Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 12.djvu/71

Rh to resist an expected attack of boarders. The shield of the Louisiana was not penetrated.

The gunboat Jackson was not in the battle. The State ram, Governor Moore, commanded by Capt. Beverly Kennon, made a desperate fight from the beginning; and finished by ramming and sinking the Varuna, which vessel Kennon stuck to with the tenacity of a bulldog. The Moore was afterward run ashore and burned, and the unconquerable Kennon was made prisoner. The loss of life on the Governor Moore was very great. The ram Stonewall Jackson, of the river fleet, also rammed the Varuna, and her captain behaved bravely. There was another river captain who displayed uncommon courage. In the midst of the carnage the captain of the little tug Mosher boldly pushed a fire-raft alongside the Hartford and set her on fire. Unfortunately, his name has not been preserved, and accounts say the Mosher was destroyed with all hands. Although the river boats did not otherwise, as a rule, behave very well at New Orleans, yet in other cases on the Mississippi, notably at Memphis, and in the capture of the iron-clad Indianola, they displayed uncommon bravery. Admiral Porter in his history bears witness to their enterprise and unparalleled exertions to resist his advances.

Of Admiral Farragut's fleet, all but three passed the forts and on the 25th at noon, anchored off New Orleans. The Louisiana remained at her berth, and Commodore Mitchell was getting ready to go up and attack the enemy, when on the 27th the forts surrendered, General Duncan ignoring the presence of Commodore Mitchell, and making no terms for the navy in his surrender. Upon this, Commodore Mitchell burned the Louisiana to prevent her falling into the enemy's hands, and, with his officers, delivered himself up as prisoner of war. The enemy tried to make it appear that he willfully endangered their vessels by blowing up the Louisiana, and at first he and his officers were harshly treated as prisoners;