May 4th. Commences with clear and pleasant weather; at one-thirty A. M., lights reported coming down the Mississippi river; the rattle was sprung, calling crew to quarters; soon however, signals were exchanged between us and the approaching vessels, each vessel making her number by means of displaying different colored lights, by means of which we ascertained their names. They proved to be a portion of Rear-Admiral Porter’s fleet of iron-clads, having but lately run the gauntlet of the Vicksburg batteries, under a tremendous fire from the enemy, and still later engaged the rebel fortifications at Grand Gulf, and with the aid of some of our forces under General Grant drove the rebels out of the same, making many prisoners and taking possession of the place; as they passed on clown and rounded our stern, the excitement on board the old sea-dog Hartford was more than I can describe. These western iron-clads are very queer looking specimens of river craft. The above-noticed iron-clads and gunboats proved to be the Benton, (Flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Porter), Pittsburgh, LaFayette, ram General Sterling Price, and tug-boat Ivy; the ram Switzerland accompanied them down.
The Ivy, tender to the Benton, came alongside of us, and Rear-Admiral D. D. Porter came on board to communicate with Admiral Farragut. Clear and pleasant, but rather warm weather; all the forenoon of this day employed supplying iron-clads Benton and Pittsburgh, and LaFayette with ammunition; received a mail on board; at three P. M., Admiral Porter’s fleet of vessels, with him in charge, got under way, rounded our stern, and entered the mouth of Red river, ram Switzerland taking the lead, intending before returning to clear out this stream of all obstructions placed in the way of the free navigation of same by the rebels, and accomplish the capture of Alexandria; at four P. M., the gunboat Albatross returned from reconnoissance up Red river; she anchored ahead of us; her Captain came on board with the information that they had had a fight in the morning with the rebels, a short distance from the mouth of the river, at a battery called Fort De Russy, and had two men killed in the action, which lasted about an hour, and had her wheel shot away; one of the parties killed was a Mr. Hamilton, a pilot of this ship. The Albatross was successful in putting a shot through the boilers of a rebel steamboat, from which an explosion took place, and a large number of the enemy were scalded beyond recovery, their awful cries of agony and for help pierced the hearts of many of the brave tars on board the Albatross, causing a feeling of sympathy for the poor fellows. The Albatross, I must not omit to say in closing this, could not get nearer to this battery than five hundred yards, on account of a barrier or raft of logs obstructing the navigation of the river at this place, constructed by the rebels. About five P. M., Mr. J. Hamilton’s body was received on board from gunboat Albatross; also the steering wheel of same vessel in a badly damaged condition; and I will here remark the shot which struck this wheel knocked over a bale or more of cotton, which was used as a barricade around it, upon our pilot, causing such injuries internally that lie died therefrom.
