current, until the Hartford and Brooklyn coming up quickly silenced the
enemy with their heavy broadsides, while the Pensacola cared for the
hostile works on the opposite bank in like manner. The fleet then kept
on without further obstruction, and arrived and anchored off the city
about noon; finding the levee along its entire length aflame with
burning cotton, coal, ships, steamboats, and other property the
infuriated enemy had devoted to destruction.

The loss to the fleet in this daring and brilliant feat had been
thirty-seven killed and one hundred and thirty-seven wounded.

It is needless to say that Lieutenant Perkins not only received high
commendation from Captain Bailey and Lieutenant-Commanding Harrison, but
won the praise and admiration of all on board and in the fleet, by the
coolness and intrepidity shown by him in every emergency of the fight
and passage up the river.

The first tidings received in Washington foreshadowing the success of
the attack was through rebel telegrams announcing, "one of the enemy's
gunboats"--the Cayuga--"above the forts." Some question subsequently
arose between Bailey and Farragut as to the Cayuga's position in the
passage, which in the diagrams accompanying the official reports
contradicted the text, putting the Cayuga third instead of first in the
van. Farragut cheerfully made the correction.

Soon after anchoring, Bailey was ordered to go on shore and demand the
unconditional surrender of the city, and he asked Lieutenant Perkins to
accompany him. This duty was almost as dangerous and conspicuous as the
passage of the forts had been, for an infuriated and insolent mob
followed them from the landing to the mayor's office, and while there