's troops from Fortress Monroe to Port Royal; but it was, on his reAug. 29, 1861. See Vol. I., pp. 599-600. Jan. 13, 1862.

monstrance, annulled before it had employed to arouse and embitter hos

been acted on.

Ship Island is one of quite a number of inconsiderable sand-bars which barely rise above the level of the Gulf between the mouths of the Mississippi and the Bay of Mobile. It is accounted 7 miles long by three-fourths of a mile in width, though its size, as well as its shape, is usually altered by each violent inland-driving storm. It has a good harbor at its western end, with groves of pine and stunted oak at the far east; while fresh water is obtained in plenty by sinking a barrel in the sand. Oysters and fish abound in the encircling waters; while the climate in Winter is soft, sunny, and tropical. New Orleans bears 65 miles W. S. W.; the mouth of Mobile Bay 50 miles E. N. E.; the mouths of the Mississippi from 90 to 110 S. S. W.; while Biloxi, on the Mississippi coast, is but 10 miles due north. Here Gen. Phelps and his brigade, having landed early in December, spent the Winter in very necessary drilling; the General having signalized his advent by issuing an elaborate proclamation to the loyal citizens of the Southwest, declaring Slavery incompatible with free institutions and free labor, and its overthrow the end and aim of our Government-a declaration most unlikely to increase the number of White loyal citizens at that time and in that quarter, while pretty certain to be carefully kept from the knowledge of most others. Its first result was a feeling of amazement and dissatisfaction among a part of Gen. Phelps's subordinates; while a single copy, taken to the Mississippi shore, and dispensed to the first comer, was there eagerly diffused and

'Dec. 4, 1861.

tility to the Union.

Mobile had been generally guessed the object of Gen. Butler's mysterious expedition, whose destination was not absolutely fixed even in the councils of its authors. An effort to rëannex Texas had been considered, if not actually contemplated. It was finally decided, in a conference between Secretary Stanton and Gen. Butler, that a resolute attempt should be made on New Orleans; and though Gen. McClellan, when requested to give his opinion of the feasibility of the enterprise, reported that it could not be prudently undertaken with a less force than 50,000 men, while all that could be spared to Gen. Butler was 15,000, President Lincoln, after hearing all sides, gave judgment for the prosecution. A fortnight later, Gen. Butler went home to superintend the embarkation of the residue of his New England troops, 8,500 in number, 2,200 being already on ship-board, beside 2,000, under Phelps, at the Island. Three excellent Western regiments were finally spared him from Baltimore by Gen. McClellan, swelling his force on paper to 14,400 infantry, 580 artillery, 275 cavalry; total, 15,255 men, to which it was calculated that Key West might temporarily add two regiments, and Fort Pickens another, raising the aggregate to nearly 18,000. It in fact amounted, when collected at Ship Island, to 13,700.

Gen. Butler set out from Hampton Roads,' in the steamship Mississippi, with his staff, his wife, and 1,400 men. The next night, the ship barely escaped wreck on a shoal off Hatteras Inlet; and the next day was

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BUTLER'S VOYAGE TO SHIP ISLAND.

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run hard upon the rocks five miles she moved forward a few feet and from land, off Cape Fear, while going was fairly afloat; slowly following

the piloting Mount Vernon-the lead for a whole hour showing but six inches of water under her keel.· At midnight, both came to anchor in

at full speed. Her Captain, bewildered, gave the order to let go the bow anchor, when she instantly drove upon its fluke, piercing her forward compartments and letting in a deluge | the Cape Fear, and were next mornof water. An hour later, she was ing, which was calm, on their way hard and fast upon Frying Pan to Port Royal, where the Mississippi Shoals, one compartment filled to the was unladen and repaired; but was water-line, and her forward berths run aground again while moving afloat, her Captain manifestly incom- down to the mouth of the harbor. petent, and now nearly distracted. The Captain was now deposed, ActThe coast in sight was strongly held ing-Master Sturgis, of the Mount by the enemy, whose horse patrol Vernon, appointed to his place; the could be descried from the ship; troops once more debarked, and the and any Confederate cruiser, darting ship pulled into deep water by the out from Cape Fear river, would help of all the tugs in port. She have found the steamship and all on again put to sea March 13th, having board an easy prey. An ordinary been eleven days in the port; and squall would very soon have broken seven more brought her safely in up the vessel and strewed her wreck sight of Ship Island; where so heavy along the sands. a gale was blowing that landing Toward noon, a steamer hove in troops was for two days impossible. sight, which, cautiously approaching, It was the 25th of March when-30 proved to be the U. S. gunboat days from Hampton Roads-they Mount Vernon, of the squadron were debarked on that desolate sandblockading Wilmington. Her com- bank; where Gen. Butler was soon mander, O. S. Glisson, came on deep in consultation with Captains board, and placed his vessel at the Farragut and Bailey, of the Navy, service of Gen. Butler. A hawser as well as with his military associates. from the Mount Vernon was attached Of these, Lt. Godfrey Weitzel, who to the Mississippi, and many fruitless had for two years been stationed at attempts made to drag her off. Three Fort St. Philip, and who had travhundred of the soldiers were trans- ersed all the adjacent country, ferred to the Mount Vernon; shells duck-shooting, was able to give the were thrown overboard; and every fullest and most valuable informadevice known to nautical experience tion. Gen. Butler made him his tried to move the imperiled ship-chief engineer.

all in vain. As the sun went down, It was decided that the first attack the wind rose, and the waves swelled, till the huge ship began to roll and beat upon the rocks, the danger of wreck constantly increasing. At length, just after 7 P. M., and when the tide was within an hour of flood,

on the forts defending the passage of the Mississippi below New Orleans should be made by the fleet; Capt. Porter, with his 21 bomb-schooners, anchoring below them and bombarding them till they should be reduced,

or his ammunition nearly exhausted. | Williams, and Col. Shepley; 100 carCapt. Farragut, with his larger and penters detailed to make scaling-ladstronger vessels, would remain just ders; 100 boatmen to manage the 30 out of fire as a reserve, awaiting the boats which were to make their way issue of the bombardment. That through the reedy creeks and marshes failing, he should attempt with his to the rear of Fort St. Philip. On steamers to run by the forts. If he the sixth day, 7 regiments and 2 batsucceeded in this, he would try to teries were embarked, awaiting the clear the river of the enemy's fleet, word to move from Capt. Farragut; isolate the forts, and push on so far but high winds and low tides obas circumstances should dictate. Gen. structed the movements of the fleet; Butler, so soon as Capt. Farragut several of the larger vessels being had passed, was to land his troops many days in getting over the bar; so from their transports in the rear of that Gen. Butler was obliged to disemFort St. Philip, and attempt to carry bark his troops and wear out another it by assault; while the enemy, sup- fortnight as patiently as he might. posing the swamps in that quarter impassable, should be entirely absorbed in his contest with the fleet. The forts being thus reduced, the whole expedition would advance upon the city, in such manner as should then seem expedient. Gen. Butler engaged to have 6,000 men embarked on transports and ready for service in seven days; Capt. Farragut sailing at once for the mouths of the river, to prepare his fleet for action.

The troops were formed into three brigades. under Gens. Phelps and The New Orleans journals, frequently brought over from Biloxi, bristled with such awe-inspiring paragraphs as the following:

"The Mississippi is fortified so as to be impassable for any hostile fleet or flotilla. Forts Jackson and St. Philip are armed with 170 heavy guns (63-pounders, rifled by Barkley Britton, and received from England). The navigation of the river is stopped by a dam about a quarter of a mile from the above forts. No flotilla on earth could force that dam in less than two hours; during which it would be within short and cross range of 170 guns of the heaviest caliber, many of which would be served with red-hot shot, numerous furnaces for which have been erected in every fort and bat

terv.

"In a day or two, we shall have ready two iron-cased floating batteries. The plates are 4 inches thick, of the best hammered iron, received from England and France. Each iron-cased battery will mount twenty 68-pounders, placed so as to skim the water, and strike the enemy's

Meantime, the Rebels alongshore, who had by this time become satisfied that New Orleans was aimed at, resorted to the expedients which had proved effective with most of our commanders up to that time, and which stood them in good stead with several for many months afterward. Having been compelled nearly to deplete the Gulf region of soldiers in order to make head against Grant and Buell on the Tennessee, they supplied their places with imaginary regiments and batteries' in generous hull between wind and water. We have an abundant supply of incendiary shells, cupola furnaces for molten iron, congreve rockets, and fire-ships.

"Between New Orleans and the forts, there is a constant succession of earthworks. At the Plain of Chalmette, near Janin's property, there are redoubts, armed with rifled cannon which have been found to be effective at five miles' rango. A ditch 30 feet wide and 20 deep extends from the Mississippi to La Ciprione. In Forts St. Philip and Jackson, there are 3,000 men; of whom a goodly portion are experienced artillery-men and gunners who have served in the navy.

"At New Orleans itself, we have 32,000 infantry, and as many more quartered in the immediate neighborhood. In discipline and drill, they are far superior to the Yankees. We have two very able and active Generals, who possess our entire confidence-Gen. Mansfield Lovell and Brig.-Gen. Ruggles. For Commodore, we have old Hollins-a Nelson in his way."-N. O. Picayune, April 5, 1862.

THE DEFENSES OF NEW ORLEANS.

profusion; but these were not the forces required to paralyze such commanders as Butler and Farragut. At length, the joyful tidings reached the former from the latter that his fleet was all over the bar, reloaded, and ready for action; and that he hoped to move up the river next day. Two days later, Gen. Butler, with his 8,000 troops, was at the mouth of the river.

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to meet pressing exigencies on the Potomac and higher Mississippi, or the Tennessee; so that but about 3,000 of these, neither well armed, well drilled, nor particularly well affected to the cause, remained to dispute the advance of the Yankee invaders.

to die; and Gen. Mansfield Lovell, who had abandoned a lucrative office under the Democratic municipality of New York to take service with the Confederates, was appointed his

successor.

Gen. David E. Twiggs had been rewarded for his stupendous treachery to the Union in Texas, by the New Orleans, situated on the left command of the Confederate defenses bank of the Mississippi, 100 miles of New Orleans, until stern expeabove its mouths, with the large rience proved him as incapable, sasheet of water known as Lake Pont-perannuated, and inefficient, as even chartrain closely approaching it on our own Scott. At length, on a plea the north, and the smaller Lake of declining health, he was sent home Borgne some 20 miles distant on the east, was by far the largest and most important city of the Confederacy, with a population of 170,000, and the greatest export trade, just prior to the war, of any city in the world. Unable to perceive the wisdom of expatriating those magnificent feeders of its commerce, the Missouri, the Ohio, and the upper Mississippi, a majority of its people had opposed Secession, until the carefully nursed tempest of pro-Slavery folly, fury, fanaticism, and ruffianism, stifled all outspoken dissent, about the time the war was formally opened by the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter. Thenceforward, New Orleans became the virtual heart of the Confederacy; and its immense wealth of coin and produce was lavished in all directions in support of the military operations directed from Richmond. Regiment after regiment of Louisianians and foreign residents were raised and equipped here; but most of them had, when the hour of peril came, been drafted off, from time to time, April 15, 1862.

On assuming command,' Lovell found the defenses of the great slavemart more pretentious than formidable. The variety of water approaches by Lakes Pontchartrain and Borgne, and the Bayous Barataria and La Fourche, all needed defenses against an enemy of preponderant naval force; while even the Mississippi required fortifying and watching above as well as below, to render the city entirely safe. Artillery by parks was indispensable; and a good many guns had been supplied from the plunder of the Norfolk Navy Yard, and elsewhere; but most of them were old, of moderate caliber, unrifled, and every way unsuited to the requirements of modern warfare. He telegraphed to Richmond, to Mobile, and other points, for heavier and better cannon; but obtained very

7 Oct. 18, 1861.

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