Note THE RIVER FIGHT — Chapter VI

Page 468. The River Fight. The fleet which Farragut took upon this desperate venture consisted of nine gunboats and eight sloops of war. The defences of New Orleans were of the most formidable kind, the river being guarded by Forts Jackson and St. Philip, mounting 116 guns, and by a strong fleet of gunboats and ironclads, under command of Commodore J. K. Mitchell. The river was also barred by a great raft thrown across it under the guns of the forts, and a large number of long flatboats, filled with pine knots, were held in readiness by the Confederates to be fired and sent down the swift current into the midst of the Union fleet. In spite of all this, after the terrific fight was over, it was found that the Union loss was only thirty-seven killed and one hundred and forty-seven wounded. The Confederate loss was never accurately determined.