University of Virginia Library

7. PART VII. ON DECK

89. Attack on Fort Fisher
By ROBLEY D. EVANS (1865)

ADMIRAL PORTER assumed command in November, and at once began assembling a powerful fleet. Every preparation was made for active service. Boilers and machinery were overhauled, magazines, shell-rooms, and storehouses replenished, and constant target practice was had with all guns. By the end of November the largest fleet ever seen under the American flag was assembled in Hampton Roads, all classes, from the largest monitor to the smallest gunboat, being represented. Our destination was a secret, carefully guarded; but we surmised from what was taking place that some important move was contemplated, and in this we were not mistaken. It was evident from the daily target practice that the Admiral meant we should hit something when the time for action came, and the landing of the men on the beach for drill was an indication of possible shore service.

Early in December the troop ships arrived— thirteen thousand men under General B. F. Butler

and still our destination was a secret. Toward the middle of Decemer all our preparations had been completed, and we put to sea under sealed orders.

Before leaving Fortress Monroe, General Butler had proposed a powder boat, by the explosion of which he hoped seriously to injure the forts on Federal Point, including Fort Fisher. Indeed he was confident that he would dismount most of the guns and level the works. An old steamer, the Georgiana, had been loaded with several hundred tons of powder, and turned over to the navy to explode at the proper spot. A crew of volunteers had her in charge, and on the evening of December 24, took her in for the final act of her career. No man in the navy believed for a moment that she would do much harm, but none of us anticipated how little injury would come from the explosion.

At eleven o'clock that night Admiral Porter steamed about the fleet in his flagship, the sidewheeled steamer Malvern, and made signal: "Powder boat will blow up at 1.30 A.M. Be prepared to get under way, and stand in to engage the fort! "After that there was no sleep for any one; we stood and watched and waited as the hours slowly dragged by. Half-past one came and no explosion, and we were fearful of some mishap; but just as the bells struck two o'clock it came. First came a gentle vibration, then the masts and spars shook as if they would come down about our cars; and then came the low rumble like distant thunder, while the sky to the westward was lighted up for a few seconds, and then great masses of powder smoke hung over the land like thunder clouds. Surely the powder boat had blown up, and as the fleet rapidly formed for battle

there was great curiosity everywhere to see what the effect had been.

At daylight we. were heading in for the fort, and almost in range, when we saw General Butler's flagship coming in at full speed, heading straight at Fort Fisher, which looked to us very grim and strong and totally uninjured. 'Everything was very quiet until the General got fairly within range, when there was a flash from the fort and a prolonged roar, and all

the guns on the face of that work opened on his ship. If he had had any notion that he could land unopposed he was quickly undeceived, and the way that ship turned and got off shore spoke well for the energy of her fire-room force! The last we saw of her she was running cast as fast as her engines could carry her. The powder boat had proved a failure, and the General was grievously disappointed. A rebel newspaper reported that a Yankee gunboat had blown up on the beach and all hands lost.

We bad been up many of us all night and our only breakfast had been coffee and hard-tack. As we approached our position, Commodore Schenck sent me aloft with a pair of glasses to locate, if possible, some guns that were annoying him. It was a raw cold morning, and I had on a short double-breasted coat, in the pockets of which I had stowed several pieces of hard-tack. When I had taken my place in the mizzen rigging, just below the top, I put the corner of a hard-tack in my mouth, and was holding it between my teeth while I looked through the glasses for the guns. I caught them at once, and saw gunners train one of them around until I could only see the muzzle of it, which interested me because I knew it was pointing directly at us. There was a puff of smoke, something like a lamp-post crossed the field of the glass, and a moment after the rigging was cut four feet below me, and I swung into the mast. I at once thought of my hard-tack, but it was gone, and I never found even a crumb of it. I am sure that I swallowed it whole. When I had reported what I had made out of the battery, I was directed to lay down from aloft to my station, which was in charge of the after division of the guns; but I hesitated to do so, because my knees were shaking, and I was afraid the men would see it. However, I had to come down, and as soon as I reached the deck, I stood up and looked at my legs, and was greatly relieved to find that they did not show the nervous tremor which worried me so. I soon forgot all abou it as I became interested and warmed up to my work.

We had only eighteen inches of water under us when we finally anchored and began firing rapidly in

obedience to signal from the Admiral. There was a wreck of a blockade-runner between us and the battery at which we were to fire, and it was evident that this had been used as a target and that the range was well known. One or two shots were fired in line with it, each one coming closer to us, and then they struck us with a ten-inch shot. Four more followed, each one striking nearly in the same place, on the bends forward of the starboard wheel, and going through on to the berth deck. Then for some reason the shot and shell began going over us, striking the water thirty or forty feet away. Probably the gunners on shore could not see the splash of these shots, and thought they were striking us. If they had not changed their range when they did they would have sunk us in an hour. As it was, we hauled out at sundown, pretty well hammered, and leaking so that we had to shift all our guns to port in order to stop the shot holes.

We had damaged the fort to the extent of dismounting some of the guns and burning the barracks and officers' quarters. When the whole line was fairly engaged the sight was magnificent, and never to be forgotten by those who saw it. No fort had ever before been subjected to such a fire, and the garrison could only make a feeble response; most of them were driven into the bomb-proofs, where they remained till we hauled off for the night. The heaviest losses on our side had been caused by the bursting of the one-hundred pound Parrott rifles ; thirty-five or forty men had beer. killed or wounded in this way.

90. The Man Who made the Monitor
By ADMIRAL DAVID PORTER (1863)

WHILE I was fitting out the mortar flotilla, "Ericsson's iron pot " was approaching completion, and I received orders from the Navy Department to make a critical examination of the vessel and report my opinion of her capabilities. After this duty was accomplished I was ordered to proceed to Mystic, Connecticut, and examine the Galena, a wooden vessel sheathed with iron plates, building there under the supervision of Commodore Joseph Smith.

Arriving at New York, I called on Mr. Ericsson and showed him my orders. He read them, looked at me attentively, and said: "Well, you are no doubt a great mathematician, and know all about the calculations which enter into the construction of my vessel. You will have many papers to examine; help yourself, and take what you like best."

"I am no great mathematician,"I replied, "but I am a practical man, and think I can ascertain whether or not the Monitor will do what is promised for her."

"Ah, yes! "exclaimed Ericsson, "a practical man! Well, I've bad a dozen of those fellows here already, and they went away as wise as they came. I don't want practical men sent here, sir. I want men who understand the higher mathematics that are used in the construction of my vessel—men who can work out the displacements, horse-power, impregnability, endurance at sea in a gale, capacity to stow men, the motion of the vessel according to the waves, her stability

as a platform for guns, her speed, actual weight—in short, everything pertaining to the subject, Now, young man, if you can't fathom these things you had better go back where you came from. If the department wants to understand the principles of my vessel, they should send a mathematician."

"Well,"said I, as the inventor paused to take breath, "although I am not strictly what you would call a mathematician, I know the rule of three, and that twice two are four."

Ericsson looked hard at me, his hair bristled up, and the muscles of his brawny arms seemed to swell as if in expectation of having to eject me from the room. "Well!"he exclaimed, "I never in all my life met with such assurance as this. Here the Government sends me an officer who knows only the rule of three and that twice two are four, and I have used the calculus and all the higher mathematics in making my calculations.

"But,"said I, apologetically, "I know a little of simple equations. Won't that be sufficient to make me understand this machine of yours? "

"Worse and worse! "exclaimed the inventor. "It would be better if you knew nothing. Here's a man who tells me he knows a little of simple equations, and they send him to examine John Ericsson! "

I was greatly amused with this remarkable man, and entirely forgave his peculiarities. "Well, Mr. Ericsson,"I said, "you will have to make the best of a bad bargain, and get along with me as well as you possibly can. I am perfectly willing to receive instruction from you."

"Ah, ha! "he exclaimed, "that's it, is it ? and so you think me a school-master to teach naval officers

what I know ? I'm afraid you're too bad a bargain for me; you must expect no instruction here. Take what you like best from my shelves, but you can't have my brains."

"Well, then,"I said, "show me your plans in order, and, if you won't explain them, let me see what I can make of them." "Ah, young man ! "said Ericsson, "with your limited knowledge of simple equations you will run aground in a very short time. Look at this drawing and tell me what it represents."

"It looks to me like a coffee-mill,"I answered.

Ericsson jumped from his chair with astonishment in his eye. " On my word of honor, young man, you are vexing, and I am a fool to waste my time on you. That is the machinery that works my turn-table or the turret. I have spent many sleepless nights over it, and now a man who only knows a little of simple equations tells me it's a coffee-mill! Now what do you think of that ? "continued Mr. Ericsson, handing me a small wooden model; "that's my 'iron pot,' as you navy people call it."

I regarded the model with a critical eye, holding it upside down. " This,"I remarked, "is evidently the casemate "— passing my hand over the bottom "and this "— pointing to the turret— "is undoubtedly where you carry the engine."

"Well! well!"exclaimed Ericsson, "never did I see such a— But never mind; you will learn by and by the world was not made in a day."

So we went on till at length I informed Mr. Ericsson that I thought I understood all about his "iron pot."

He was not in a pleasant humor, evidently regarding

me as an emissary sent by the department to try and bring him to grief. As he did not seem to be in a communicative frame of mind, I took a malicious pleasure in worrying him.

After learning all I could possibly from the drawings and plans of the Monitor, I proposed to the inventor to go and examine the Simon-pure article, and we crossed the ferry to Greenpoint, where, if I remember rightly, the vessel was building.

Taking off my coat, I penetrated to the innermost recesses of the Monitor, followed by Mr. Ericsson, who more than once inquired if my simple equations enabled me to comprehend the mysteries.

"Wait till I am done with you,"I said; "then the laugh will be on you, and you'll see what my simple equations amount to."

"No doubt! no doubt!"he replied, "but it will take a big book to hold all you don't know when you get through."

At last, after an hour spent in examining the vessel, I emerged from the hold, followed by the inventor, who looked displeased enough. "Now, sir,"I said, I know all about your machine."

"Yes,"he answered, sneeringly, "and you know twice two are four, and a little of simple equations."

"Now, Mr. Ericsson,"I said, "I have borne a good deal from you to-day; you have mocked at my authority and have failed to treat me with the sweetness I had a right to expect. I am about to have satisfaction, for on my report depends whether or not your vessel is accepted by the department ; so I will tell you in plain terms what I think of your ' iron pot.' "

"Say what you please,"exclaimed Ericsson, glaring

at me like a tiger ready to spring; "nobody will mind what you say !"

"Well, sir,"I continued, "I have looked into the whole thing from A to Izzard, and "—gazing steadily at the inventor, not without apprehensions that he might seize me in his muscular arms and squeeze the breath out of my body— "I will say this to the Goernment—in writing, too, so that there can be no mistake."

"Go on, sir, go on! "said Ericsson; 11 you will run on a rock directly."

"Well, then,"I continued, "I will say that Mr. Ericsson has constructed a vessel— a very little iron vessel— which, in the opinion of our best naval architect, is in violation of well-known principles, and will sink the moment she touches the water."

"Oh,"said Ericsson, "he's a fool! "

"But,"I continued, "I shall say, also, that Mr. Ericsson has constructed the most remarkable vessel the world has ever seen -one that, if properly handled, can destroy any ship now afloat, and whip a dozen wooden ships together if they were where they could not manœuvre so as to run her down."

Ericsson regarded me in astonishment, then seized my hand and almost shook my arm off. "To think!"he exclaimed, "that all this time I took you for a fool, and you are not a fool after all! "

I laughed heartily, as did Ericsson, and we have been the best of friends ever since.

I telegraphed at once to the Navy Department, "Mr. Ericsson's vessel is the best fighting machine ever invented, and can destroy any ship of war afloat."

After examining the Galena, I telegraphed, "I am not satisfied with the vessel ; she is too vulnerable."

On my return to Washington I met a high official of the navy, who said to me: "We received your telegram about the Ericsson vessel. Why, man, Lenthall says she will sink as soon as she is launched. He has made a calculation, and finds she will not bear her iron, much less her guns and stores."

Both Fox and Lenthall soon had reason to change their opinions on this subject; both became strong advocates of Ericsson's system, and in a short time a number of much larger vessels of a similar type with the Monitor were commenced, but were not finished in time to be of use in the most critical period of the civil war, when we came near meeting with serious reverses owing to the great energy displayed by the Confederates in improvising heavy iron-clads.

To Ericsson belongs the credit of devising the Monitor class of vessels, which gave us a cheap and rapid mode of building a navy suitable to our wants at the time. Through his genius we were enabled to bid defiance to the maritime powers which seemed disposed to meddle with our affairs, and it was owing to him that at the end of the civil war we were in a condition to prevent any hostile navy from entering our ports.

91. The Little Monitor and the Merrimac
By CHARLES MARTIN (1862)

COMPANIONS: I will tell you what I saw at Newport News when the Merrimac destroyed the Congress and the Cumberland, and fought with the Monitor. It

Monitor and Merrimac.

[Description: The Monitor and Merrimac, powerful ships of the Civil War, battling it out.]

was a drama in three acts, and twelve hours will elapse between the second and third acts.

"Let us begin at the beginning"— 1861. The North Atlantic squadron is at Hampton Roads, except the frigate Congress and the razee Cumberland; they are anchored at Newport News, blockading the James River and Norfolk. The Merrimac, the rebel ram, is in the dry dock of the Norfolk navy-yard.

The Monitor is building in New York City. It is determined to keep the Merrimac in the dry dock, wait the arrival of the Monitor, send her out to meet her, and in the action it is positive that an opportunity will offer to pierce and sink her. The ram is a terror, and both sides say, "When the Merrimac comes out! "The last of February, 1862, the Monitor is ready for sea; she will sail for Hampton Roads in charge of a steamer. There is a rumor that she has broken her steering gear before reaching Sandy Hook. She will be towed to Washington for repairs. The Rebel spies report her a failure— steering defective, turret revolves with difficulty, and when the smoke of her guns in action is added to the defects of ventilation, it will be impossible for human beings to live aboard of her. No Monitor to fight, the Southern press and people grumble ; they pitch into the Merrimac. Why does she lie idle ? Send her out to destroy the Congress and the Cumberland, that have so long bullied Norfolk, then sweep away the fleet at Hampton Roads, starve out Fortress Monroe, go north to Baltimore and New York and Boston, and destroy and plunder; and the voice of the people, not always an inspiration, prevails, and the ram is floated and manned and armed, and March 8th is bright and sunny when she steams down the Elizabeth

River to carry out the first part of her programme. And all Norfolk and Portsmouth ride and run to the bank of the James, to have a picnic, and assist at a naval battle and victory. The cry of "Wolf ! "has so often been heard aboard the ships that the Merrimac has lost much of her terrors. They argue : "If she is a success, why doesn't she come out and destroy us.? "And when seen this morning at the mouth of the river: "It is only a trial trip or a demonstration."But she creeps along the opposite shore, and both ships beat to quarters and get ready for action. The boats of the Cumberland are lowered, made fast to each other in line, anchored between the ship and the shore, about an eighth of a mile distant.

Here are two large sailing frigates on a calm day, at slack water, anchored in a narrow channel, impossible to get under weigh and manœuvre, and must lie and hammer, and be hammered, so long as they hold together, or until they sink at their anchors. To help them is a tug, the Zouave, once used in the basin at Albany to tow canal boats under the grain elevator. The Congress is the senior ship; the tug makes fast to her. The Congress slips her cable and tries to get under weigh. The tug does her best and breaks her engine. The Congress goes aground in line with the shore. The Zouave floats down the river, firing her pop-guns at the Merrimac as she drifts by her. The command of both the ships devolves on the first lieutenants. On board the Cumberland all hands are allowed to remain on deck, watching the slow approach of the Merrimac, and she comes on so slowly, the pilot declares she has missed the channel; she draws too much water to use her ram. She continues

to advance, and two gun-boats, the Yorktown and the Teaser, accompany her. Again they beat to quarters, and every one goes to his station. There is a platform on the roof of the Merrimac. Her captain is standing on it. When she is near enough, he hails, "Do you surrender? ""Never! "is the reply. The order to fire is given ; the shot of the starboard battery rattles on the iron roof of the Merrimac. She answers with a shell; it sweeps the forward pivot gun, it kills and wounds ten of the gun's crew. A second slaughters the marines at the after pivot gun. The Yorktown and the Teazer keep tip a constant fire. She bears down on the Cumriand. She rams her just aft the starboard bow' The ram goes into the sides of the ship as a knife goes into a cheese. The Merrimac tries to back out; the tide is making; it catches against her great length at a right angle with the Cumberland; it slews her around; the weakened, lengthened ram breaks off; she leaves it in the Cumberland. The battle rages, broadside answers broadside, and the sanded deck is red and slippery with the blood of the wounded and dying; they are dragged amidships out of the way of the guns ; there is no one and no time to take them below. Delirium seizes the crew; they strip to their trousers, tie their handkerchiefs round their heads, kick off their shoes, fight and yell like demons, load and fire at will, keep it tip for the rest of the forty-two minutes the ship is sinking, and fire a last gun as the water rushes into her ports.

The Merrimac turns to the Congress. She is aground, but she fires her guns till the red-hot shot from the enemy sets her on fire, and the flames drive the men away from the battery. She has forty years

of seasoning; she burns like a torch. Her commanding officer is killed, and her deck strewn with killed and wounded. The wind is off shore; they drag the wounded under the windward bulwark, where all hands take refuge from the flames. The sharpshooters on shore drive away a tug from the enemy. The crew and wounded of the Congress are safely landed. She burns the rest of the afternoon and evening, discharging her loaded guns over the camp. At midnight the fire has reached her magazines— the Congress disappears.

When it is signalled to the fleet at Hampton Roads that the Merrimac, has come out, the Minnesota leaves her anchorage and hastens to join the battle. Her pilot puts her aground off the Elizabeth River, and she lies there helpless. The Merrimac has turned back for Norfolk. She has suffered from the shot of the Congress and the Cumberland, or she would stop and destroy the Minnesota; instead, with the Yorktown and Teazer, she goes back into the river. Sunday morning, March 9th, the Merrimac is coming out to finish her work. She will destroy the Minnesota. As she nears her, the Monitor appears from behind the helpless ship; she has slipped in during the night, and so quietly, her presence is unknown in the camp. And David goes out to meet Goliath, and every man who can walk to the beach sits down there, spectators of the first iron-clad battle in the world. The day is calm, the smoke hangs thick on the water, the low vessels are hidden by the smoke. They are so sure of their invulnerability, they fight at arm's length. They fight so near the shore, the flash of their guns is seen, and the noise is heard of the heavy shot pounding the armor. They haul out for

breath, and again disappear in the smoke. The Merrimac stops firing, the smoke lifts, she is running down the Monitor, but she has left her ram in the Cumberland. The Monitor slips away, turns, and renews the action. One P.M.—they have fought Since 8.30 A.M. The crews of both ships are suffocating under the armor. The frames supporting the iron roof of the Merrimac are sprung and shattered. The turret of the Monitor is dented with shot, and is revolved with difficulty. The captain of the Merrimac is wounded in the leg; the captain of the Monitor is blinded with powder. It is a drawn game. The Merrimac, leaking badly, goes back to Norfolk; the Monitor returns to Hampton Roads.

92. Chasing a Blockade-runner
By CAPTAIN JOHN WILKINSON (1863)

WE were ready to sail for Nassua on the 15th of August, 1863, and had on board, as usual, several passengers. We passed safely through the blockading fleet off the New Inlet Bar, receiving no damage from the few shots fired at us, and gained an offing from the coast of thirty miles by daylight.

Very soon afterwards the vigilant lookout at the mast head called out "Sail ho! "and in reply to the "where away "from the deck, sang out,"Right astern, sir, and in chase."The morning was very clear. Going to the mast bead I could just discern the royal of the chaser, and before I left there, say in half an hour, her top-gallant sail showed above the horizon. By this time the sun had risen in a cloudless

sky. It was evident our pursuer would be along side of us at midday at the rate we were then going. The first orders were to throw overboard the deckload of cotton, and to make more steam: the latter proved to be more easily given than executed; for the chief engineer reported that it was impossible to make steam with the wretched stuff filled with slate and dirt.

A moderate breeze from the north and east had been blowing ever since daylight, and every stitch of canvas on board the square rigged steamer in our wake was drawing. We were steering east by south, and it was clear that the chaser's advantages could only be neutralized either by bringing the Lee gradually

head to wind or edging away to bring the wind aft. The former course would be running toward the land, besides incurring the additional risk of being intercepted and captured by some of the inshore cruisers. I began to edge away therefore, and in two or three hours enjoyed the satisfaction of seeing our pursuer slow up and furl his sails.

The breeze was still blowing as fresh as in the morning, but we were now running directly away from it, and the cruiser was going literally as fast as the wind, causing the sails to be rather a hindrance than a help. But she was still gaining on us. A happy inspiration occurred to me when the case seemed hopeless. Sending for the chief engineer I said, "Mr. Simoine, let us try cotton saturated with spirits of turpentine."There were on board, as part of the deck-load, thirty or forty barrels of spirits. In a very few moments, a bale of cotton was ripped open, a barrel tapped, and buckets full of the satu. rated material passed down into the fire room.

The result exceeded our expectations. The chief engineer, an excitable little Frenchman, from Charleston, very soon made his appearance on the bridge, his eyes sparkling with triumph, and reported a full head of steam. Curious to see the effect upon our speed, I directed him to wait a moment until the log was hove. I threw it myself, nine and a half knots. "Let her go now, sir! "I said. Five minutes afterward, I hove the log again; -thirteen and a quarter. We now began to hold our own, and even to gain a little upon the chaser; but she was fearfully near, and I began to have visions of another residence at Fort Warren, as I saw what seamen call the "big bone in the mouth"of our pertinacious friend, for she was

near enough to us at one time for us to see distinctly the white curl of foam under her bows. I wonder if they could have screwed another turn of speed out of her if they had known that the Lee had on board, in addition to her cargo of cotton, a large amount of gold shipped by the Confederate government?

There continued to be a very slight change in our relative positions till about six o'clock in the afternoon, when the chief engineer again made his appearance, with a very ominous expression of countenance. He came to report that the burnt cotton had choked the flues, and that the steam was running down. "Only keep her going till dark, sir,"I replied, "and we will give our pursuer the slip yet."A heavy bank was lying along the horizon to the south and east, and I saw a possible means of escape. At sunset the chaser was about four miles astern, and gaining upon us. Calling two of my most reliable officers, I stationed one of them on each wheel-house, with glasses, directing them to let me know the instant they lost sight of the chaser in the growing darkness. At the same time I ordered the chief engineer to make as black a smoke as possible, and to be in readiness to cut off the smoke by closing the dampers instantly, when ordered. The twilight was soon succeeded by darkness. Both of the officers on the wheel-house called out at the same moment, "We have lost sight of her,"while a dense volume of smoke was streaming far in our wake. "Close the dampers,"I called out through the speaking tube, and at the same moment ordered the helm hard a star-board. Our course was altered eight points, at a right angle to the previous one. I remained on deck

an hour, and then retired to my stateroom with a comfortable sense of security.

At one time during the chase, when capture seemed inevitable, the kegs containing the gold had been brought on deck, and one of them opened by my orders, it being my intention to distribute its contents among the officers and crew. The chaser proved afterward to be the Iroquois. Feeling confident that she would continue on the course toward Abaco, and perhaps have another and more successful chase, I changed the destination of the Lee to Bermuda, where we arrived safely two days afterward.

93. Sinking the Tecumseh
By LOYALL FARRAGUT (1864)

FARRAGUT had fully intended to run into Mobile Bay on the 4th of August; but the non-arrival of the Tecumseh from Pensacola, prevented him from doing so. It was with great satisfaction that he saw her steam behind Sand Island on that afternoon, and take up her anchorage with the Winnebago, Manhattan, and Chicksaw.

On the morning of the 5th, long before day, through the whole fleet could be heard the boatswains' cheery pipes and calls of "all hands"and "up all hammocks"—sounds so familiar on shipboard; and soon after an orderly entered the cabin and called Captain Drayton. While the Admiral, Drayton, and Palmer were partaking of their breakfast, daybreak was reported, but weather threatening rain. The clouds worked round, however, and in

spite of its being Friday, the sailor's day of misgivings, they congratulated themselves on the good omen. The wind, too, was west-southwest, just where Farragut wanted it, as it would blow the smoke of the guns on Fort Morgan.

At four o'clock the wooden ships formed in double column, lashed in pairs. The Brooklyn was appointed to lead, because she had four chase guns, and apparatus for picking up torpedoes.

At half past five the Admiral still sipping his tea,

quietly said, "Well, Drayton, we might as well get under way." In one minute answering signals came from the whole fleet, the wooden vessels taking up their respective positions, and steering for Sand Island Channel, while the four monitors filed out of Monitor Bay, and formed in a single column to the right of the wooden ships, the leading one being abreast of the Brooklyn.

The Confederate vessels had in the meantime taken up their position in single line across the channel, with their port batteries bearing on the fleet. The Tennessee was a little westward of the red buoy and close to the inner line of torpedoes.

At 6:47 A.M. the booming of the Tecumseh's guns was heard, and shortly afterwards Morgan replied. As the fleet of wooden vessels came within shorter range, Farragut made signal for " closer order,"which was promptly obeyed, each vessel closing up to within a few yards of the one ahead, and a little on the starboard quarter, thus enabling such of the ships as had chase guns to bring them to bear. The ball had opened, but the enemy had the advantage, and the Union fleet now received a raking fire from forts and rebel gunboats for fully half an hour before they could bring their broadsides to bear with effect. But at the end of that time the Brooklyn and Hartford were enabled to pour in their broadsides, driving the gunners from the barbette and water batteries.

By half past seven the Tecumseh was well up with the fort, and drawing slowly by the Tennessee, having her on the port beam, when suddenly she reeled to port and went down with almost every soul on board, destroyed by a torpedo.

Craven, in his eagerness to engage the ram, had

passed to the west of the fatal buoy. If he had gone but his breadth of beam eastward of it, he would have been safe so far as torpedoes were concerned.

This appalling disaster was not immediately realized by the fleet. Some supposed the Tennessee had been sunk, or some advantage gained over the enemy, and cheer after cheer from the Hartford was taken up and echoed along the line. But Farragut from his lofty perch, saw the true state of affairs, and his anxiety was not decreased when the Brooklyn, next ahead, suddenly stopped. He hailed his pilot, Freeman, above him in the top, to ask, "What is the matter with the Brooklyn ? She must have plenty of water there.""Plenty and to spare, Admiral,"the man replied. Alden had seen the Tecumseh go down, and the heavy line of torpedoes across the channel made him pause. The Brooklyn began to back; the vessels in the rear, pressing on those in the van, soon created confusion, and disaster seemed imminent. "The batteries of our ships were almost silent,"says an eye-witness, "while the whole of Mobile Point was a living flame."

"What's the trouble?"was shouted through a trumpet from the flag-ship to the Brooklyn.

"Torpedoes! "was shouted back in reply.

"Damn the torpedoes!"said Farragut. "Four bells! Captain Drayton, go ahead! Jouett, full speed!"And the Haqford passed the Brooklyn, assuming the head of the line, and led the fleet to victory. It was the one only way out of the difficulty, and any hesitation would have closed even this escape from a frightful disaster. Nor did the Admiral forget the poor fellows who were struggling in

the water where the Tecumseh had gone down, but ordered Jouett to lower the boat and pick up the survivors.

94. Running the Batteries
By CAPTAIN ALFRED T. MAHAN (1862)

AT ten o'clock that evening the gunboat Carondelet, Commander Henry Walke, left her anchorage, during a heavy thunderstorm, and successfully ran the batteries, reaching New Madrid at one P.M. The orders to execute this daring move were delivered to Captain Walke on the 30th of March. The vessel was immediately prepared. Her decks were covered with extra thicknesses of planking; the chain cables were brought up from below and ranged as an additional protection. Lumber and cord-wood were piled thickly around the boilers, and arrangements made for letting the steam escape through the wheel-houses, to avoid the puffing noise ordinarily issuing from the pipes. The pilot-house for additional security, was wrapped to a thickness of eighteen inches in the coils of a large hawser. A barge, loaded with bales of hay, was made fast on the port quarter of the vessel to protect the magazine.

The moon set at ten o'clock, and then too was felt the first breath of a thunderstorm, which had been for some time gathering. The Carondelet swung from her moorings and started down the stream. The guns were in and ports closed. No light was allowed about the decks. Within the darkened casement of the pilot-house all her crew save two, stood in silence, fully armed to repel boarding, should boarding

be attempted. The storm burst in full violence as soon as her head was fairly down stream. The flashes of lightning showed her presence to the Confederates, who rapidly manned their guns, and whose excited shouts and commands were plainly beard on board as the boat passed close under the batteries. On deck, exposed alike to the storm and to the enemy's fire, were two men; one, Charles Wilson, a seaman, heaving the lead, standing sometimes kneedeep in the water that boiled over the forecastle; the other, an officer, Theodore Gilmore, on the upper deck forward, repeating to the pilot the leadsman's muttered, "No bottom."

The storm spread its sheltering wing over the gallant vessel, baffling the excited efforts of the enemy, before whose eyes she floated like a phantom ship; now wrapped in impenetrable darkness, now standing forth in the full blaze of the lightning close under their guns. The friendly flashes enabled the pilot, William R. Hoel, who bad volunteered from another gunboat to share the fortunes of the night, to keep her in the channel; once only, in a longer interval between them, did the vessel get a dangerous sheer toward a shoal, but the peril was revealed in time to avoid it. Not till the firing had ceased did the squall abate.

The passage of the Carondelet was not only one of the most daring and dramatic events of the war; it was also the death-blow to the Confederate defence of this position. The concluding events followed in rapid succession.

Having passed the island as related, on the night of the 4th, the Carondelet on the 6th made a reconnoissance down the river as far as Tiptonville, with

General Granger on board, exchanging shots with the Confederate batteries, at one of which a landing was made and the guns spiked. That night the Pitts. burg also passed the island, and at 6:30 A.M. of the 7th, the Carondelet got under way, in concert with Pope's operations, went down the river, followed after an interval by the Pittsburg and engaged the enemies' batteries, beginning with the lowest. This was silenced in three-quarters of an hour, and the others made little resistance. The Carondelet then signalled her success to the general and returned to cover the crossing of the army, which began at once.

The enemy evacuated their works, pushing down towards Tiptonville, but there were actually no means for them to escape, caught between the swamps and the river. Seven thousand men laid down their arms, three of whom were general officers. At ten o'clock that evening the island and garrison surrendered to the navy, just three days to an hour after the Carondelet started on her perilous voyage. How much of this result was due to the Carondelet and Pittsburg may be measured by Pope's words to the flag-officer: "The lives of thousands of men and the success of our operations hang upon your decision; with two gunboats all is safe, with one it is uncertain."

95. Escape of the Sumter
By CAPTAIN RAPHAEL SEMMES (1864)

ON the morning of the 29th of June, hopes were excited by a report from the pilot that the Brooklyn had left her station; and speed being got up

with all haste on the Slimier, she again dropped down to Pass ' L'Outre, but only to find that the report had been fallacious. The Brooklyn was still at anchor, though a slight change of berth had placed her behind the shelter of a mass of trees. Once more, therefore, the Sumter was brought to an anchor—, but on the day following, her patient waiting was rewarded by the long-looked for opportunity. On the morning of the 30th of June the Brooklyn was again

A BIG SHIP GUN.

[Description: Men with cannon aboard a ship during the Civil War]

reported under way, and in chase of a vessel to leeward ; and no sooner was the fact of her departure fairly verified than steam was got up for the last time, and the little Sumter dashed boldly across the bar, and stood out to sea.

Almost at the last moment, however, it seemed as though the attempt to escape were again to be baffled by difficulties on the part of the pilot. The man on board of the Sumter lost courage as the moment of

trial came, and professed his inability to take the vessel through the pass thus left free by the departure of the Brooklyn, alleging as his excuse that he had not passed through it for more than three months. Happily the man's cowardice or treachery produced no ill effects; for, as the Sumter dropped down the river on her way toward the open sea, another pilot came gallantly off to her in his little boat, and volunteered to carry her through the Pass.

The Sumter had not yet reached within six miles of the bar when her movements were perceived from the Brooklyn, which at once relinquished the far less valuable prize on which she had been hitherto intent; and changing her course, headed at top speed towards the bar, in hopes of cutting the Sumter off before she could reach it. The narrow opening through the bar, distant about six miles from either of the opposing vessels, now became the goal of a sharp and exciting race. The Sumter had the advantage of the stream; but the Brooklyn was her superior in speed, and moreover, carried guns of heavier calibre and longer range.

At length the Pass is reached; and dashing gallantly across it, the little-Sumter starboards her helm and rounds the mud-banks to the eastward. As she does so the Brooklyn rounds to for a moment, and gives her a shot from her pivot gun. But the bolt falls short; and now the race begins in earnest.

The chase bad not continued long, when a heavy squall of wind and rain came up, and hid the pursuing vessel from sight; but it soon passed away, and the Brooklyn was again descried astern, under all sail and steam, and evidently gaining upon her little quarry. On this the Sumter was hauled two points higher up, thus bringing the wind so far forward that the

Brooklyn was no longer able to carry sail. And now the chase in her turn began to gain upon her huge pursuer. But she was getting into salt water, and her boilers began to prime furiously. It was necessary to slacken speed for a time, and as she did so the Brooklyn slowly recovered her advantage. Then gradually the foaming in the Sumter's boilers ceased, and she was again put to her speed. The utmost pressure was put on; the propeller began to move at the rate of sixty-five revolutions a minute, and the Brooklyn dropped slowly but steadily astern. At length she gave up the chase, and at four o'clock in the afternoon, just four hours after crossing the bar, the crew of the Sumter gave three hearty cheers as her baffled pursuer put up her helm, and, relinquishing the chase, turned sullenly back to her station at the mouth of the river.

96. Passing the Forts on the Mississippi.
By GEORGE HUGHES HEPWORTH (1863)

WE started at four, P.M. ; and anchored just off the Bar, in the "Father of Waters,"some time the next evening. I was glad of this; for it gave mean opportunity to see the plantations on each side of the river, of which I bad heard so much.

Early in the morning, we entered the Southwest Pass, crossed the Bar, and passed the sunken wreck of the fire-boat which the rebels had set adrift, in hopes thereby to fire Farragut's fleet. It ended its

ignoble career as it should; finding a grave in Mississippi mud.

The river presented no objects of interest for many miles ; indeed, not until we reached the Forts St. Philip and Jackson. Jackson is the principal work, situated on the right bank of the river, and almost immediately opposite Fort St. Philip. We saw nothing to remind us of the struggle which gave us New Orleans, except a gunboat or two destroyed during the fight, and driven as high as possible on the bank of the river. Yet, said they who saw the fight, it was a terrible contest. The rebels were fresh, eager for the fray, and reckless in their daring. They believed themselves secure against any attack of the Federals. They had strengthened their fortifications in every possible way, and had mounted guns which have since been proved excellent. A picket-guard had been stationed a couple of miles below to signal the first approach of the enemy. They could begin to fire at our boats when over two miles distant.

Besides all this, they had three immense iron cables stretched across the river, to which was attached a bridge ; so that communication between the two forts was complete. If our fleet should succeed in getting opposite the fort, this impediment would bar its further progress; and, before it could get out of range again, it would be utterly destroyed. Our fleet-commander was aware of the existence of this chain, and destroyed it in a very neat way. The water runs, at this point, about three miles an hour. This tremendous pressure brought a great strain against the iron ; and, when the floating bridge was attached, the current pressed against the immense amount of woodwork, and strained the, cable to its utmost.

Our commander sent one of his fleetest boats a boat with an iron prow, and sharpened—to stem the current at its utmost speed, and strike the cable in the centre of the river, where the pressure was greatest. The experiment was remarkably successful. The boat hit the chain in just the right place, and it parted as if by magic; one half the bridge floating to the east side of the river, and the other half to the west side. I have often, when a boy, bent a young tree, half as thick as my arm, almost to the ground, and then, striking it on the upper side where the strain was greatest, cut it completely through with the quick blow of a hatchet. It was in the same way that the great chain was broken.

The fleet of the Union came up the river slowly,—feeling its way along, fearing some infernal machine,— and nothing was heard on that calm but dark night save the striking of their paddles in the water. The decks were filled with men, who expected to pay a heavy price for the victory and who were willing to give their lives. The pilot, Porter, knew every shoal, every bend, every snag. If anybody could take our fleet by those forts, Porter was the man. I have thought, what an hour of intense excitement that must have been on both sides! The rebels did not believe that our men would attempt such a hopeless task, yet kept on the alert ; and on that night, trained cars were listening to catch the sound of paddle-wheels, and trained eyes were peering through the darkness. Nobody saw the glorious stars and stripes which were floating to the breeze from the mast-head of every gunboat. Nobody saw the stars and bars which were polluting the air above the forts.

Soon, however, the terrific conflict between right and

wrong began. Our leading gunboats could not have been much more than half a mile distant from the fort, when the battle opened by iron hail from the rebel guns. Our boats did not answer for a while, but kept steadily on, hugging the farther shore. When, however, they were directly opposite Fort St. Philip, their voices were heard ; and they poured upon the rebels a rain which they were not prepared for. Still we kept right on ; the object being to get by the forts.

What a picture for the historian to draw! The night was so dark, that the rebels could see to fire, only by the flashes from our guns, or perchance by the grim blackness of our gunboats, seen against the lighter background of the sky. I need not say, that our entire fleet got by the forts; and that that night's work opened for us the mouth of the Mississippi, and gave us New Orleans.

97. An Unfortunate Cow
By FRANC B. WILKIE (1862)

IT was a siege of intolerable length, and without any variety to break the everlasting monotony. During the weeks that we were there, there was but one event that increased the pulsation of my blood. The wooden gunboat Conestoga lay well up the river just out of the range of the batteries, There were several ammunition boats in the vicinity, which it was our duty to guard nights. During the day, the Conestoga would drop out into the stream and down till within range, and then add her voice to the thunderous concert.

This vessel and the ammunition boats at night were laid up on the west, or Arkansas shore. Between us and the shore there was a swamp densely covered with cane, so that access to the boats by land was impossible. One night, about eleven o'clock, when everybody save those on duty had turned into their hammocks, the solemn stillness was suddenly broken by a hail from the deck,—"Who goes there?"—followed almost instantly by the report of a musket, and scarcely a second later by the roar of our larboard guns. The next moment I rushed out of the cabin on deck. It was as dark as Erebus. The whistle of the boatswain was calling the men to their places, and there was a rush of flying feet. There were the creaking of tackle, and then the flash and roar of the larboard guns of the Conestoga, as they blazed away into the woods and the darkness. Down the stream in the density of night, activity was noticeable among the twinkling lights of the fleet. Signal rockets flashed athwart the gloom; and soon the quick pulsations of a steam-tug added its voice to the clamor.

It was tremendously exciting for a few moments. I could see no enemy; grape went crashing through the cane and trees and splashing into the water. In the obscurity all I could see that was human on the deck, when a flash from the guns lighted up the scene, was one of the ship boys—a sucking tar of about twelve years of age apparently—who was standing within the taffrail and blazing into the timber with a revolver as fast as he could cock it and pull the trigger. A tug came alongside from the fleet, and an officer climbed up on deck with a lantern. He disappeared down the gun deck, and a little later the firing ceased.

The report of the sentinel was to the effect that he heard something splashing through the water, and had challenged it, and receiving no answer had fired off his musket. Some boats were lowered and an exploration was made of the vicinity, but nothing whatever was discovered. When daylight came, amid the torn canes lay the body of a cow, or portions of a

cow, for she had been riddled with a charge of grape. It was she, that, wading through the water, had excited the challenge and alarm of the sentinel, the fierce resistance of the gallant Conestoga, and a commotion which affected the entire fleet.

98. Sinking the Albemarle
By JOHN RUSSELL SOLEY (1864)

THE night was dark and stormy, with now and then a heavy fall of rain. Most of the officers stood or

sat in the forward part of the launch. The engineers and firemen were at their post by the engine, and the rest were stationed in the bow, near the wheel, and in the stern. The last were to clear the tiller ropes, in case they should foul.

Running cautiously under the trees on the right bank, the launch proceeded on her way up the enemy's river. It was Cushing's intention, if he could get ashore unobserved, to land below the ram' board her from the wharf, and bring her down the river. To carry out this plan, it was necessary that the attack should be a surprise; but, failing in this, he was prepared to attack with the torpedo. In either case he meant to give the enemy as little warning as he could.

Creeping along silently and stealthily, the launch approached the landing just below the wharf. just then a dog barked, and a sentry, aroused, discovered the boat and hailed her. Receiving no answer, he hailed again and fired. Up to this moment not a word had been uttered. But in an instant the situation was changed. The time for surprises was past; and Cushing, giving up without a second thought his cherished project, at once threw off all concealment, and in a loud voice called out, "Ahead, fast!"In the same breath he ordered the cutter to cast loose, capture the Southfield's pickets, and go down the river. Pushing on two hundred yards further, he saw for the first time the dim outlines of the Albemarle, on the port bow, and close aboard. The light of the fire showed a line of logs in the water, within which, at a distance of thirty feet, lay the vessel. The launch was too near the logs to rise over them at the sharp angle her course was then making, and Cushing saw that he must sheer off and turn before

he could strike them fairly and with sufficient head-way.

The alarm on board the Albemarle had now become general; rattles were sprung; the bell was rung violently; and a shower of rifle bullets was poured in upon the launch. Swan received a slight wound, and Cushing had three bullets in his clothing, but no one was disabled. Passing close to the enemy, the launch took a wide sweep out to the middle of the river; then turning, it headed at full speed for the ram. As he approached, Cushing with the rollicking bravado and audacity that marked all his doings, shouted at the top of his voice, "Leave the ram! We are going to blow you up! "with more exclamations of the same kind, in which the others joined. To Cushing, who went into action with the zest of a school-boy at football, and the nerve and well-balanced judgment of a veteran, the whole affair was half sport, even while the bullets were flying around him, and while be could hear the snapping of the primers, as the guns of the ram were brought to bear. Luckily they missed fire, As he came near, Cushing ordered the howitzer to be trained and fired; and he directed every movement himself, which was promptly carried out by those in the bow. He says of—this incident in his report: "The enemy's fire was very severe, but a dose of canister, at short range, served to moderate their zeal and disturb their aim."

In a moment the launch struck the boom of logs, abreast of the ram's quarter port, and pressed over them. As it approached the side of the ram, the torpedo-spar was lowered; and going ahead slowly until the torpedo was well under the Albemarle's bottom, Cushing detached it with a vigorous pull.

Waiting till he could feel the torpedo rising slowly and touching the vessel, he pulled the trigger line and exploded it. At the same second, as it seemed to those in the boat, the Albemarle's gun was fired, while the launch was within a dozen feet of the muzzle. To Cushing it seemed that the shot went crashing through his boat, though in fact she was not touched. A column of water, thrown up by the explosion of the torpedo, fell in the launch, which was entangled in the logs, and could not be extricated.

When Cushing saw that he could not bring the boat off, after refusing to surrender, he ordered the crew to save themselves, and taking off his coat and shoes, jumped into the river. Others followed his example; but all returned except three,—Woodman, and two of the crew, Higgins and Horton. Horton made his escape, but the other two were drowned.

Cushing swam to the middle of the stream. Half a mile below he met Woodman in the water, completely exhausted. Cushing helped him to go on for a little distance, but he was by this time too weak to get his companion ashore. Reaching the bank with difficulty, he waited till daylight, when he crawled out of the water and stole into the swamp not far from the fort. On his, way he fell in with a negro, whom he sent to gain information as to the result of the night's work. As soon as he learned that the Albemarle was sunk, he moved on until he came to a creek, where he captured a skiff, and in this he made his way the next night to a picket-boat at the mouth of the river. The rest of the party, unable either to resist or escape, surrendered.