Battle of Forts Jackson and St. Philip
18–28 April 1862, Mississippi River below New Orleans
Union victory; New Orleans falls
Porter's mortar schooners bombarded the two forts for six days. Then, at 3 a.m. on 24 April, Farragut took his fleet through a gap in the river barrier and ran past the forts in the dark, fighting through fire rafts and the Confederate river fleet. Only Varuna was sunk; about twelve Confederate vessels were destroyed. New Orleans, the South's largest city, surrendered, and the cut-off forts gave up a few days later.
Read more on WikipediaUnited States Navy
38 ships, 2 lost
Confederate States Navy
4+ ships, 3 lost
Map
Farragut runs up the Mississippi April 1862