ed fire of the fleet to protect
them; the scaling ladders proved too short to reach the wharf, and
as day began to break, the baffled assailants were about to draw
off, when, suddenly, the Confederate gunboats appeared on the scene
and in a few moments turned the defeat into a signal victory. The
_Neptune_ was disabled and sunk by the _Harriet Lane_, the _Harriet
Lane_ was boarded and captured by the _Bayou City_, the _Westfield_
ran aground and was blown up by her gallant commander, and soon
the white flag floated from the masts of all the Union fleet.
Wainwright and Wilson had been killed; Renshaw, with his executive
officer, Zimmermann, and his chief engineer, Green, had perished
with the ship. The survivors were given three hours to consider
terms.

When Burrell saw the flag of truce from the fleet, he too showed
the white flag and surrendered to the commander of the Confederate
troops. The Confederates ceased firing on him as soon as they
perceived his signal, but the navy, observing that the fire on
shore went on for some time, notwithstanding the naval truce,
thought it had been violated; accordingly the _Clifton, Owasco,
Sachem_, and _Corypheus_ put out to sea, preceded by the army
transport steamers _Saxon_ and _Mary A. Boardman_. On the latter
vessel were the military governor of Texas, with his staff, and
the men and guns of Holcomb's battery.

The Confederates lost 26 killed and 117 wounded; the Union troops
5 killed and 15 wounded, and all the survivors (probably about 250
in number) were made prisoners save the adjutant, Lieutenant Charles
A. Davis, who had been sent off to communicate with the fleet.
The navy lost 29 killed, 31 wounded, and 92 captured. So ended
this inauspicious New Year's day.

The transports made the best of their way to New Orleans with the
news. The _Cambria_, with the Texas cavalry and the horses of the
2d Vermont battery, arrived in the offing on the evening of the 2d
of January. For two days a strong wind and high sea rendered
fruitless all efforts to communicate with the shore; then learning
the truth, the troops at once returned to New Orleans.

Orders had been left with the guard ship at Pilot Town to send the
transport steamers, _Charles Osgood_ and _Shetucket_, with the
remainder of the 42d, directly to Galveston. It was now necessary
to change these orders, and to do it promptly. The bad news reached
headquarters early in the afternoon of the 3d January: "Sto