Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 13.djvu/565

 564 Southern Historical Society Papers.

ties that human ingenuity, money, and fine machine shops and dock- yards could supply. And no one, with the heart of a brave man beating in his breast, can truthfully reflect upon their courage.

The converted propeller, " Governor Moore," which was so effi- ciently and heroically fought by her brave commander, Beverley Kennon, was not of Commodore Mitchell's command, nor were the river steamers intended for co-operation.

When Farragut's fleet passed up it left below Forts Jackson and St. Philip, under General Duncan, and the still helpless "Louisiana," under Commodore Mitchell, with a river steamer as a tender, the " Landis," alongside, which was entirely unarmed. The "Louisi- ana ' ' had used her guns against all of the Federal fleet as they passed, and every man fought bravely and well, and chafed under their powerlessness, from causes and defects beyond their efforts to correct, to do more. There she lay, with her little flag bravely fly- ing, after having resisted every projectile from Admiral Farragut's fleet. The guns used during the action on board the " Louisiana " were those of the bow division pointing down the river, and those of the starboard broadside division pointing across the river ; the former consisting of two g-inch, smooth bore shell guns and one y-inch rifle ; and the latter, I think, one 32-pounder rifle, and two 8-inch smooth bores.

Of the bow division, I had immediate command. I was the Third Lieutenant.

During the conflict, one of the largest of Admiral Farragut's fleet, as if her steering gear was disarranged, was caught in the eddy cur- rent and came right athwart our hawse, her starboard side nearly, if not actually, touching our stem, with only the length of our short forward deck outside of our armor between her side and our armor In that position we received her fire without any shot perforating, and the three guns of my division were fired as fast as they could be loaded and discharged, but here the abortively constructed port- holes prevented our depressing our guns to sink her.

It was at this time that our brave commander, Charles F. Mcln- tosh, received his death wounds. When this vessel was placed in this position, as if anticipating that she intended to try to board us, and chafing under the forced inactivity of our vessel, he called away his men to repel the attack and gallantly led them to the upper deck, when he was shot down, as were numbers of his brave followers. A braver man, or set of men, never gave up their lives to any cause.

I cannot pass on further in my narrative without a tribute to the