The Gulf and Inland Waters: The Navy in the Civil War. Volume 3.Mahan, A. T. (Alfred Thayer)
History
The Gulf and Inland Waters: The Navy in the Civil War. Volume 3.
Mahan, A. T. (Alfred Thayer)
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Naval operations; United States. Navy -- History
battery to bear and doubtless expecting that the enemy would follow
his motion to avoid being raked, but Kennon knew too well his own
broadside weakness, and keeping straight on ran into the Varuna before
her head could be gotten off again. The powerful battery of the Union
vessel, sweeping from stem to stem, killed or wounded a large part of
the enemy's crew; but her own fate was sealed, her frame being too
light for such an encounter. The Moore having rammed again then hauled
off, believing the Varuna to be in a sinking condition, and tried to
continue up stream, but with difficulty, having lost her wheel-ropes.
The Stonewall Jackson, now coming up, turned also upon the Varuna and
rammed her on the port side, receiving a broadside in return. The
Union vessel then shoved her bow into the east bank and sank to her
top-gallant forecastle.
The Varuna's advance had been so rapid that there seems to have been
some uncertainty in the minds of Captains Bailey and Lee of the Cayuga
and Oneida as to where she was. It being yet dark they were very
properly inclined to wait for the rest of the fleet to come up. In a
few moments, however, the Oneida moved slowly ahead as far as
quarantine, whence the Varuna and her enemies were made out. The
Oneida then went ahead at full speed. When she came up the Varuna was
already ashore, her two opponents trying to escape, but in vain. The
Stonewall Jackson ran ashore without offering resistance, on the right
bank nearly opposite the Varuna; the Moore on the left bank, some
distance above, where her captain set her on fire, but received the
broadsides of the Oneida and Pensacola with his colors still flying,
and so was taken.
The Cayuga followed the Oneida, but more slowly, and about five miles
above the fort came upon a Confederate camp upon the right bank of the
river. She opened with canister, and in a few moments the troops, a
part of the Chalmette regiment, surrendered.
After ramming the Brooklyn, the Manassas had quietly followed the
Union fleet, but when she came near them the Mississippi turned upon
her. It was impossible to oppose her three hundred and eighty-four
tons to the big enemy coming down upon her, so her commander dodged
the blow and ran her ashore, the crew escaping over the bows, while
the Mississippi poured in two of her broadsides, leaving her a wreck.
Soon after, she slipped off the bank and drifted down past the forts
in flames. At 8 A.M. she passed the mortar-fleet and an effort was
made to secure her, but before it could be done she faintly exploded
and sank.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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