University of Virginia Library

96. Passing the Forts on the Mississippi.
By GEORGE HUGHES HEPWORTH (1863)

WE started at four, P.M. ; and anchored just off the Bar, in the "Father of Waters,"some time the next evening. I was glad of this; for it gave mean opportunity to see the plantations on each side of the river, of which I bad heard so much.

Early in the morning, we entered the Southwest Pass, crossed the Bar, and passed the sunken wreck of the fire-boat which the rebels had set adrift, in hopes thereby to fire Farragut's fleet. It ended its

ignoble career as it should; finding a grave in Mississippi mud.

The river presented no objects of interest for many miles ; indeed, not until we reached the Forts St. Philip and Jackson. Jackson is the principal work, situated on the right bank of the river, and almost immediately opposite Fort St. Philip. We saw nothing to remind us of the struggle which gave us New Orleans, except a gunboat or two destroyed during the fight, and driven as high as possible on the bank of the river. Yet, said they who saw the fight, it was a terrible contest. The rebels were fresh, eager for the fray, and reckless in their daring. They believed themselves secure against any attack of the Federals. They had strengthened their fortifications in every possible way, and had mounted guns which have since been proved excellent. A picket-guard had been stationed a couple of miles below to signal the first approach of the enemy. They could begin to fire at our boats when over two miles distant.

Besides all this, they had three immense iron cables stretched across the river, to which was attached a bridge ; so that communication between the two forts was complete. If our fleet should succeed in getting opposite the fort, this impediment would bar its further progress; and, before it could get out of range again, it would be utterly destroyed. Our fleet-commander was aware of the existence of this chain, and destroyed it in a very neat way. The water runs, at this point, about three miles an hour. This tremendous pressure brought a great strain against the iron ; and, when the floating bridge was attached, the current pressed against the immense amount of woodwork, and strained the, cable to its utmost.

Our commander sent one of his fleetest boats a boat with an iron prow, and sharpened—to stem the current at its utmost speed, and strike the cable in the centre of the river, where the pressure was greatest. The experiment was remarkably successful. The boat hit the chain in just the right place, and it parted as if by magic; one half the bridge floating to the east side of the river, and the other half to the west side. I have often, when a boy, bent a young tree, half as thick as my arm, almost to the ground, and then, striking it on the upper side where the strain was greatest, cut it completely through with the quick blow of a hatchet. It was in the same way that the great chain was broken.

The fleet of the Union came up the river slowly,—feeling its way along, fearing some infernal machine,— and nothing was heard on that calm but dark night save the striking of their paddles in the water. The decks were filled with men, who expected to pay a heavy price for the victory and who were willing to give their lives. The pilot, Porter, knew every shoal, every bend, every snag. If anybody could take our fleet by those forts, Porter was the man. I have thought, what an hour of intense excitement that must have been on both sides! The rebels did not believe that our men would attempt such a hopeless task, yet kept on the alert ; and on that night, trained cars were listening to catch the sound of paddle-wheels, and trained eyes were peering through the darkness. Nobody saw the glorious stars and stripes which were floating to the breeze from the mast-head of every gunboat. Nobody saw the stars and bars which were polluting the air above the forts.

Soon, however, the terrific conflict between right and

wrong began. Our leading gunboats could not have been much more than half a mile distant from the fort, when the battle opened by iron hail from the rebel guns. Our boats did not answer for a while, but kept steadily on, hugging the farther shore. When, however, they were directly opposite Fort St. Philip, their voices were heard ; and they poured upon the rebels a rain which they were not prepared for. Still we kept right on ; the object being to get by the forts.

What a picture for the historian to draw! The night was so dark, that the rebels could see to fire, only by the flashes from our guns, or perchance by the grim blackness of our gunboats, seen against the lighter background of the sky. I need not say, that our entire fleet got by the forts; and that that night's work opened for us the mouth of the Mississippi, and gave us New Orleans.