Farragut's Ships Under Attack

USS Varuna

 This is part of a series of posts on the capture of New Orleans. Seem them all here. 
The Union fleet finally made it past the fort with minimal damage, but the battle was not yet over. The Confederates had a small fleet of gunboats, and the small ironclad, the Manassas, which had sent the blockading squadron into flight in the battle of Head of Passes. She and the other Confederate vessels went out to take part in the fight. The Manassas turned on the Brooklyn.

The ram, the ram!" Craven called out, "... Put your helm to hard-a-starboard!" Then I saw the smokestacks of the Manassas and the flash from her gun, and the next moment I was nearly thrown on the deck by the concussion, caused by her striking us just amidships. I ran to the No. 10 port, the gun being in, and looked out, and saw her almost directly alongside. A man came out of her little hatch aft, ... and locked to see what damage the ram had done. I saw him turn, fall over, and tumble into the water ... I asked the quartermaster, who was leadsman in the chains, if he had seen him fall. "Why, yes, sir," said he, "I saw him fall overboard, - in fact, I helped him; for I hit him alongside of the head with my hand-lead." ... It was not until the coal in the starboard bunker had been used up and the side of the ship was uncovered that we realized what a blow she had received from the Manassas. On the outside the chain had been driven its depth into the planking, and on the inside, for a length of five feet or more, the planking was splintered and crushed in. The only thing that prevented the prow of the Manassas from sinking us was the fact that the bunker was full of coal.

After this unsuccessful attack the Manassas continued down stream, but the forts opened fire on her, mistaking her for a Union ship in the smoke. She eventually ran aground and the crew abandoned her, having failed to sink a single one of Farragut's ships. However, the other small Confederate steamers made attacks on the Federal fleet. The CSS Governor Moore, called a cotton clad as cotton was put on her decks for armor, encountered the USS Varuna ahead of the rest of the Federal fleet. Although much weaker, the Governor Moore boldly gave battle and rammed twice, taking many casualties. The Varuna, seriously damaged, sank near shore. This was the only large ship Farragut lost. Jubilant at his victory, the captain and most of the crew of the Governor Moore wanted to continue and take on the rest of the Federal fleet. However, the Lieutenant, would have none of it. It was wounded, as were most of the crew, and ignoring the captain's orders turned the ship towards shore. The Federal fleet opened on her, and she was abandoned.

Morning dawned on a victorious Federal fleet. Farragut had lost one large ship, the Varuna, and three smaller ones, and had lost 37 killed and 149 wounded. The Confederates had lost 12 killed and 40 wounded from the fort, along with the entire Confederate flotilla and most of the crew. But more importantly for both sides, the ships had run the fort. They were now in a position to easily capture the forts, and sail up river and subdue New Orleans.

Farragut's Fleet Runs the Forts

Mortar Boat

 This is part of a series of posts on the capture of New Orleans. Seem them all here. 

The Federals began their attack with a bombardment from Porter's mortar boats. They opened on April 18th and began firing steadily for the next few days. The mortars were a failure. Porter at thought the boats would complete their work in 48 hours, but in six they had not finished their work. The big shells at first scared the garrison, but they soon realized that although terrifying, the projectiles caused few casualties and little serious damage. The mortar crews themselves had even harder work, with the terrible concussion of firing the huge mortars every few minutes. The fire was finally stopped as the mortar crews were completely worn out, and it seemed useless to continue.

Mortar Boat

With the first part of the plan having failed, Farragut decided to try with his wooden ships. He had sent two of his ships forward, and they had been able to open a gap in the chain boom across the river. The ships would advance in two columns and when the forts opened fire, they would answer them, but their main focus would be to get past them as fast as possible. In preparing the ships chains were brought up to cover the critical parts, protecting them from Confederate shot, fire brigades were trained and the ships were covered with mud so that they could advance as far as possible without being seen. As was customary in sea battles, the decks were covered in sand so that the sailors would not slip in their comrade's blood.

The fleet set off at 2 am on April 24th, 150 years ago today. They were undetected until they reached the boom. At that moment the forts opened on the ships with tremendous noise, and the Federal ships soon replied. "Imagine all the earthquakes in the world, and all the thunder and lightnings together in a space of two miles, all going off at once." Farragut said the bombardment was "as if the artillery of heaven were playing upon earth." Farragut's ships were sucessfully making it through the gap in the chain, but they suffered under the fire from the forts. John Bartlet captain of the Brooklyn, wrote,

"As we came to the obstruction the water-battery on the Fort Jackson side opened a most destructive fire, and here the Brooklyn received her first shot. We gave the water-battery a broadside of grape. With our own smoke and the smoke from the vessels immediately ahead, it was impossible to direct the ship, so that we missed the opening between the hulks and brought up on the chain. We dropped back and tried again; this time the chain broke, but we swung alongside of one of the hulks, and the stream-anchor, hanging on the starboard quarter, caught, tore along the hulk, and then parted its lashings. The cable secured us just where the Confederates had the range of their guns, but somebody ran up with an axe and cut the hawser, and we began to steam up the river. ... There were many fire-rafts, and these and the flashing of the guns and bursting shells made it almost as light as day, but the smoke from the passing fleet was so thick that at times one could see nothing ten feet from the ship. While entangled with the rafts, the Brooklyn was hulled a number of times; one shot from Fort Jackson struck the rail just at the break of the poop and went nearly across, plowing out the deck in its course. Another struck Barney Sands, the signal quartermaster, and cut his body almost in two."

The Confederates were launching fire rafts, attempting to set the wooden vessels on fire. The flag ship ran aground, and a fire ship rammed into her. For a few minutes it appeared, that Farragut, the ship, and the entire crew would be engulfed in flames, but the crew was finally able to blow up the fire raft and get the ship afloat.

The Attack on New Orleans.

This is part of a series of posts on the capture of New Orleans. Seem them all here.

Soon after the North began the blockade of southern ports they began planning for an attack on New Orleans, the largest city in the south. One of their first goals of the war was to capture the Mississippi River, and s of course New Orleans, at the foot of the river, was a necessary part of that. The commander that was chosen to lead the fleet was David Farragut, an old sailor. His adopted brother, David Porter, was to lead a fleet of 20 new mortar boats with a thousand shells each to subdue the Confederate fortifications. Then Farragut would run past the forts with the rest of the fleet. 18,000 Northern troops were also brought along to aid in the siege. The government was not always confident in its choice of Farragut. Even his brother, David Porter, said,

"Men of his age in a seafaring life are not fit for important enterprises, they lack the vigor of youth. He talks very much at random at times and rather underrates the difficulties before him without fairly comprehending them I know what they are, and as he is impressible hope to make him appreciate them also. I have great hope in the mortars if all else fails.

The fleet arrived in position on April 16th.

Plan for Fort Jackson

The most important Confederate defenses of New Orleans were Forts Jackson and St. Philip, on opposite banks of the Mississippi river south of the city. They were positioned on a bend in the river, so that their 170 guns would have plenty of time to fire on slow moving ships. Chains were stretched across the river, giving the forts time to destroy the ships while attempts were made to cut them. Every moment was precious for the Confederate defenders, because two monster ironclads were being built in New Orleans. The Louisiana, 260 feet long with 16 cannon and the Mississippi 20 guns and 3 inch thick armor. The Louisiana was very close to completion. Her engines were installed, but the engineers could not get them to work. She was towed down to the forts to lend her firepower until her engines could be got working. The Mississippi was waiting on her machinery, which was being finished by the Tredgar ironworks. When they finally arrived, she would be the fasted ship in naval history. If these two ships could be let loose among Farragut's wooden navy, the fleet could put up little defense. The forts just had to hold out long enough for the ironclads to be completed.

Fort St. Philip

Admiral Farragut Appointed

One hundred fifty years ago today Admiral David Farragut was appointed to command a force to capture New Orleans, Louisiana. Farragut was born in 1801 in Tennessee, and was named James by his parents. At the age of 7 he was adopted by Commodore David Porter, and his name was changed to David. At the age of 9 he entered the navy as a midshipman, and by twelve he captained a ship back to port which had been captured during the war of 1812. On the way back to port he quelled a mutiny among the crew. By the time of the Civil War he had attained the rank of captain. He did not resign to follow his native state, he remained with the Union he had served all his life. Some doubted his loyalty since he had spent years in the South and his wife was from Norfolk, VA, so he was placed on the retirement board. But through the influence of his brother, Admiral David Porter, he was appointed to command an expedition to capture New Orleans 150 years ago today.

Battle of the Head of Passes

CSS Manassas

One ship built by the Confederacy to break the blockade was the CSS Manassas. It was rebuilt from an icebreaker, and was intended to defend the Mississippi River. It was only 2 ½ feet above the water, and was covered in 1 ½ inch armor. She carried only one gun, and had an iron point on the front for ramming. It was originally built to be a privateer, but the Confederate navy seized it for the defense of the nation.

USS Richmond

She advanced out to battle in the early dark hours of the morning 150 years ago today, October 12, 1861. It was accompanied by a “mosquito fleet,” six small and weak gun boats and three fire rafts. The Union blockade fleet off New Orleans was three wooden sloops, along with two smaller ships. The Confederate fleet's commander, Commodore Hollis, planned to have the Manassas lead and take out the Richmond, the largest of the Union sloops. She would be followed by the gunboats pushing fire rafts, which he hoped would destroy the rest of the Federal ships.

Manassas attacks the Richmond

The Confederate fleet was sighted by a Union sloop, and the alarm flare went up. The Manassas aimed for the Richmond, but the Richmond was tied to a smaller coal ship. She struck a glancing blow alongside, but did not do significant damage. But in the collision of the blow, one of the Manassas's two engines was disabled. At this point the fire rafts were released toward the Union vessels. Seeing them, the Federal fleet cut loose their anchors and moved down river to escape. The firerafts grounded, as did the Manassas. All the Union ships but one also grounded down river. The Confederate's small gunboats fired at the Union vessels stranded on the bar, but although they did get a few hits, they did not score significant damage. The commander of one of the Union fleets panicked, and ordered the ship's magazine destroyed. Thankfully for the Union, the fuse was not successful and the crew returned to the ship.

Map of Head of Passes

Although Hollis was acclaimed in New Orleans as a hero, the ship that was actually the most damaged was the Manassas. The Manassas had been found to be too slow and unmaneuverable, the smaller gunboats too weak to do any damage, and the Federal commanders had not even made a good showing of a defense. Admiral Porter of the Union navy wrote this:

Put this matter in any light you may, it is the most ridiculous affair that ever took place in the American Navy. There is no instance during the war like it. To think that we should have to write of such a retreat is mortifying, but it stands on record, described in language that almost claims merit for the flight of the "Richmond" and her consorts, chased by a ram that was going in an opposite direction as fast as her disabled machinery would take her,— her officers thanking their stars that they got away so easily! There is nothing that can equal the comicality of Capt. Handy's performance—laying a train with a slow match to his magazine, and then hastening away in his boats with the American flag wound around him, and his remarkable antics when he found that his ship would not blow up. This presents an example unmatched in any navy in the world.

This conflict has been forgotten in the light of the more illustrious battle of the Monitor and the Merrimack. Because of the damage to the Manassas the true abilities of the ironclad were not demonstrated. However, the capture of New Orleans was put off until a later date.

CSS Ivy Attacks Near New Orleans

Cannon like that on the Ivy

The Confederates around New Orleans have begun to make preparations to drive off the blockading squadron which was obstructing the shipping from the Mississippi River. One hundred and fifty years ago today a small steamer, the CSS Ivy, skirmished with the large Union sloops. The Union commander, John Pope, panicked because the Ivy's guns were rifled and long range.

U. S. S. Richmond,

Mississippi River, October 9, 1861

Sir: I have to report that the Ivy (steamer) has been down this after noon and made an attack upon these ships, throwing shot and shell over this ship and the Preble, keeping herself entirely out of the range of any guns on board either of the ships, her shot passing some 500 yards over this ship, which makes it evident that we are entirely at the mercy of the enemy. We are liable to be driven from here at any moment, and, situated as we are, our position is untenable. I may be captured at any time by a pitiful little steamer mounting only one gun. The distance at which she was firing I should estimate at 4 miles, with heavy rifled cannon, throwing her shot and shell far beyond us. This may have been an experiment to ascertain the range of our guns, which they now have, and of course will quickly avail themselves of the knowledge....

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

John Pope,

Captain ¹

As the coming battle would show, Pope's fears were unfounded. The Ivy and her sister ships were too weak to actually do significant damage to the Union vessels.

1. Official records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, I, v. 16, p. 699 - 700

Confederate Navy Forms

CSS Alabama

As the new Confederacy began to form, one of the things that they needed was a navy. At the time of secession the North had around 90 ships, while the South had only 14 which were seaworthy. There were few Southerners in the US navy as opposed to the army, therefore only few naval officers came South. The only shipyard in the South was in Pensacola, Florida. Unfortunately for the South it was under the guns of Fort Pickens, one of the forts which the North still held onto. The new nation was almost starting from scratch in building this important part of their military defense.

The largest city in the South at the time was New Orleans, therefore one of the first projects of the Confederate Naval Department was to prepare the naval defense of that city. Therefore agents were sent to purchase or build gunboats to assist in that defense. These agents arrived in New Orleans 150 years ago today, on March 17, 1861.