he
Mississippi, for supplies. Holding Red River from them is a great step
in the direction of preventing this, but it will not entirely accomplish
the object. New Carthage (twenty miles below Vicksburg, on the west
bank) should be held, and it seems to me that in addition we should have
sufficient vessels below to patrol the whole river from Warrenton (ten
miles below Vicksburg) to the Red River. I will have a consultation with
Admiral Porter on this subject. I am happy to say the admiral and myself
have never yet disagreed upon any policy." In the absence of Porter,
General Ellet determined to send down two of the Ellet rams, which made
their dash on the morning of March 25, displaying all the daring, but
unfortunately also much of the recklessness, which characterized that
remarkable family. Starting near dawn, on a singularly clear night, they
were surprised by daylight still under fire. One, being very rotten, was
shattered to pieces by a shell exploding her boilers. The other was
disabled, also by a shell in the boilers, but, being stronger, drifted
down with the current and reached Farragut safely. She was soon
repaired, and was an addition to his force.

While lying below Vicksburg the admiral transferred to Porter's care,
for passage north by the Mississippi River, his son and only child, who
had been with him since the summer stay in Pensacola. They had passed
the batteries at Port Hudson together, the bearing of the boy in that
hot contest approving itself to the father, who, despite his anxiety,
could not bring himself to accept the surgeon's suggestion to send him
below, out of harm's way. "I am trying to make up my mind to part with
Loyall," he wrote to his wife, "and to let him go home by way of Cairo.
I am too devoted a father to have my son with me in troubles of this
kind. The anxieties of a father should not be added to those of the
commander."

On the 27th of March the Hartford started again down river, accompanied
by the Albatross and the Ellet ram Switzerland. On the 2d of April the
little squadron anchored off the mouth of the Red River, having on its
passage down again destroyed a number of skiffs and flat-boats used for
transporting stores. Warned by the fate of the Indianola, the admiral
left nothing undone to ensure the absolute safety of the flag-ship; for,
though her powerful armament and numerous crew gave her a great
superiority over any number of river vessels, granting her room to
manoe