Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 12.djvu/98

88 an's vessels were at this time lying under the fort. At 7:45 a. m. the Tecumseh struck a torpedo and almost immediately sank. Of her crew of 141 souls, but 21 were saved. Notwithstanding this misfortune the other monitors pushed boldly on, and in the port column the flagship Hartford, from the Brooklyn's stopping, became the leading ship. The Confederate gunboats Morgan, Gaines and Selma, slowly retiring before her advance, opened on her a very effective fire with their stem chasers. Capt. A. T. Mahan, U. S. N., says:

As the Hartford advanced over the line of torpedoes the three smaller gunboats of the enemy took their position on her starboard bow and ahead, whence they kept up a raking and most galling fire. ... As the flagship advanced they retreated, keeping their distance and range about the same, from 1,000 to 700 yards, and fighting mainly the stern guns. At no period of the action did she suffer as now, and the quarters of her forward division became a slaughter-pen.

The Gaines soon received a shot which reduced her to a sinking condition, and her captain ran her on shore near Fort Morgan, he and his crew going into the fort. Their services not being required there, Lieutenant Bennett, with his men, went up that night to Mobile in his boats. As soon as the Hartford passed Fort Morgan, Farragut sent Lieutenant Commanding Jouett in the Metacomet after the little Selma. Lieutenant Commanding Murphy, having had many of his crew killed or wounded, was compelled to surrender to Jouett's superior force. Several other gunboats now approaching, Commander Harrison was compelled to take the Morgan under the guns of Fort Morgan. The same night he ran the gauntlet of the United States fleet and reached Mobile. In the meanwhile the Tennessee was not inactive. Buchanan first made for the Hartford ; but changing his mind, probably on account of the Tennessee's want of speed, he attacked the Brooklyn, and failing in ramming her, he passed down the line to the Richmond, Lacka-