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

[579] crew, within six hundred yards of the fort. I would respectfully recommend his advancement.

The commanding officers of all the vessels who took part in the action deserve my warmest commendations, not only for the untiring zeal with which they had prepared their ships for the contest, but for their skill and daring in carrying out my orders during the engagement.

With the exception of the momentary arrest of the fleet, when the Hartford passed ahead, and to which I have already adverted, the order of battle was preserved, and the ships followed each other in close order past the batteries of Fort Morgan, and in comparative safety too, with the exception of the Oneida. Her boilers were penetrated by a shot from the fort which completely disabled her, but her consort, the Galena, firmly fastened to her side, brought her safely through, showing clearly the wisdom of the precaution of carrying the vessels in two abreast. Commander Mullany, who had solicited eagerly to take part in the action, was severely wounded, losing his left arm.

In the encounter with the ram the commanding officers obeyed with alacrity the order to run her down, and without hesitation exposed their ships to destruction to destroy the enemy.

Our iron-clads, from their slow speed and bad steering, had some difficulty in getting into and maintaining their position in line as we passed the fort, and, in the subsequent encounter with the Tennessee, from the same causes, were not as effective as could have been desired; but I cannot give too much praise to Lieutenant-Commander Perkins, who, though he had orders from the Department to return North, volunteered to take command of the Chickasaw, and did his duty nobly.

The Winnebago was commanded by Commander T. H. Stevens, who volunteered for that position. His vessel steers very badly, and neither of his turrets will work, which compelled him to turn his vessel every time to get a shot, so that he could not fire very often, but he did the best under the circumstances.

The Manhattan appeared to work well,though she moved slowly. Commander Nicholson delivered his fire deliberately and, as before stated, with one of his 15-inch shot broke through the armor of the Tennessee, with its wooden backing, though the shot itself did not enter the vessel. No other shot broke through the armor, though many of her plates were started, and several of her port shutters jammed by the fire from the different ships.

The Hartford (my flag-ship) was commanded by Captain Percival Drayton, who exhibited throughout that coolness and ability for which he has been long known to his brother officers. But I must speak of that officer in a double capacity. He is the fleet-captain of my squadron, and one of more determined energy, untiring devotion to duty and zeal for the service, tempered by great calmness, I do not think adorns any Navy. I desire to call your attention to this officer, though well aware that in thus speaking of his high qualities I am only communicating officially to the Department that which it knew full well before.

To him, and to my staff, in their respective positions, I am indebted for the detail of my fleet.

Lieutenant J. Crittenden Watson, my flag-lieutenant, has been brought to your notice in former dispatches. During the action he was on the poop, attending to the signals, and performed his duties, as might be expected, thoroughly. He is a scion worthy the noble stock he sprang from, and I commend him to your attention.

My secretary, Mr. McKinley, and Acting-Ensign, H. H. Brownell, were also on the poop, the latter taking notes of the action, a duty which he performed with coolness and accuracy.

Two other acting-ensigns of my staff, Mr. Bogart and Mr. Higinbotham, were on duty in the powder division, and, as the reports will show, exhibited zeal and ability. The latter, I regret to add, was severely wounded by a raking shot from the Tennessee when we collided with that vessel. and died a few hours after. Mr. Higinbotham was a young married man, and has left a widow and one child, whom I commend to the kindness of the Department.

Lieutenant A. R. Yates, of the Augusta, acted as an additional aid to me on board the Hartford, and was was very efficient in the transmission of orders. I have given him the command temporarily of the captured steamer Selma.

The last of my staff, and to whom I would call the attention of the Department, is not the least in importance. I mean Pilot Martin Freeman. He has been my great reliance in all difficulties in his line of duty. During the action he was in the main-top piloting the ships into the bay. He was cool and brave throughout, never losing his self-possession. This man was captured early in the war in a fishing-smack which he owned, and though he protested that he had no interest in the war, and only asked for the privilege of fishing for the fleet, yet his services were too valuable to the captors as a pilot not to be secured. He was appointed a first-class pilot, and has served us with zeal and fidelity, and has lost his vessel, which went to pieces on Ship Island. I commend him to the Department.

It gives me pleasure to refer to several officers who volunteered to take any situation where they might be useful, some of whom were on their way North, either by orders of the Department or condemned by medical survey. The reports of the different commanders will show how they conducted themselves.

I have already mentioned Lieutenant-Commander Perkins, of the Chickasaw, and Lieutenant Yates, of the Augusta, Acting-Volunteer-Lieutenant William Hamilton, late commanding officer of the Augusta Dinsmore, had been invalided by medical survey, but he eagerly offered his services on board the iron-clad Chickasaw, having had much experience in our Monitors. Acting-Volunteer-Lieutenant P. Giraud, another experienced officer in iron-clads, asked to go in on one of these vessels, but as they were all well supplied with officers, I permitted him to go in on the Ossipee, under Commander Le Roy. After the action he was given temporary charge of the ram Tennessee.

Before closing this report, there is one other officer of my squadron of whom I feel bound to speak, Captain T. A. Jenkins, of the Richmond, who was formerly my chief-of-staff, not because of his having held that position, but because he never forgets to do his duty to the Government, and takes now the same interest in the fleet as when he stood in that relation to me. He is also the commanding officer of the second division of my squadron, and, as such, has shown ability and the most untiring zeal. He carries out the spirit of one of Lord Collingwood's best sayings, “ Not to be afraid of doing too much; those who are, seldom do as much as they ought.” When in Pensacola, he spent days on the bar, placing the buoys in the best position, was always looking after the interests of the service, and keeping the vessels from being detained one moment longer in port than was necessary. The gallant Craven told me only the night before the action in which he lost his life: “I regret, Admiral, that I have detained you; but had it not been for Captain Jenkins, God knows when I should have been here! When your order came I had not received an ounce of coal.” I feel I should not be doing my duty did I not call — the attention of the department to an officer who has performed all his various duties with so much zeal and fidelity.

Very respectfully, etc.,

D. G. Farragut.