le. Gen. Duncan,
commanding Forts Jackson and St. Philip, below the city, was considered
one of the best artillerists in the service; and the land defence was
intrusted to Gen. Lovell, with a well appointed force under his command.
The people of that gay city were occupied as usual in business and
pleasure, and continued unconscious of their peril up to the very time
when the Federal fleet passed the forts. But the condition of affairs,
so far as naval defence was concerned, was lamentable. The regular C. S.
naval fleet consisted of the Louisiana (Captain McIntosh) and carrying
the flag of Commodore Mitchell; the steamer McRae (Captain Huger),
carrying six light 32-pounders and nine-inch pivot gun; the steamer
Jackson (Captain Renshaw), with two pivoted smooth bore 32-pounders; the
small ironplated "Ram" Manassas (Captain Warley), carrying one
32-pounder carronade in the bow; and two launches, each carrying a
howitzer and a crew of twenty men. There were also present, at the time
the passage was forced by the U. S. fleet, two Louisiana State gunboats,
viz., the "Governor Moore," Captain Kennon, carrying two 32-pounder
rifled guns, and the "General Quitman," with a similar battery. _These_
were converted sea steamers, with pine and cotton barricades to protect
the more vulnerable part of their machinery. All of the above vessels,
with the exception of the Louisiana and Manassas, were too slightly
built for war purposes. The unarmed steamboats, "Mozier," placed under
Commodore Mitchell's command. In addition to the above force, there were
six steamers carrying from one to two guns each, constituting what was
called the "River Defence Squadron," under the command of Captain
Stevenson. These vessels' boilers and machinery were protected by heavy
timber barricades, filled in with compressed cotton; and they were
prepared with bar-iron casing around their bows to act as "Rams."

The Louisiana was pierced for twelve guns rifled six-inch; and
eight-inch shell guns, three in the bow, three in each broadside, and
three in the stern. Her armor consisted of railroad-iron bars securely
bolted upon the sides and ends of the long covered box built upon her
nearly submerged hull. These sides and ends sloped at an angle of about
forty-five degrees; around the upper deck was a stout bulwark about five
feet high, and iron plated inside, to resist grape shot, and afford a
protection to the sharp-shooters stationed there in action.

The pr