; and Porter, after waiting long enough to see a
blue-coat garrison in Forts St. Philip and Jackson, started up the
river to rejoin his chief in New Orleans.

But, on reaching the city, he found that the energetic admiral had
already started out to clear the river of the Confederate batteries
that lined it on either side as far up as Vicksburg. This was a
service of no little danger, and one bringing but little satisfaction;
for no sooner had the gunboats left one point, from which by hard
firing they had driven the Confederates, than the latter would return
in force, build up again their shattered earthworks, mount new guns,
and be once more ready for battle. But more powerful than these little
one or two gun-batteries were the Confederate works at Port Hudson,
the destruction of which was absolutely necessary for further Union
successes on the great river. Between Port Hudson and Vicksburg, the
river was completely under the control of the Confederates; and it was
a powerful gunboat that could hope to navigate that stretch of water
unharmed. Farragut determined to attack Port Hudson, and set the 14th
of March, 1863, as the date for the action.

Port Hudson batteries were perched on a high bluff that overlooks one
of those abrupt curves around which the current of the Mississippi
River sweeps with such terrific force. The heavy guns bore down upon a
point at which the ships would almost inevitably be swept out of their
course by the swift stream, and where the river was filled with
treacherous shifting shoals. Naval officers all agreed that to pass
those batteries was a more difficult task than had been the passage of
the forts below New Orleans; yet Farragut, eager to get at the
stronghold of the foe in Vicksburg, determined to make the attempt.
The mortar-vessels were stationed below to drive the enemy from his
guns with well-directed bombs; while the fleet, led by the stanch old
"Hartford," should make a bold dash up the river.

Night fell upon the scene; and the ships weighed anchor, and started
upon their perilous voyage. To the side of each man-of-war was bound a
gunboat to tow the great vessel out of danger in case of disaster.
Silently the long string of vessels swept upward towards the
batteries; but, as the "Hartford" came into range, the watchful
Confederates gave the alarm, and the nearest battery at once opened
fire. Then from Porter's mortar-schooners far down the river came an
answering roar; and, as