[Footnote: Steamers, ships, vast quantities of cotton, etc., were burned by the order of the governor of Louisiana, and the military commander of the Confederate States, to prevent their falling into Federal hands. Pollard says: "No sooner had the Federal fleet turned the point and come within sight of the city, than the work of destruction commenced. Vast columns of smoke darkened the face of heaven and obscured the noonday sun; for five miles along the levee fierce flames darted through the lurid atmosphere. Great ships and steamers wrapped in fire floated down the river, threatening the Federal vessels with destruction. Fifteen thousand bales of cotton, worth one million and a half of dollars, were consumed. About a dozen large river steamboats, twelve or fifteen ships, a great floating battery, several unfinished gunboats, the immense ram Mississippi, and the docks on the other side of the river, were all embraced in the fiery sacrifice.">[
[Illustration: VIEW OF NEW ORLEANS.]
BURNSIDE'S EXPEDITION AGAINST ROANOKE ISLAND
Was an important step toward the enforcement of the blockade. The Confederate forts were captured, and the ships destroyed. Newbern—an excellent seaport—Elizabeth City, and, finally, Fort Macon, at the entrance to Beaufort harbor, were taken. Thus all the coast of North Carolina, with its intricate network of water communication, fell into the Union hands.
[Footnote: Roanoke Island, the scene of Raleigh's colonization scheme, was the key to the rear defences of Norfolk "It unlocked two sounds, eight rivers, four canals, and two railroads" It controlled largely the transmission of supplies to that region afforded an excellent harbor and a convenient rendezvous for ships, and exposed a country to attack]
FLORIDA AND GEORGIA EXPEDITIONS.—After its capture in the autumn of 1861, Port Royal became the base of operations against Florida and Georgia. Fernandina, Fort Clinch, Jacksonville, Darien, and St. Augustine, were taken. Fort Pulaski, also, was reduced after a severe bombardment, and thus the port of Savannah was closed. At the end of the year every city of the Atlantic sea-coast, except Savannah and Charleston, was held by the Federal armies.
THE MERRIMAC AND THE MONITOR.—About noon, March 8, the long-looked-for iron-clad Merrimac, convoyed by a fleet of small vessels, steamed into Hampton Roads. Steering directly for the sloop-of-war Cumberland, whose terrific broadsides glanced harmlessly "like so many peas" from the Merrimac's iron roof, she struck her squarely with her iron beak, making a hole large enough for a man to enter. The Cumberland, with all on board, went down.
[Footnote: As the Cumberland sank, the crew continued to work their guns until the vessel plunged beneath the sea. Her flag was never struck, but floated above the water from the mast-head after she had gone down. ]
[Footnote: When the United States navy-yard at Norfolk was given up, the steam-frigate Merrimac, the finest in the service, was scuttled. The Confederates afterward raised this vessel, razed the deck, and added an iron prow and a sloping roof made of railroad iron. The ship thus prepared looked not unlike a great house sunk in the water to the eaves. The Federals knew that the Merrimac was fitting for battle, and her coming was eagerly expected. ]
Warned by the fate of the Cumberland, the captain of the frigate Congress ran his vessel ashore, but the Merrimac, taking a position astern, fired shells into the frigate till the helpless crew were forced to surrender. At sunset, the Merrimac returned to Norfolk, awaiting, the next day, an easy victory over the rest of the Union fleet. All was delight and anticipation among the Confederates; all was dismay and dismal foreboding among the Federals. That night the Monitor arrived in harbor.