once. The first division of 4,000,
under Major-General Franklin, sailed from New Orleans on the 5th of
September. Commodore Henry H. Bell, commanding the Western Gulf
Squadron in the absence of Farragut, detailed the gunboats Clifton,
Sachem, Arizona, and Granite City to accompany the expedition,
Lieutenant Frederick Crocker of the Clifton being senior officer. With
the exception of the Clifton they were all of very light armament, but
were the only available vessels of sufficiently small draught, the
naval-built gunboats of the Cayuga class drawing too much water to
cross the bar.

The transports arrived off the Pass on the morning of the 7th, the
gunboats coming in the same evening. The next morning at eight the
Clifton, followed soon after by the other gunboats and the transports,
crossed the bar and anchored inside about two miles from the fort. At
3.30 P.M. the Clifton, Sachem, and Arizona advanced to attack the
works. At four the Sachem received a shot in her boilers and was at
once enveloped in steam. A few minutes later the Clifton grounded and
also was struck in the boilers, but kept up her fire for twenty or
thirty minutes longer; then both the disabled vessels hauled down
their flags. The army now abandoned the expedition, and the transports
with the remaining gunboats withdrew during the night. In this
unfortunate affair the Clifton lost 10 killed and 9 wounded, the
Sachem 7 killed, the wounded not being given. There were 39 missing
from the two vessels, many of whom were drowned.

The hopes of success being dependent upon a surprise, this route was
now abandoned. Banks entertained for a little while the idea of
advancing from Berwick Bay by land, crossing the Sabine at Niblett's
Bluff; but the length of the communication and difficulty of the
country deterred him. The Red River Route would not be available
before the spring rise. To carry out the wish of the Government he
next determined to land at the extreme end of the Texas coast line,
near the Rio Grande, and work his way to the eastward. A force of
3,500 men, under General Dana, was organized for this expedition,
which sailed from New Orleans on the 26th of October, Banks himself
going with it. The transports were convoyed by the ships-of-war
Monongahela, Owasco, and Virginia, Captain James H. Strong of the
Monongahela being senior officer. The fleet was somewhat scattered by
a norther on the 30th, but on the 2d of November a landing was made on
Br