e had been in quiet
possession of the enemy, though it took him twenty-six hours to do so;
but General Butler, who from a transport below had witnessed the success
of the fleet, had waited for no further tidings. Hurrying back to his
troops, he collected them at Sable Island, twelve miles in rear of Fort
St. Philip, whence they were transported and landed at a point on the
river five miles above the work, where the Kineo and Wissahickon awaited
them.

During the remainder of the 24th the fleet stayed at anchor off the
Quarantine station, to repose the crews after the excessive labor and
excitement of the previous night. Early the next morning all got under
way except the two gunboats left to support Butler's troops, and moved
up stream; but slowly, owing to the indifferent speed of some and to
want of knowledge of the river. At half-past ten they reached English
Turn, five miles below the city; the point where the British forces had
in 1815 been so disastrously repelled in their assault upon the
earth-works held by Jackson's riflemen. The Confederates had fortified
and armed the same lines on both sides of the Mississippi, as part of
the interior system of defenses to New Orleans; the exterior line being
constituted by Forts Jackson and St. Philip, together with several
smaller works at different points, commanding the numerous subsidiary
approaches through the Mississippi delta. The interior lines at English
Turn, known as the Chalmette and McGehee batteries, were, however,
intended only to check an approach of troops from down the river. Their
general direction was perpendicular to the stream; and along its banks
there ran only a short work on either side to protect the main
entrenchments from an enfilading fire by light vessels, which might, in
company with an invading army, have managed to turn the lower forts by
passing through the bayous. These river batteries, mounting respectively
nine and five guns, were powerless to resist the ships that had
successfully passed the main defenses of the city. After a few shots,
fired rather for the honor of the flag than in any hope of successful
result, the guns were forsaken; and both lines of entrenchments, being
turned and taken in the rear, were abandoned.

Meanwhile, in New Orleans a scene of fearful confusion was growing
hourly more frenzied. Whatever the fears of the military commanders as
to the result of the attack upon the forts, they had very properly
concealed th