Page:Historic towns of the southern states (1900).djvu/416

 early in the morning of August 5th, his vessels lashed in pairs, the monitor Tecumseh in the lead. Then came the Brooklyn with her mate, and next the flagship Hartford, the Admiral in the rigging. As the stately procession neared the fort, all engaged on both sides in a murderous cannonade. Suddenly the Tecumseh lurched, and, in a few seconds, sank, struck by a torpedo. The Brooklyn, despite her torpedo protector, wavered and backed, confusing the whole column, and giving the gunners in the fort an opportunity of which they made good use. But Farragut pushed the Hartford to the front, and restored order, leading the others, amidst a galling fire, into the bay. A little boat had rowed out to save the few who did not go down in the Tecumseh, and the Confederates chivalrously refused to fire upon them, despite the Union flag defiantly run up. The fleet, though much damaged, gradually passed in.

An engagement followed with the little Confederate squadron, but the odds were too great. One gunboat was sunk, another captured, a third finally got away to Mobile, and the ram took shelter, apparently for repairs, under the guns of the fort. And then, to the