Farragut Makes His First Attempt Against New Orleans in 1862

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/31/2006

A rare war-date Union naval officer's, 6pp. 4to. & 8vo., ink inscribed, letter written by Acting Assistant Paymaster Henry W. Diman, "U.S. Gun Boat 'Kineo', Below Vicksburg, Miss., May 19, 1862"to his cousin concerning the North's first attempt to capture Vicksburg, and of running Forts Jackson and Phillips during Farragut's attack upon New Orleans, reading, in small part: "…after the capture of New Orleans…we are bound up to Memphis to meet Com[modore] Foote with his gun boats…and our progress has been very slow…the troops, which we have been convoying up…make short excursions out into the country and destroy the railroads…and here the rebels will not let us pass…get out your map and find Vicksburg and see how far up in the rebel country we have come…our little fleet consists of the Steam Sloop "Oneida,"…and the Gun boats Kenebec, Sciota, Winona, Wissahickon & Kineo, together with two rebel steamers which we captured at New Orleans…the city is situated on a high bluff and makes quite an imposing appearance from the river, several large rebel flags are floating from principal buildings…they will not float there long. Yesterday afternoon Capt [Samuel P.] Lee who is in command of the fleet sent up a boat under a flag of truce, with an offer to demand an immediate and unconditional surrender of the place to the Navy of the United States. Late in the evening the boat returned…the general in command of the troops replied that he had been sent there…to defend the place and that he should do his duty…the mayor [military governor James L. Autrey]…said that Mississippians did not know how to surrender and they had no intention of asking Yankees to teach them…in a very few days they will find that the Yankees will teach them…there is a very [in Vicksburg a] large and splendid court house with…[a] high cupola above it…if they do not take that miserable flag down from it [then] very soon the building itself will come down…there is almost always somebody killed or wounded on both sides, but soldiers and sailors never fear for themselves unless they are cowards. In the noise and excitement of battle, men have hardly any time to be afraid…after we had the fight at the forts {Jackson and Phillips] when all our ships but one…succeeded in getting through, were coming to anchor the men on the flag ship gave three cheers, which was quickly responded by the men on all the other ships. When the crew of the "Kineo" cheered everybody felt…glorious…even the…wounded…lying on mattresses in the ward room hurrahed…one of them with his arm all shot away, and another with his leg all torn to pieces. They were too weak to hold their heads up and could hardly speak, yet for the moment they found strength to shout for the Stars and Stripes…the "Varuna" was sank a few miles above the forts near where we were at anchor, by being run into by two rebel steamers. Her masts…projected out of water and the last time we passed by, the old flag was still flying from her mast head…we are at anchor off…Warrenton where the water is five feet deep in the streets and the people have to live in the second stories of their houses…we have taken several contrabands as prisoners, and have also captured several spies…yesterday…we fired our big gun at a party of cavalry in the hill. The shell burst…among them and when the smoke cleared away nobody was seen…the flag officer has arrived here and we expect that tomorrow…we have six gunboats and two wind class sloops here…they have two iron clad gun boats above here ready to meet us, but we are…ready to meet them- I have not the slightest doubt of our ability to take Vicksburg, although the high bluffs and batteries look rather formidable at first sight. Yesterday our flag officer ordered them to remove the women and children and towards evening the "Kineo" went up under a flag of truce to get their answer. They asked for twenty four hours to remove them, but our flag officer refused and replied…that they had received notice enough…we are very seldom permitted to go ashore on account of the danger of being killed or taken prisoners- We lay several days off New Orleans but did not go ashore…the "Kineo" got more shot holes in her than any other gun boat when we passed the forts…". After serving in the battle of Baton Rouge, Diman resigned from the navy in August 1862 to accept a government appointment to Portugal. The Kineo served throughout the remainder of the war on the Mississippi and was decommissioned in 1866. Minor fold splits, else very good.

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