"Daring and desperate attack- surprise and capture of the United States gunboat <em>Harriet Lane</em> by the Confederates under General Magruder, and destruction of the flagship <em>Westfield</em>, in Galveston Harbor, Tex., January 1st, 1863. About two o'clock in the morning of January 1st, 1863, the Federal gunboats were attacked by five Confederate steamers, protected by double rows of bales of cotton, and loaded with troops armed with rifles, muskets, etc. The <em>Harriet Lane</em> was captured by boarding, after about all her officers, including Captain Wainwright and Lieutenant Commander Lee, and a crew of 130, all told, had been killed by muskettry from the Confederate steamers. The gunboats <em>Clifton</em> and <em>Owasco</em> were engaged and escaped, the former losing no men and but one wounded. The <em>Owasco</em> lost one killed and fifteen wounded. Two barks, loaded with coal, fell into the hands of the Confederates. The <em>Westfield</em> (flagship, Commodore Renshaw) was not engaged, being ashore in another channel. Her crew were transferred to transports, and Commodore Renshaw, fearing she would fall into the hands of the Confederates, blew her up. By some mismanagement or accident the exploion took place before a boat containing Commodore Renshaw, First Lieutenant Zimmerman and the boat's crew got away, and they were blown up with the ship. The Confederate force was estimated at 5,000, under the command of General Magruder. The Federal land force, under the command of Colonel Burrill, of Masschusetts, did not exceed 300, the residue not having disembarked at the time of the fight. The Federal loss was 160 killed and 200 taken prisoners. The navy suffered the most. The Confederate loss was much greater, as the Federal guns were firing grape and canister continually in their midst."&mdash; Frank Leslie, 1896

Harriet Lane

"Daring and desperate attack- surprise and capture of the United States gunboat Harriet Lane

"Destruction of the famous Confederate privateer <em>Nashville</em>, in the Ogeechee River, Ga., by the Federal ironclad <em>Montauk</em>, Captain Worden, February 28th, 1863. Captain Worden's report: 'The enemy's steamer <em>Nashville</em> was observed by me in motion above the battery known as for McAllister. A reconnoissance immediately made proved that in moving up the river she had grounded in that part known as Seven' Miles Reach. Believing that I could, by approaching close to the battery, reach and destroy her, I moved up at daylight this morning, accompanied by the blockading fleet in these waters. By moving up close to the obstructions I was enabled, although under a very heavy fire from the battery, to appraoch the <em>Nashville</em> still aground, within the distance of twelve hundred yards. A few well-directed shells determined the range, and I soon succeeded in striking her with 11-inch and 15-inch shells. The other gunboats maintained a fire from an enfilading position upon the battery and the <em>Nashville</em> at long range. I soon had the satisfaction of observing that the <em>Nashville</em> had caught fire from the shells xploding in her in several places, and in less than twenty minutes she was caught in flames forward, aft and amidships. At 9:20 A. M. a large pivot gun mounted abaft her foremast exploded from the heat; at 9:40 her smoke chimney went by the board, and at 9:55 her magazine exploded with terrific violence, shattering her in smoking ruins. nothing remains of her. The battery kept up a continuous fire upon this vessel, striking her but five times, and doing no damage whatever.'"&mdash; Frank Leslie, 1896

Destruction of Nashville

"Destruction of the famous Confederate privateer Nashville, in the Ogeechee River, Ga., by…