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Signal was at once made to all the fleet to turn again and attack the ram, not only with guns, but with orders to run her down at full speed. The Monongahela was the first that struck her, and though she may have injured her badly, yet she did not succeed in disabling her. The Lackawanna also struck her, but ineffectually. The flag-ship gave her a severe shock with her bow, and as she passed poured her whole port broadside into her of solid nine-inch shot and thirteen pounds of powder, at a distance of not more than twelve feet. The iron-clads were closing upon her, and the Hartford and the rest of the fleet were bearing down upon her, when, at ten A. M., she surrendered. The rest of the rebel fleet — namely, the Morgan and Gaines — succeeded in getting back under the protection of Fort Morgan.

This terminated the action of the day.

Admiral Buchanan sent me his sword, being himself badly wounded with a compound fracture of the leg, which it is supposed will have to be amputated.

Having had many of my own men wounded, and the surgeon of the Tennessee being very desirous to have Admiral Buchanan removed to the hospital, I sent a flag of truce to the commanding officer of Fort Morgan, Brigadier-General Richard L. Page, to say that if he would allow the wounded of the fleet, as well as their own, to be taken to Pensacola, where they can be better cared for than here, I would send out one of our vessels, provided she would be permitted to return, bringing back nothing she did not take out.

General Page consented, and the Metacomet was despatched.

The list of casualties on our part, as far as ascertained, is as follows:

Flag-ship Hartford--Nineteen killed, twenty-three wounded.

Brooklyn--Nine killed, twenty-two wounded.

Lackawanna--Four killed, two wounded.

Oneida--Seven killed, twenty-three wounded.

Monongahela--Six wounded.

Metacomet--One killed, two wounded.

Ossipee--One killed, seven wounded.

Galena--One wounded.

Richmond--Two wounded.

In all, forty-one killed and eighty-eight wounded.

On the rebel ram Tennessee were captured twenty officers and about one hundred and seventy men. The following is a list of the officers: Admiral F. Buchanan; Commander Joseph D. Johnson; Lieutenants Wm. D. Bradford, A. P. Wharton, E. J. McDennert; Masters J. R. De Moley, H. W. Perron; Fleet-Surgeon R. C. Bowles; Engineers G. D. Leneng, J. O'Connell, John Hays, O. Benson, W. B. Patterson; Paymaster's Clerk, J. H. Conen; Master's Mates W. A. Forrest, Beebe, and R. M. Carter; Boatswain, John McCudie; Gunner, H. S. Smith.

On the Selma were taken ninety officers and men. Of the officers I have only heard the names of two, namely, Commander Peter U. Murphy, and Lieutenant J. H. Comstock. The latter was killed.

I will send a detailed despatch by the first opportunity.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

D. G. Farragut, Admiral Commanding W. G. B. Squadron. To Hon. Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy.

List of killed and wounded on board U. S. S. Hartford in the action with the rebel Fort Morgan and fleet, August fifth, 1864:

Killed — David Morrow, quarter-gunner; Wm. Osgood, ordinary seaman; Thos. Baine, ordinary seaman; Benjamin Harper, seaman; Wm. Clark, boy; Charles Schaffer, seaman; Frank Still well, nurse; George Walker, landsman; John C. Scott, ordinary seaman; Thomas Wilde, ordinary seaman; Wm. Smith, boy; Wm. Andrews, captain after-guard; Frederick Munsell, captain after-guard; Lewis McLane, landsman; Peter Duncan, landsman;----Smith, fireman; Thomas Baines, fireman; Thomas Stanton, fireman;----Cannel, fireman. Total, nineteen.

Wounded--Lieutenant Adams, slightly; Acting Third Assistant-Engineer McEwan, amputation arm; Acting Master's Mate R. P. Herrick, slightly; Acting Ensign W. H. Heginbotham, severely, (since dead;) Wilder Venner, landsman, leg; Adolphus Pulle, seaman, severe flesh wounds, legs; Hiram Elder, seaman, right leg; R. Dumphery, coal-heaver, both arms; Wm. Thompson, ordinary seaman, one leg; E. Johnson, boy, contusion, side; Walter Lloyd, boy, leg; M. Forbes, captain mizzen-top, contusion, side; Wm. Stanley, seaman, contusion and on leg; C. Stevenson, boy, contusion; F. Campbell, seaman, contusion; Wm. Doyle, boy, contusion, side; Auguste Simmons, landsman; Peter Pitts, boy; Michael Fayal, landsman; David Ortin; Wm. Trask, left leg; Charles Dennis, both arms; Thomas O'Connell, right hand off. Total, twenty-three.


Congratulatory letter to rear-admiral Farragut.

Navy Department, Washington, August 15, 1864.
sir: Your despatch of the fifth instant, stating that you had, on the morning of that day, entered Mobile Bay, passing between Forts Morgan and Gaines, and encountering and overcoming the rebel fleet, I had the satisfaction to receive this day. Some preliminary account of your operations had previously reached us through rebel channels.

Again it is my pleasure and my duty to congratulate you and your brave associates on an achievement unequalled in our service by any other commander, and only surpassed by that unparalleled naval triumph of the squadron under your command in the spring of 1862, when, proceeding up the Mississippi, you passed Forts Jackson and St. Philip, and, overcoming all obstructions, captured New-Orleans, and restored unobstructed navigation to the commercial emporium of the great central valley of the Union.

The Bay of Mobile was not only fortified and guarded by forts and batteries on shore, and by


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