Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 10.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[674] brought up the Harriet Lane and three other gunboats opposite the fort, with white flags at the fore, white flags being displayed from the yards of the flag-masts at both forts, while the Confederate flags waved at the mast-heads. While negotiations were pending on the Harriet Lane, it was reported that the steamer Louisiana, with her guns protruding, and on fire, was drifting down the river towards the fleet. As the wreck, in descending, kept close into the Fort St. Philip shore, the chances were taken by the enemy without changing the position of his boats.

The guns of the Louisiana were discharged at random as she floated down, and the boat finally blew up near Fort St. Philip, scattering its fragments everywhere within and around the fort, killing one of our men and wounding three or four others.

Captain McIntosh, C. S. N., who had been severely wounded in the discharge of his duty on the night of the enemy's passage, and who was then lying in a tent at that fort, was nearly killed also. As far as I could learn, however, the Louisiana was fired prior to the time that the enemy's boats, with white flags, came to an anchor abreast of the forts to negotiate. She was fired in her first and original position, without any change of any kind since her arrival at the forts.

The terms of capitulation are attached hereto as Document W, in addition to which Commander Porter verbally agreed not to haul down the Confederate flag or hoist the Federal, until the officers should get away from the forts.

The officers of Fort Jackson and the St. Mary's cannoniers left about four o'clock P. M., for the city, on board of the United States gunboat Kennebeck, and arrived on the morning of the twenty-ninth in New Orleans. The officers of Fort St. Philip were sent up the next day, and all the men subsequently, within a few days, as transportation could be furnished, excepting the men who revolted on the night of the twenty-seventh, many of whom enlisted with the enemy. Upon my arrival in the city I found the enemy's vessels were lying off the town, and that no flag, excepting that of the State of Louisiana, on the City Hall, was visible upon the shore. I also learned that Flag-officer Farragut had directed it to be hauled down and the United States flag hoisted in its stead, upon the penalty of shelling the city within forty-eight hours if the demand was not complied with, and that he had warned the city authorities to remove the women and children within the time specified.

I therefore deemed it my duty to call at once upon the Mayor at the City Hall, and inform him of the fate of the forts below, which I did accordingly. Learning there, from one of his aids, that the Major-General commanding the department was still in the city, I called upon him in person, and verbally reported the main incidents of the bombardment, the passage of the enemy, and the capitulation of the forts.

I have the honor to enclose herewith the report of Lieutenant-Colonel E. Higgins, Twenty-second regiment Louisiana volunteers, commanding Forts Jackson and St. Philip, and those of the different company and battery commanders, together with the Surgeon's reports of the killed and wounded. The report of Colonel Sysmauski, commanding the Chalmette regiment at quarantine, has not been received by me, so that I am unable to report upon his operations.

I fully endorse the just praise bestowed in the enclosed reports upon the officers at both forts, and warmly return them my thanks. They all distinguished themselves by cool courage, skill, and patriotism throughout the entire bombardment, and by the patient fortitude with which they bore the several trying ordeals of water, fire, and the energetic fury of the enemy's protracted and continuous fire.

I must also bear testimony to the cheerful courage and prompt and willing obedience with which the men performed their duties throughout the bombardment, and up to the sad night when they took the rash and disgraceful step of rising against their officers, breaking through all discipline, and leading to such disastrous and fatal consequences. I can charitably account for it only on the grounds of great reaction after the intense physical strain of many weary days and nights of terrible fire, during which they were necessarily subjected to every privation from circumstances beyond our control, but which they had not the moral courage to share and sustain with their officers, all of whom were subjected to the same hardships in every particular.

To Lieutenant-Colonel Higgins, commanding the forts, my thanks are especially due, for his indefatigable labors in preparing his heavy batteries, preparatory to the attack, almost in the face of the enemy, and for the quiet, skilful, and judicious manner in which he caused them to be fought. He was present everywhere, and did his whole duty well and thoroughly. Captain M. T. Squires, Louisiana regiment of artillery, as senior officer in charge of Fort St. Philip, under orders of Lieutenant-Colonel Higgins, commanding, fully sustained every anticipation entertained of his gallantry, skill, and efficiency.

During the first day's bombardment, when Captain Anderson was wounded, my Aide-de-Camp, Lieutenant William M. Bridges, Louisiana artillery, volunteered to command the ten-inch columbiads on the main work, and I return him my thanks for the gallant and efficient manner in which he fought them during the rest of the action.

I take great pleasure in making personal mention of my volunteer aides, Captain William Y. Seymour and Captain Y. R. Smith, for the valuable assistance which they rendered me at all times. My thanks are also due to Doctors Bradbury and Foster, who volunteered their services to assist Assistant Surgeons L. Burk and C. D. Lewis, at Forts Jackson and St. Philip