Early operations in the Gulf.
After the seizure of the
Pensacola Navy Yard and the movements connected with the relief of
Fort Pickens (Vol.
I., p. 32), the
Gulf Coast remained comparatively quiet until the establishment of the blockade.
Hitherto the vessels in this quarter had formed a part of the Home Squadron, under
Flag-Officer Pendergrast; but on June 8th, 1861,
Flag-Officer William Mervine assumed command of the station, his vessels constituting the Gulf Blockading Squadron.
Already the blockade had been set on foot by the
Powhatan, at
Mobile, and by the
Brooklyn, at New Orleans; and soon after
Mervine arrived in the steamer
Mississippi, he had twenty vessels in his fleet.
On July 2d,
Galveston, the third port of importance in the
Gulf, was blockaded by the
South Carolina.
The first collision occurred in August, when one of the tenders of the
South Carolina, blockading
Galveston, was fired on by a battery on the shore.
Commander Alden, commanding the
South Carolina, laid his ship close to the shore and returned the fire.
A few shells were accidentally discharged into the town, but the affair was in no sense a bombardment of
Galveston.
In September
Flag-Officer William W. McKean replaced
Mervine in command of the squadron.
Shortly after, the blockading vessels off the mouths of the
Mississippi, commanded by
Captain John Pope, moved up to the
Head of the Passes.
Early on the morning of the 12th of October this squadron, consisting of the
Richmond,
Vincennes,
Preble, and
Water Witch, was attacked by the ironclad ram
Manassas, under
Lieutenant A. F. Warley.
The
Manassas rammed the
Richmond without inflicting serious injury, and, being herself damaged by the blow, withdrew up the river.
At the same time, the
Richmond and her consorts turned their heads down-stream, and retreated as fast as possible to the mouth of South-west Pass.
The
Preble got over the bar, but the
Vincennes and the
Richmond grounded.
In this position they were attacked by a small flotilla of converted river boats under
Commodore G. N. Hollins.
Notwithstanding the evident panic that prevailed in the fleet, the
Confederate attack was not sustained with any great spirit, and the result was indecisive, neither party obtaining an advantage.
The
Water Witch was skillfully and boldly commanded by
Lieutenant Francis Winslow; while the action of the captain of the
Vincennes in abandoning his vessel while she was ashore, but under cover of the
Richmond's heavy battery, was a subject of well-merited reproach.
On the night of the 13th of September occurred the destruction of the Confederate privateer
Judah, in Pensacola harbor (see Vol.
I., p. 32).
A similar exploit was performed at
Galveston early in November.
The attacking party, under
Lieutenant James E. Jouett, set out in two launches from the frigate
Santee, Captain Henry Eagle, on the night of the 7th, and captured and burnt the privateer schooner
Royal Yacht, carrying one 32-pounder.
Thirteen prisoners were taken.
The casualties in the
Union force were 2 killed and 7 wounded.
On the 16th of September,
Ship Island, an important point commanding the passage of
Mississippi Sound, which formed the water connection between New Orleans and
Mobile, was evacuated by the Confederate forces.
On the next day the steamer
Massachusetts, under
Captain Melancton Smith, landed a force and took possession of the island.
The fort was strengthened by a formidable armament of rifles and 9-inch
Dahlgren guns.
Occasional attempts were made to recover the island, but without success.
On the 19th of October the Confederate steamer
Florida (
Captain George N. Hollins) made a demonstration, and an encounter took place between that vessel and the
Massachusetts. The
Florida, having the advantage of higher speed and less draught, was able to choose her distance, and exploded a 68-pounder rifle shell in the
Massachusetts, but without doing serious damage.
The engagement was indecisive.
In December a detachment of 2500 troops under
Brigadier-General John W. Phelps was posted on the island, which had up to this time been held by the navy.
According to
Secretary Welles (in “The Galaxy” for Nov., 1871), the Navy Department first conceived the idea of an attack on New Orleans in September, 1861, and the plan took definite shape about the middle of November,
1 from which time the department was busily engaged in preparation for the expedition.
As a part of the plan, it was decided to divide the Gulf Squadron into two commands, and when, on the 23d of December,
Farragut received his preparatory orders, they directed him to hold himself in readiness to take command of the West Gulf Squadron and the expedition to New Orleans.
Farragut received his full orders as flag-officer on the 20th of January, 1862, and sailed from
Hampton Roads in the
Hartford on the 3d of February, arriving at
Ship Island on the 20th.
The East Gulf Squadron, comprising the vessels on the west coast of
Florida, remained under the command of
Flag-Officer McKean.
On May 10th, 1862,
Pensacola was evacuated, and came once more into the possession of the
United States.
A month later, on June 4th,
Flag-Officer McKean was relieved by
Captain J. L. Lardner, who was followed by
Commodores Theodorus Bailey and
C. K. Stribling.
Operations in this quarter during the remainder of the war consisted chiefly of boat expeditions, encounters with blockade-runners or armed schooners, attacks upon guerrillas in the neighborhood of the coast, raids upon salt-works, and other small affairs of like character.
