of getting down
to the forts about seventy miles below the city, thanks to the current
and our two transports; but our artillerists were in a shabby plight
while trying to work the guns knee-deep in water.

Securing the Louisiana by hawsers to the left bank of the river near
Fort St. Philip, on the morning of the 21st, we continued our labors
upon the machinery and on the battery. The bombardment of the forts had
been in progress for several days and nights, and the shells from the
fleet were thrown with beautiful and destructive precision (some of them
occasionally falling in close proximity to the Louisiana,) while the
bomb vessels themselves were beyond the range of the fort's guns. The
naval officers were quite sure that an attempt would soon be made by
Admiral Farragut to force the passage, and that so far as the naval
strength was concerned, it was apparent our means were inadequate to
prevent it.

Commodore Mitchell, on our arrival below, had delivered to Captain
Stevenson written orders from General Lovell requiring him to place all
the "River Defence Squadron" under the Commodore's orders. Captain S.,
on receiving these instructions, addressed a written communication to
Commodore Mitchell, to the effect that all of the officers and crew
under his command had entered the service with the distinct
understanding that they were not to be placed under the command of
naval officers; and that, while willing to cooperate with our forces, he
would receive no orders from the Commodore nor allow any vessel under
his command to do so; reserving to himself the right of obeying or
disobeying any orders the Commodore might issue. With this assumption of
absolute independence, Commodore Mitchell's position was extremely
embarrassing, but he did all that was then in his power. Not knowing at
what moment an attack would be made, he endeavored to agree with Captain
Stevenson upon a plan of cooperation; and he states in his official
report made after the action that Captain Stevenson "seemed disposed
zealously to second these objects in many respects."

A few days previous to the action, I had been sent down the river to
communicate, under a flag of truce, with one of the ships of the
squadron; and in the course of conversation with my old friend Captain
DeCamp, the officer in command of a division of the fleet had been
informed by him that they could force the obstructions across the river
whenever they pleased, and intended d