ut received his orders on January 20,
1862, and on February 3d sailed from Hampton Roads. Arriving at Ship
Island on February 20th, he organized the West Gulf Blockading
Squadron, and in spite of difficulties of all sorts--the delay in
forwarding coal, naval stores, hospital stores, ammunition, etc., the
labor of getting vessels drawing twenty-two feet over the bars at Pass
L'Outre and Southwest Pass, where the depth was but twelve and fifteen
feet, the ignorance and stupidity of some of the officers, and every
other obstacle he had to encounter--made steady progress. The
difficulties were not all surmounted until April 18th, when the
bombardment of Fort Jackson, the lowermost of the two forts defending
the passage of the Mississippi, was commenced. These forts were
seventy-five miles below New Orleans and possessed great strength. A
continuous bombardment was maintained for six days, by which the forts
were considerably damaged, but they still held out stoutly. A heavy
iron chain had been stretched across the river, supported by large
logs, to obstruct the passage of vessels, and was placed at a point
where the fire of the two forts could be most effectively
concentrated. Above this chain lay the rebel fleet of sixteen gunboats
and two iron-clad rams. Along the banks of the river were land
batteries, mounting several guns each.

Finding that the forts were not likely to yield to the bombardment,
Flag-officer Farragut called a council of war, and after hearing
their opinions, which were somewhat discordant, issued his general
order of April 20th, in which the spirit of the hero gleams out. This
was his language: "The flag-officer having heard all the opinions
expressed by the different commanders, is of the opinion _that
whatever is to be done will have to be done quickly_. When, in the
opinion of the flag-officer, the propitious time has arrived, the
signal will be made to weigh, and advance to the conflict.... He will
make the signal for close action, _and abide the result--conquer or be
conquered_."

After further and severe bombardment of the forts, the flag-officer
gave notice to the steam-vessels of the squadron, of his determination
to break the chain and run past the forts, engage the rebel fleet, and
having defeated it, ascend the river to New Orleans, and capture that
city. It was a most daring movement. The chain had previously been
broken, and the mortar-vessels moved up and anchored ready to pour in
thei