Admiral David D. Porter, The Naval History of the Civil War.

[218] view. The place I selected for the mortar vessels was under the lee of a thick wood closely interwoven with vines, and presenting in the direction of Forts Jackson and St. Philip an impenetrable mass for three hundred yards, through which shot could scarcely pass. From our mast-heads the forts could be plainly seen, though observers there could not see us in return. The head vessel of the first division, Lieutenant-Commander Watson Smith, was placed at this point, 2,850 yards from Fort Jackson, 3,680 from St. Philip; the vessels were then dropped in a line close to each other, their positions having been marked by the Coast Survey party, and Messrs. Oltmanns and Harris superintending personally that each one was acquainted with proper distance. Next to Lieutenant-Commander Smith's division of seven vessels (Norfolk Packet, Lieutenant-Commander Watson Smith; Oliver H. Lee, Acting-Master Washington Godfrey; Para, Acting-Master Edward G. Furber; C. P. Williams, Acting-Master Amos R. Langthorne; Arletta, Acting-Master Thomas E. Smith; William Bacon, Acting-Master William P. Rogers; Sophronia, Acting-Master Lyman Bartholomew) was placed the six vessels of the third divison, under Lieutenant-Commander K. R. Breese (John Griffith, Acting-Master Henry Brown; Sarah Bruen, Acting-Master Abraham Christian; Racer, Acting-Master Alvin Phinney; Sea Foam, Acting-Master Henry E. Williams; Henry James, Acting-Master Lewis W. Pennington; Dan Smith, Acting-Master George W. Brown), and one vessel, the Orvetta, Acting-Master Blanchard, all lying in line close together.

All the vessels mentioned were anchored and secured to spring their broadsides, as occasion might require. In the meantime, Lieutenant-Commander John Guest was sent ahead in the Owasco to clear the bushes of riflemen which had been found to lurk there, and cover the vessels from the fire of the forts, when it should open; the Westfield, Clifton, and Miami being engaged in towing the vessels to their posts.

I placed six vessels of the second division, under command of Lieutenant W. W. Queen, on the northeast shore of the river, the headmost one 3,680 yards from Fort Jackson, to which the division was directed to turn its attention. The following vessels composed this division:

T. A. Ward, W. W. Queen, commanding second division.

M. J. Carlton, Charles E. Jack, acting-master.

Matthew Vasser, Hugh H. Savage, acting-master.

George Mangham, John Collins, acting-master.

Orvetta, Francis E. Blanchard, acting-master.

Sydney C. Jones, J. D. Graham, acting-master.

When the divisions were all placed, signal was made to “commence action,” and they opened in order, each one firing every ten minutes. The moment the mortars opened, Forts Jackson and St. Philip responded with all their guns that could bear, but for some time did not appear to get the right range; the hulls of the vessels on the northeast shore, being covered with reeds and willows, deceived them somewhat, though their shot and shell went over. The fire of the enemy was rapid, and, as the shell and shot began to grow rather hot, I sent to the flag-officer, asking that some of the gun-boats should be sent to draw their fire. For one hour and fifty minutes Lieutenant-Commander Guest had, at the head of the mortar fleet, borne the fire of the forts uninjured, and only left there to get a supply of ammunition. After I went on board his vessel and ordered him to retire, the mortar vessels having been re-enforced by the gunboats sent up by the flag-officer, by midday the fire on the vessels on the northeast shore (Lieutenant-Commander Queen's division) became so rapid, and the shot and shell fell so close, that I went on board to remove them. One large 120-pound shell had passed through the cabin and damaged the magazine of Lieutenant-Commander Queen's vessel, the T. A. Ward, coming out near the waterline, her rigging was cut, and shot flying over her fast. The George Mangham, Acting-Master John Collins, had received a 10-inch shot near her waterline, so I moved them both (contrary to the wishes of the officers) two hundred yards further astern, throwing the enemy out of his range, which he did not discover for two or three hours. At five o'clock in the evening the fort was discovered to be in flames, and the firing from the enemy ceased. We afterwards learned that the citadel had been fired by our bombshells, and all the clothing of the troops and commissary stores had been burnt up, while great distress was experienced by the enemy, owing to the heat and danger to the magazine. Had I known the extent of the fire, I should have proceeded all night with the bombardment; but the crew had had nothing to eat or drink since daylight. I knew not how much the mortar beds and vessels might have suffered. Night firing was uncertain, as the wind had set in fresh, and not knowing how long a bombardment I might have to go through with, I deemed it best to be prudent. A little after sunset I ordered the firing to cease, and made the only mistake that occurred during the bombardment. The fire in the fort blazed up again at night, but I thought it one of the fire-rafts they lighted up every night at the fort.

The first and third divisions, under Lieutenants-Commanding Smith and Breese, acquitted themselves manfully that day, and though the shot and shell fell thick about them, behaved like veterans. We fired on this day over 1,400 shells, many of which were lost in the air, owing to bad fuses. No accident of any kind occurred from careless firing, and after a careful examination the vessels and mortarbeds were found to be uninjured. On that night, at two o'clock, I ordered Lieutenant-Commander Queen to drop out of the line of fire, and I placed him on the south shore in a safer and closer position, though not one where he could work to such good advantage, the fort being plainly visible from his late position, and the effect of the shells could be more plainly noted. On the south shore, the pointing of the mortars could only be done from sights fixed to the mastheads, and many curious expedients were resorted to to obtain correct firing, expedients very creditable to the intelligence of the commanders of the vessels. We heard afterwards that our first day's firing had been more accurate than that of any other day, though it was all good.

On the morning of the 19th, we opened fire on the enemy again, when he tried his best to dislodge us from behind our forest protection, without effect; our fire was kept up as rapidly as the men could carefully and properly load, the enemy returning it with what heavy guns he could bring to bear on us, most of his shot going over us amongst the shipping and gun-boats, which were on guard and employed drawing the fire away from us. About nine o'clock on the second morning the schooner “Maria J. Carleton,” Charles Jack, master, was sunk by a rifle-shell passing down through her deck, magazine, and bottom. I happened to be alongside at the time and had nearly all her stores saved, also the arms. As she went down, the mortar was fired at the enemy for the last time, and that was the last of the Carleton We hauled her on to the bank when we found that she was sinking, and were thus enabled to save many of her stores; but she finally slipped off the bank into deeper water, and nothing was left visible but her upper rail. Two men were wounded in the Carleton. Acting-Master Charles Jack came out in this vessel from New York; he lost his mainmast in a gale off Cape Hatteras. but persevered until he arrived at Key West. and sailed with the flotilla to Ship Island