4. the capture of New-Orleans.
by William Densmore, U. S.N.
Come, all you Union-loving men, wherever you may be,I hope you'll pay attention now, and listen unto me,
Concerning of a gallant ship, the Brooklyn is her name,
Which name deserves to be engraved upon the list of fame.
'Twas in December, sixty-one, as you shall understand,
Secession's gloom had overcast Columbia's happy land;
The Brooklyn left the Delaware, her mettle for to try,
With Louisiana's rebel fleet, whose boast was very high.
Tom Craven was our captain's name, as you shall understand,
As brave a naval officer as any in the land;
With Lowry for our first luff, the Brooklyn she did steer
Down through the Gulf of Mexico for every privateer.
It was in the month of April, the fleet being all complete
That was to capture New-Orleans, the rebels to defeat;
From Pilotstown the fleet steamed up, resolved not to return
Until the Louisiana fleet we'd sink, destroy, and burn.
The rebels they were well prepared their city to defend;
From bank to bank, between two forts, a chain they did extend;
Fort Philip with its eighty guns, well counterscarped all round,
While Jackson with one hundred more upon the left-hand frowned.
With battering-rams, and fire-rafts, and all the gunboat fleet,
The rebels they were well prepared the Union tars to meet;
With sand and floating batteries, upon the river-side,
Bold Duncan in Fort Jackson brave Farragut defied.
On the twenty-fourth of April, before the break of day,
The Hartford, being flag-ship, then a red light did display;
The light was seen throughout the fleet, then up went cheer on cheer,
The Union fleet got under weigh, and for the Forts did steer.
As we went round the point of land that brought the Forts in sight,
From rifled guns, with shot and shell, they soon commenced the fight;
The Hartford she stood boldly up — the Brooklyn, where was she?
But look right under Jackson's guns, its Black Jack there you'll see!
The rebel shot flew thick and hot, the Brooklyn she was there;
Tom Craven, he is on the poop — she's in his special care;
Bold Lowry says, “We'll beat our foes and then we'll give three cheers;”
Our first broadside like thunder roared, which banished all our fears.
Courage! undaunted Brooklyn's crew, your hour is nigh at hand,
Brave Lowry on the quarter-deck says by you he will stand,
And if by chance the Brooklyn sinks between those Forts to-night,
Our Flag shall be the last thing seen when she goes out of sight.
[3] The rebels well supplied their guns, and Duncan he did say:
“There is the Brooklyn close to us, so at her fire away,
And if you sink that ship to-night the others all will run,
And then our Louisiana fleet will capture every one.”
What is that dreadful noise we hear? Like thunder it does roar.
The Hartford has got up in range, and in the grape does pour;
The Pensacola on the right, the Richmond comes up too,
And with their nine-inch shot and shell they breach Fort Philip through.
The gunboats follow quickly up, and send in grape in turn,
While close on board the Brooklyn a fire-raft does burn;
The Hartford's now all in a blaze, for joy the rebels shout,
The Brooklyn drops and covers her — the fire it is put out.
The chain being cut the, night before, the Union fleet goes through;
The rebel fleet above the Forts then tries to bring us to;
The battering-ram comes down to us — Old Tom sees her approach--
The Brooklyn's head sheers off to port, alongside she does broach.
The Mississippi now comes up, to have a little fun,
The ram declines a butting match, and from her tries to run;
The good old ship manoeuvred round, and, when she got in reach,
She hits the ram between the eyes and rams her on the beach.
Full twenty gunboats they did have when first the fight begun,
In less than twenty minutes we sunk them every one!
The Union fleet now gives three cheers and up the river steams,
With nothing to oppose them till they get near New-Orleans.
The Chalmette's batteries next we take — the river now is clear--
We spike their guns, and give three cheers, and for the city steer;
From each mast-head throughout the fleet the Stars and Stripes do fly,
The city's ours, the fleet comes to, and off it we do lie.
So here's success to Farragut and all the Union fleet,
Which by their bold, undaunted pluck the rebels did defeat;
A grateful country long will mourn the loss of those who fell
Defending of their country's flag from traitors' shot and shell.
And here's to brave McClellan, he'll break secession's coil,
And only one flag soon shall wave upon Columbia's soil;
He'll beat the rebel forces wherever they may be,
The Union still shall be preserved we'll let all nations see.
So to conclude, there's one thing more I'd have you understand,
Our ship, she's always ready with secesh to try her hand;
And when the war is over we'll all go North once more,
Having bravely done our duty in the Brooklyn sloop-of-war.
U. S. S. Brooklyn.
