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in a room filled with sand-shell, or shell containing sand, which we used as solid shot in case of emergency.
Our mizzen rigging was torn in shreds, and had only been left by Flag-Officer Farragut about two minutes before it was struck.
It will be necessary for us to have new knees in some parts of the ship, which are cut in two by shot.
During the engagement the mortar-fleet was firing rapidly, as also the steamer of the mortar-fleet, which came up near enough to send their rifle-shot into the batteries.
When our fire was directed on any particular battery, the rebels would desert their guns until our attention was directed to others, when they would return and open on us again.
After being under fire for about two hours in front of the city, and finding that we could not bring our guns to bear any longer, we started ahead fast, the shot still dropping around us, and soon came to anchor out of range of their guns.
We lost only one man killed, but had several slightly wounded.
The sloop-of-war Brooklyn, after engaging the batteries for nearly two hours, dropped below again.
Captain Craven had orders not to leave any batteries behind without silencing them, and finding it impossible to effectually silence them, fell back again, and now lies below the city in company with the Kennebec, Katahdin, and Commodore Porter's mortar-fleet.
We used six-second shrapnel during the entire fight, and must have killed a great many of the enemy, though they had no more men exposed than were necessary to work the guns.
General Williams is in command of the Federal forces, and has some four thousand men here, including Nims's Boston battery, and his army will soon be increased by ten thousand men from Gen. Halleck's army.
We will then attack them again, and with the aid of the army, take possession of the batteries at all hazards.
The casualties in the fleet are few, and I escaped uninjured, and am well and ready and willing to try it again.
Your affectionate son,
Albert.
P. S.--I annex the following official list of the killed and wounded during the engagement:
official list of killed and wounded.
Sir: I have the honor to report the following list of killed and wounded in that portion of the fleet which passed above Vicksburgh in the engagement this morning: killed, seven.--Flag-ship Hartford--Edward E. Jennings, seaman, from Massachusetts. Richmond — George Allstrum, ordinary seaman; Thomas Flarity, seaman. Oneida — Stephen H. Randall, seaman. Pinola — William H. Thomas, quarter-gunner; Thomas Graham, landsman. Scioto — Augustine Ellsworth, ordinary seaman. wounded, thirty.--Flag-ship Hartford--Chas. Allen, seaman, slightly; Alexander Cafrau, landsman, slightly; Lawrence Fay, boy, slightly; Patrick Roach, coal-heaver, head; Philip Roberts, seaman, severely; Sylvester Beckit, landsman, slightly; Alfred Stone, landsman, slightly; John H. Knowles, quartermaster, slightly; John Hardegan, landsman, slightly; Joseph Lands, ordinary seaman, slightly; Nathan Salter, ordinary seaman, contusion; Capt. John L. Broome, marine, contusion; Flag-Officer D. G. Farragut, slight contusion. Richmond — Howard F. Maffat, master's mate, amputated arm; James Noonan, ordinary seaman, contusion; Thomas Nolan, marine, do.; George W. Harris, marine, do.; James Reddy, seaman, severely; James Mohegan, landsman, do.; George Millard, seaman, do.; Wm. Nicholas, landsman, slightly; Charles Howard, ordinary seaman, do. Oneida — Richard M. Hodgson, assistant engineer, severely; Wm. Cowell, seaman, do.; Henry Clark, boatswain's mate, slightly. Pinola — John Brown, ordinary seaman, severely; Wm. H. Shucks, landsman, slightly. Scioto — Edward Hathaway, seaman, amputated arm; Wm. Arne, landsman, slightly; Clarence Miller, ship-steward, severely. killed; eight.--Mortar flotilla--Six scalded, one killed, one drowned. Total — Killed, fifteen; wounded, thirty. Returns have not yet been received from Capt. Porter's mortar flotilla, and that portion of the fleet below Vicksburgh. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,J. M. Foltz, Fleet Surgeon. Flag-Officer D. G. Farragut, Commanding Western Gulf Blockading Squadron.
