Fort Sumter was, by repeated bombardments for two years, reduced nearly to a total ruin, but was not abandoned until Charleston was captured by General Sherman. Fort Moultrie never was silenced until it was abandoned. Fort Jackson refused to surrender after six days’ constant bombardment by a mortar fleet and an hour’s bombardment from a passing fleet at from 60 to 300 yards, only capitulating at a second summons, when the capture of New Orleans destroyed the last chance of relief. PASSAGES OF FORTS. _Passage of Fortifications below New Orleans, April 24, 1862._ FEDERAL. WOODEN FLEETS.—FIRST DIVISION. Guns. Hartford 28 Brooklyn 26 Richmond 25 Sciota 3 Iroquois 7 Kennebec 4 Pinola 4 Itasca 4 Winona 4 SECOND DIVISION. Pensacola 26 Mississippi 19 Cayuga 6 Oneida 10 Varuna 6 Katahdin 6 Kineo 6 Wissahickon 4 CONFEDERATE. _Fort Jackson_, 75 guns. _Fort St. Philip_, 30 guns. Above the forts, two iron-clad rams and eighteen gun-boats. Below the forts, a heavy boom of logs and chain across the river. The river current to be stemmed runs at a speed of about six to seven knots. On the night of the 22d, two gun-boats were sent up to break the obstructions. The end of the chain was reached and successfully cut under a heavy fire, making an opening wide enough to allow vessels to pass. At 2 a.m. of the 24th the fleet got under way, forming two lines, the first division to take Fort Jackson, and the second Fort St. Philip. The chains were stopped up and down the sides in wake of the boilers; decks were whitewashed and boarding-nettings triced up. Coming under the fire of the forts, the fines were broken owing to the strength of the current and the necessity for feeling the way up in the channel, there being no pilots. The Hartford grounded abreast Fort St. Philip, and whilst in this position a fire-raft was pushed against her, setting her on fire aft. The raft was pushed clear, fire extinguished, and the ship was worked off the shoal. She was hit 32 times; 3 killed, 10 wounded. The Brooklyn fouled the obstructions, and was held for a short time under the fire of Fort St. Philip. Clearing these, she was rammed by the ram Manassas, but the blow was a glancing one. Immediately afterward a gun-boat was seen coming at her full speed. The Brooklyn gave her the port broadside, and disabled her: killed, 9; wounded, 26. Richmond, killed, 2; wounded, 4. Sciota, wounded, 2. Iroquois, killed, 8; wounded, 24. Kennebec fouled the obstructions, and did not get clear until the fleet had passed up; returned to the lower anchorage. Pinola, killed, 3; wounded, 8. Itasca received a shot through her boiler abreast the forts, and drifted down helpless out of action; wounded, 3.