Battle of Mobile Bay

SEPTEMBER 24, 1864.]

HARPER'S WEEKLY.

613

FORT MORGAN JUST AFTER THE SURRENDER, AUGUST 23, 1864.-[SKETCHED BY GEORGE SLATER.]

FARRAGUT OFF MOBILE.

WE give on this, page sketches of Fort Morgan, the Light-house at Fort Morgan, the United States steamer Brooklyn, and the plan of the battle in Mobile Bay. The latter is official, as it is the plan which our artist drew for Admiral FARRAGUT.

The view of Fort Morgan dates just after its surrender. The principal feature of this sketch, as also of those representing the light house and the Brooklyn, is the illustration given of the effects of the battle. If our ordnance wrought havoc in the fort and battered the sides of the light house in the bombardment of August 22, the fire of Fort Morgan

also, in the action on August 5, left its mark upon the vessels of our fleet. Of this the plan of the Brooklyn, given in the accompanying sketch, is a good illustration. The Brooklyn being the leading ship in the action, of course suffered especially. She was struck fifty-nine times in hull, spars, and rigging. She was hulled thirty-five times, and her mainmast was shot through four times. She was also considerably cut up in the port-side. Some shot holes are so situated as not to be shown. Admiral FARRAGUT, being on board of the Brooklyn a few days ago, remarked that he had never seen a ship so much cut up before. The other vessels were injured in proportion to their relative exposure.

THE "BRANDYWINE."

WE give on page 620 a sketch by JAMES S. CONANT, illustrating the destruction of the receiving ship Brandywine by fire at Norfolk Sept. 3, 1864. At 2 1/2 A.M. the alarm was given by the guard to the officer on deck. In a short time the entire hold was a mass of flames. The decks were burned through in several places before the men could be got up with their hammocks. No lives were lost. The destruction of the ship was complete, and none of her stores were saved. The fire is supposed to have originated in some cotton waste brought down a few days previously by the Newbern. This com-

bustible matter communicating with oil and turpentine needed only a spark to ignite, and once on fire it was impossible to save the vessel. The Brandywine was an old line-of-battle ship. She was the vessel which carried LAFAYETTE back to his native country on his second return. She was one of the relics of olden time, now rapidly passing away to give place to the new order of affairs. The loss to the Government, with the stores, amounts to over a million of dollars. There are rumors that the ship was set on fire by the crew, but these are without foundation. The fire broke out in the forehold, and as there was a vigilant guard it was no doubt an accident.

PLAN OF THE BATTLE OF AUGUST 5, 1864.

LIGHT-HOUSE AT FORT MORGAN.-[SKETCHED BY GEORGE SLATER.]

THE " BROOKLYN," SHOWING THE SHOTS RECEIVED ON HER STARBOARD SIDE DURING THE ENGAGEMENT OF AUGUST 5, 1864.