Assaulting Forts St. Philip and Jackson On The Mississippi
After a month preparing for the assault, the schooners moved upstream to carefully selected positions and opened fire on Fort St. Philip and Fort Jackson, New Orleans’ main protection from attack from the sea. Matthew Vassar operated in the 2d Division of Commander David Porter's Mortar Flotilla during the 6 day cannonade. On the night of 24 April the bombardment rose to a mighty crescendo as Flag Officer David Farragut fought his strong fleet past the forts to capture the South’s largest and wealthiest city. This bold stroke deprived the Confederacy of her most productive industrial center, tightened the Union blockade, and raised hope of restoring the entire Mississippi Valley to the Federal Government. When he was barely behind the forts, Farragut dashed off a word of thanks to Porter:
- “You supported us most nobly.”
Read more about this topic: USS Matthew Vassar (1861)
Famous quotes containing the words assaulting, forts, jackson and/or mississippi:
“We can slide it
Rapidly backwards and forwards: we call this
Easing the spring. And rapidly backwards and forwards
The early bees are assaulting and fumbling the flowers:
They call it easing the Spring.”
—Henry Reed (1914–1986)
“Charge once more, then, and be dumb!
Let the victors, when they come,
When the forts of folly fall,
Find thy body by the wall!”
—Matthew Arnold (1822–1888)
“In England the judges should have independence to protect the people against the crown. Here the judges should not be independent of the people, but be appointed for not more than seven years. The people would always re-elect the good judges.”
—Andrew Jackson (1767–1845)
“Mississippi: I told you I was no good with a gun.
Bull: The trouble is Doc, Cole was in front of the gun. The safe place is behind Mississippi when he shoots that thing.”
—Leigh Brackett (1915–1978)