Benjamnin F. Butler, Butler's Book: Autobiography and Personal Reminiscences of Major-General Benjamin Butler

Section of Mississippi River, showing defences of forts Jackson and St. Philip at time of bombardment.

IV. The forts being reduced, the land and naval force would advance toward the city in the manner that should then seem best.

The first day's bombardment set fire to the wooden barracks and officers' quarters, which burned all night. Porter ceased firing while the burning was going on, supposing that the fort would be destroyed. But that fire had the same effect as when the enemy fired on Fort Sumter and set fire to the same class of buildings. They supposed that Sumter must surrender on account of that fire. But that fire, and this one, too, only cleared the fort of obstructions and obstacles. Of the fact that the fort had neither been disabled nor surrendered Porter received information the next morning by a prompt and vigorous response to the fire of the mortars, and at 11.30 a rifle ball from the fort pierced one of his schooners and sunk it in twenty minutes. This bombardment went on for six days. How little harm was done appears from the report of the Confederate Brigadier-General Duncan, who had charge of the forts, in his report to General Lovell of the Confederate army:--