Destruction to the Confederate fleet.
Here are some of the sights presented to the view of
President Lincoln and
Admiral Porter aboard the flagship
Malvern, as they proceeded up the
James on the morning of April 3, 1865, to enter the fallen city of
Richmond.
To the right of the top photograph rise the stacks of the Confederate ram
Virginia.
Near the middle lie the ruined wheels of the
Jamestown. And in the bottom picture, before
Fort Darling appears the wreck of the
Patrick Henry. All these were vessels of
Commodore Mitchell's command that had so long made every effort to break the bonds forged about them by a more powerful force, afloat and ashore.
The previous night
Lincoln, as
Admiral Porter's guest on the deck of the
Malvern had listened to the sound of the great engagement on shore and had asked if the navy could not do something to make history at the same time.
When told that the navy's part was one merely of watchfulness, the
President responded, “But can't we make a noise?”
Porter at once telegraphed to his fleet-captain to open upon the forts; then the air was rent with the sound of great guns up the river.
Soon, rising even louder, came the sound of four great explosions one after another — the blowing up of
Commodore Mitchell's vessels.
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Coal schooners wrecked to block the James--(below) Drewry's bluffs |
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