Cruise of the U.S. Flag-Ship Hartford. – From the Personal Journal of Wm. C. Holton.

June 1st. Commences calm and pleasant; firing of musketry this morning heard at Port Hudson; in fact no day has passed since the investment of this rebel stronghold and siege of same commenced, but what more or less bombarding of it has been going on by our army and naval forces, and skirmishing with their pickets, &c.; at nine o’clock this morning inspected crew at quarters; this duty is performed every day at this hour, unless engaged in combat with the enemy, or important work is going on in the ship, calling all hands to perform their share of the labor; from eight P. M., to midnight, mortar vessels, or bombers, below, shelling the batteries at Port Hudson.