Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 6.
Frank Moore, Ed.

sir: I am happy to inform you that Galveston, Corpus Christi, and Sabine City, and the adjacent waters, are now in our possession.

A short time since I sent down the coast of Texas a volunteer lieutenant, J. W. Kittredge, with the bark Arthur, the little steamer Sachem, and a launch, with which force he said he would take Corpus Christi and the waters adjacent, from whence we heard of so many small craft running to Havana. He succeeded very well, took the place, made several captures, and compelled the enemy to burn several of their vessels ; but on one occasion, venturing on shore with his small boat, he was surrounded and taken prisoner and carried to Houston, where they paroled him on condition that he should go North and not serve until regularly exchanged. He returned here in the Arthur, and I shall send him North in the Rhode Island.

I next sent the Kensington, Acting Master F. Crocker, commanding, with the Rachel Seaman, and a launch, with a howitzer, to Sabine Pass.

He, too, succeeded well. He found at the bar one of the mortar-schooners — Henry James, Acting Master Lewis Pennington, commanding — whom he invited to take part with him, which he did, and, according to Acting Master Crocker's report, performed his duty with great credit, as will be seen by the report herewith enclosed. They took the fort and are still going ahead finely having taken several prizes, one of which arrived here yesterday with despatches.

I next sent Commander W. B. Renshaw, with the gunboats Owasco, Harriet Lane, Clifton, and Westfield, to take Galveston, which he did in the shortest time, and without the loss of a man. It appears that the first shot from the Owasco exploded directly over the heads of the men at and around the big gun, (their main reliance,) and the enemy left. A flag of truce was hoisted and the preliminaries arranged for a surrender, which took place on the ninth instant. The reports will give you all the particulars.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

sir: In continuation of my reports from Sabine Pass, sent by the prize schooners Adventure and West Florida I have the honor now to state that on the thirteenth instant I sent the Kensington on her way to the Rio Grande, under command of Acting Master Taylor, there to water the Albatross, in obedience to your orders, and also to water the other vessels blockading on the Texan coast.

The next day I commenced to prepare an expedition to destroy the large railroad bridge at Taylor's Bayou. The expedition I had before sent, under command of Acting Master Pennington, of the mortar-schooner Henry Jones, having failed, at which the newspapers above exulted, while the enemy's troops immediately occupied it, and between two and three hundred men were placed there to guard it.

I put the Rachel Seaman's twenty-pound Parrott [23] gun and my heavy twelve-pound boat howitzer on the prize steamer Dan, and on the morning of the fifteenth, with the schooner Velocity in tow, carrying the Kensington's thirty-pound Parrott, I. started to attack the enemy.

In crossing the bar to enter the lake the schooner grounded, and I left her, pushing on with the steamer and a crew of twenty-five men only. The enemy were posted behind a high and strong embankment, and a force of cavalry and field-artillery were drawn up on the prairie, a little back.

As soon as we came within range with the Parrott, we opened on them with shell, to draw their fire, if they had any heavy artillery; but they did not reply, and we continued the fire, nearing them rapidly until our boat howitzer, with two-second shrapnel, had them nicely in range, when the schooner grounded. A very few rounds gave the exact elevation, when the enemy broke and fled in confusion toward the cavalry and a train of cars which had in the mean time arrived from Beaumont with reenforcements.

I immediately sent two boats' crews to destroy the bridge, while we shelled the prairie and the cars. We hit the train, and compelled it and the troops to fall back, after some time spent in repairing the cars.

The two boats' crews, under command of Master Mate Jannin, of the Rachel Seaman, and Second Assistant Engineer O'Connor, of the Kensington, did their work in the most complete manner. They entirely destroyed the bridge, thus preventing the transportation of heavy artillery to Sabine Pass, and also burned all the enemy's barracks, and also the schooners Stonewall and Lone Star.

While they were at work the enemy's cavalry made a charge on them, but the well-directed fire from the steamer repulsed them, and the work was done at our leisure. Returning to the schooner, we towed her afloat, and arrived back at the Pass the next morning.

All that day, the sixteenth, we spent in preparing to attack a cavalry encampment situated about five miles back from the town of Sabine, the pickets from which had been a continual annoyance to us.

On the morning of the seventeenth, with a party of fifty men and a light boat howitzer, we commenced our march for the encampment, driving in the pickets as we advanced. They retreated before us, gradually increasing in number, until we reached nearly to their encampment, where they made a stand; upon which we started toward them on the double-quick until we came within the range with our howitzer, when we unlimbered and gave it to them. The enemy immediately broke and fled into the chapparal. We immediately burned all their encampment, consisting of fourteen houses and stables, and then marched leisurely back to our steamer.

I cannot speak in too high praise of the steadiness and coolness of my officers and men. They appeared as if on parade. I desire to make especial mention of Acting Master Mate Jannin, of the Rachel Seaman, and Second Assistant Engineer O'Connor, of this ship, both of whom I recommend strongly for promotion for their gallantry, and also for their professional qualifications and character.

On the eighteenth the Kensington returned, having obeyed your orders down the coast, and on the nineteenth, with a number of refugees who had fled to us for protection, I started for the South-West Pass, where I landed them on the twenty-first, in care of Capt. Weeks of the Pampero.

I left the Rachel Seaman at Sabine Pass, and also the Velocity, with the Kensington's Parrott gun, and the prize steamer Dan, with the heavy howitzer, and about thirty of the Kensington's men, all under command of Acting Master Hammond, of the Kensington, who has accompanied me on all my expeditions, and distinguished himself by his coolness and bravery on all occasions.

Capt. Hooper has rendered me the most important and efficient aid on all occasions, while all the officers and men remaining on board the Kensington have performed their greatly increased duties with the utmost cheerfulness, regretting only that they also could not have been spared to help us on shore.

On the twenty-third I supplied water to the vessels at Ship Island, on the twenty-third reported to Com. Bell at Mobile, and arrived off this port last night.

I am, sir, very respectfully your obedient servant,