Dewey and Other Naval Commanders | Page 7

lamps, like those used on locomotives, had been placed to
show the ships to the enemy as they passed, and for the same purpose
large fires, already stacked on the opposite point, were lit. The fire of
the fleet and from the shore soon raised a smoke which made these
precautions useless, while it involved the ships in a danger greater than

any from the enemy's guns. Settling down upon the water in a still,
damp atmosphere, it soon hid everything from the eyes of the pilots.
The flagship leading had the advantage of pushing often ahead of her
own smoke; but those who followed ran into it and incurred a
perplexity which increased from van to rear. At the bend of the river
the current caught the Hartford on her port bow, sweeping her around
with her head toward the batteries, and nearly on shore, her stern
touching the ground slightly; but by her own efforts and the assistance
of the Albatross she was backed clear. Then, the Albatross backing and
the Hartford going ahead strong with the engine, her head was fairly
pointed up the stream, and she passed by without serious injury.
Deceived possibly by the report of the howitzers in her top, which were
nearly on their own level, the Confederates did not depress their guns
sufficiently to hit her as often as they did the ships that followed her.
One killed and two wounded is her report; and one marine fell
overboard, his cries for help being heard on board the other ships as
they passed by, unable to save him."
If the capture of the batteries was impossible, their passage was almost
equally so. The Richmond was so badly injured that she was compelled
to turn down stream, having suffered a loss of three killed and fifteen
wounded, while the Monongahela had six killed and twenty-one
wounded before she was able to wrench herself loose from where she
had grounded and drift out of range.
Now came the Mississippi, whose tragic fate is graphically told by
Admiral Porter in his "Naval History of the Civil War":
"The steamship Mississippi, Captain Melancthon Smith, followed in the
wake of the Monongahela, firing whenever her guns could be brought
to bear. At 11:30 o'clock she reached the turn which seemed to give our
vessels so much trouble, and Captain Smith was congratulating himself
on the prospect of soon catching up with the flag officer, when his ship
grounded and heeled over three streaks to port.
"The engines were instantly reversed and the port guns run in in order
to bring her on an even keel, while the fire from her starboard battery
was reopened on the forts. The engines were backed with all the steam

that could be put upon them, and the backing was continued for thirty
minutes, but without avail.
"It was now seen that it would be impossible to get the ship afloat.
"Captain Smith gave orders to spike the port battery and throw the guns
overboard, but it was not done, for the enemy's fire was becoming so
rapid and severe that the Captain deemed it judicious to abandon the
ship at once in order to save the lives of the men.
"While preparations were being made to destroy the ship, the sick and
wounded were lowered into boats and conveyed ashore, while the men
at the starboard battery continued to fight in splendid style, firing at
every flash of the enemy's guns. The small arms were thrown
overboard, and all possible damage was done to the engine and
everything else that might prove of use to the enemy.
"The ship was first set on fire in the forward storeroom, but three shots
came through below her water-line and put out the flames. She was
then set afire in four places aft, and when the flames were well under
way, so as to make her destruction certain, Captain Smith and his first
lieutenant (George Dewey) left the ship, all the officers and crew
having been landed before.
"The Mississippi was soon ablaze fore and aft, and as she was now
relieved of a great deal of weight--by the removal of her crew and the
destruction of her upper works--she floated off the bank and drifted
down the river, much to the danger of the Union vessels below. But she
passed without doing them any injury, and at 5:30 o'clock blew up and
went to the bottom."
When the time came for the crew to save themselves as best they could,
all sprang overboard and struck out for shore. A little way from the
blazing steamer a poor sailor was struggling hard to save himself, but
one arm was palsied from a wound, and he must have drowned but for
Dewey, who swam powerfully to him,