than by the brave fellows who did the work. The forts are powerful works, out of the reach of ships, and on high hills, plunging their shot through the upper deck, and the river is so narrow that only one vessel could engage them until the torpedoes could all be removed. The old war-horse (Benton) retained her ancient renown, and, though much cut up, is ready for any thing. Gwin there is little hope for: no man could

live with such a wound. He is a noble, gallant fellow. I have him in my cabin, and do all I can for him; his sufferings are terrible.

"The same day the army made an assault on the forts back of Vicksburg; it was a fearful place they went through, with double their number opposed to them. They drove the rebels like sheep, who fired into their own fugitives, and knocked them over like nine-pins. That helped our party some; but our reserve (a new regiment) fired into our own troops while they were going to the batteries, and the supporting brigade did not come up to the scratch. The men on the batteries were cut off by the rebels when they saw them unsupported, and were cut to pieces. We lost fifteen hundred men in about ten minutes. Vicksburg was at one time ours, but we had not men enough to repeat the experiment. The result has been, in two days Vicksburg has been reinforced by twenty thousand men from Grenada, and ten thousand from Jackson, and we can do nothing until reinforced. In front, Vicksburg is unassailable, as it is fortified in every direction with the best of guns. I don't know what the army will do now.

"McClernand has just arrived, and will take command. Our plan was for Sherman to arrive here on the 25th, while Grant pushed on to Canton with fifty thousand men, to come in on the rear of Vicksburg. Grant has not been heard from, and it was deemed necessary to attack Vicksburg before it could be reinforced; now it will take a large army to capture it. The rivers are all too low for the Navy to operate with any thing but light-draft boats, but in a month we will begin to have water. The old iron-clads are all breaking down; but in two months I expect to get some of the new ones, which are pretty good vessels. I have to send away four vessels to-morrow, in consequence of fears entertained by some generals about invasion. Don't be astonished at the list of darkies I send you. I could get no white men, so I work them in. They do first-rate, and behave far better than their masters. Give my kindest regards to Mrs. F., and believe me very sincerely yours, DAVID D. PORTER.

"Rear-Admiral Andrew H. Foote, U. S. N., Chief of Bureau

of Equipment and Recruits, Washington, D. C."

Presentation of a Sword.

361

In the month of May, 1862, Commodore Foote received a note from a number of gentlemen in Brooklyn, N. Y., signifying their desire to present him a sword as a token of personal esteem and of admiration for his public services, and requested him to name a time for the presentation. About the middle of the following September the presentation took place in the Brooklyn Athenæum, in the presence of many distinguished naval officers and of a brilliant assembly of citizens. The sword was ornamented with devices having reference to the exploits of our hero in various parts of the world.* In

* The sword was an elegant one, having cost $3500. It is thus described: "The pummel represents a golden hemisphere, studded with stars, on which rest branches of olive and oak, beneath a group of trophies. The guard, which is part of the chief feature of the whole, contains a bassorelievo of Neptune returning triumphant on his car. The figure of Neptune, bold and spirited, stands in his car, leaning upon his trident; at his feet are the spoils of victory. Two vigorous horses draw the car of the god, attended by sea-nymphs and tritons blowing trumpets. This bassorelievo is encircled by open scroll-work, forming a rich and harmonious arrangement of lines, the effect of which is exceedingly pleasing. At the bottom of the guard is a boldly modeled head of a dolphin. On the scabbard are a series of relievos, illustrating some of the prominent exploits of the bold sailor to whom this was given. First is exhibited Foote's bombardment of Chinese forts, with appropriate ornamental emblems and scenery. The second exhibits skillful and daring operations in the bombardment of Island No. Ten, wherein the uncouth mortarboats are wrought out in great perfection-the slanting sides, smokestacks, port-holes, etc., of the bomb-ketches being set forth with great accuracy. There are also various incidents of operations on the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers. Lower down are emblematic allusions to Foote's experience on the African coast. The following inscription is cut on the scabbard in beautiful characters: 'Presented by the citizens of Brooklyn to Flag-Officer Andrew H. Foote, as a testimonial of their high personal regard, of their appreciation of his eminent professional character, distinguished public services, and moral influence in a long career of active duty; and especially of his efficiency in the suppression of the slave-trade on the coast of Africa; his gallant conduct in the destruction of the Barrier Forts in China; his masterly skill and energy in the creation of a flotilla, and of his brilliant and intrepid bombardment therewith of the rebel fortifications of the Tennessee, the Cumberland, and the Mississippi.' The sword-blade is richly covered with artistic designs, and

his reply to the address which was made to him he made reference to those scenes represented upon the sword, saying, among other things, that "the difficulties of creating the flotilla-the days and nights of mental agony in its preparation -rendered the subsequent fighting, speaking comparatively, a pleasant episode;" and he closed his speech with these words, which were received with great applause:

"Again, then, I thank you for this beautiful sword, which I shall ever regard as a personal gift of friends who have elevated and ennobled the walks of civil life. I shall carefully preserve it. I shall endeavor to be worthy of it. And I shall hope to transmit it to my latest posterity as an evidence of your friendship and appreciation, and as an inducement to them to be faithful in vindicating our glorious Union, and the supremacy of the Constitution and the laws-at home and abroad-against internal and external enemies. I will wield it for the whole country against any state-aye, even the State of New York or Connecticut-should either prove recreant in attempting to withdraw their star-the emblem of their state-from the blue union of our glorious old flag.

"To this end I pray that I may be enabled to act as faithfully in the future as I humbly hope I have done in the past-when meeting our enemies in the East, as in my efforts toward crushing this atrocious rebellion in the South. I say this atrocious rebellion; and is it not an atrocious rebellion, when the South is presenting the mournful spectacle to the civilized world of having voluntarily gone into the election of the Presidency as prescribed by the Constitution, and, finding itself in the minority, attempts to rule or ruin the government it had, in common with the North, fought to establish?

"The occasion and circumstances have led me to revert to past scenes and personal services. Having done this, permit me, in this solemn crisis, to add that a glorious future is assuredly open to us and to our country, under Providence, on the condition that the entire loyal North immediately arises in its might, laying aside all other considerations, and concentrates its power to the work of crushing this monster rebellion finally and forever."

near the hilt, surrounded with graceful scroll-work, is the motto-'Ducit amor patriæ.""

Sword Presentation.

363

One of the papers of the day, in its account of this affair,

says:

66 As soon as the noble sailor made his appearance, the audience arose and gave cheer upon cheer, waving their hats and handkerchiefs with a patriotic enthusiasm seldom witnessed. Admiral Foote is not only a good fighter, but an eloquent impromptu speaker, with a full, rich voice, and a ready command of language. In person, he is of ordinary stature, well built, with plump limbs and square shoulders. He has dark brown hair, not silvered enough to be noticed; but his whiskers are well frosted. His head is finely developed, and when he speaks his eyes flash with electric fire. When he raised the beautiful sword and wielded it, saying, 'I will draw this sword in defense of the Union and the Constitution and the country,' the spell-bound audience broke forth in demonstrations of applause."

PUBLIC honors were quickly followed by a deep family affliction, the death of the admiral's two youngest daughters, Emily Frederica and Maria Eudocia, within ten days of each other. The first of these was a little blind girl, whom her father regarded with a peculiar tenderness, always asking when he came into the house, before he spoke with any one else, "Where is my little Emily?" The second was a lovely child of seven years of age; and thus, within six months, three children were taken from him. The letters of sympathy which came from men overwhelmed with great public cares do honor to their writers' hearts. Admiral Joseph Smith, before little Maria had died, prays that "Petite" may be spared to her father; and as the following letter has relation also to the movements and plans of the subject of this memoir, we here give it in full:

"WASHINGTON, October 15, 1862.

"MY DEAR SIR,-Admiral Smith submitted to me your note to him announcing your affliction, and has doubtless written you my desire that you would, under this dispensation, take your own time and your own way to resume your duties.

"Believe me, my dear sir, I most deeply sympathize with you as a friend and parent, for I also have been bereaved, having five times followed to the grave those who, in the course of nature, I had anticipated would have done me that sad office.

"The sufferings and death of our children are hard to endure, and our consolation is not of this world when such sorrows are upon us. To Him