The National tribune., 1892-02-11

The ships were paired as follows, and ad-
vanccd in the order named: The Brooklyn aud
OctoTara; Hartford aud Metacomet; Richmond
and Port Royal; I.ackawanna and Seminole; +;
Monongahela aud Kcnnebec; Osspee and ltas-
ca; Oneida and Galena The monitors formed
i'm line between the wooden ships aud Fort
| Morgan, the Tccumseh taking the lead, and
was about 800 yards in advance Of the Brook
| lyn and as many yards nearer tho fort The
! Manhattan followed the Tecumseh; next came
the Winnebago, followed by the Chickasaw.
/ While the line of battle was being formed,
/ light breeze sPrang up from tho southwest aud
scattered the fog, leaving
BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL MORNING,
but rather hot. Ii was IL minutes Of o'clock
! before the whole fleet got under way. IL was
a magnificent sight as the ships advanced, each
with the stars and Stripes flying from every
mast head, and the crews at quarters awaiting
H the orders 10 open fire; FOR il j. always "A
sailors delight and glory to have fair stand
\ mp fight aud manfully stand its consequences.
Ii was ID minutes Of z o'clock when the
! ICCumseh opened fire aud sent i5-inch shell
i into Fort Morgan, which WAS quickly followed
H by two shots from two lOOpounder ParrUtt
rifles on the Brooklyn. Then the old Hartford
4 spoke, followed by all the other vessels rs they
came within range The fleet steadily ad-
\ vanCed, and, as the ships came near abreast Of
Fort Morgan, opened their brnadsde guns.
which were vigorously replied TO by the fort
and the Water-lattcry. The fight WIS soon at
\ its hottest aud the feet had reached the line,
4 the crossing of which meant victory and the
I result depended on the next few minutes. But
I just az this moment 10 the horror Of all. the
I Tecumseh seemed 10 rise slightly ont Of the
water, then slaggor and suddenly caTeened,
and almost instantly disappeared beneath the
water, carrying her brave commander, Il. A. NJ.
/ Craven, aud l20 officers and men, down with
her, hopelessy imprisoned in their iron coffin.
Some Of the crew managed 10 jump through
I the ports and pilot-h0usc, and were drawn
/ down in the whirlpool made by the sinking
4 shin. A boat from the Metacomei 10 charge
/ of a brave yonng Ensign, Henry G. Neilds,
! pulled up under the guns of the fort, and,
/ regardless of tho deadly missiles that were
showcrod upon the brave boats crew, picked
! up the men struggling in the water. IL WAS
/ one of the brayest deeds Of the war.
The sinking OF the Tccumseh was caused by
\ the explosion OF a torpedo under her bottom.
/ When the lecumsch was seen to 90 down the
! Brooklyn came 90 a halt, aud began 10 back,
4 Capt. Alden fearing that he was leading the
4 fleet into a nest Of torpedoos. The Captain sig
nailed the Admiral the cause Of his stopping, 70
which he replied:
"SEYER MIND TIE T0RPEDOEs. CO OS!"
Seeing the Captain still hesitate, he gayo tho
order for the Hartford 10 steam ahead at full
speed and take the lead and Immediately after
spired Capt. Alden, aud he gave the order 10
follow the flagship All the while the forts
were pouring into the SHIPS terrific fire Of shot
and shell which did terrible execution on board
+ the vessels. As the Hartford advanced. and was
now inside the line Of t0rped0es, the ram Tcu-
4 nessee and her three consOrts. that lay right
1 across the channel ahead, began 10 open their
guns raking the Hartford fore aud aft This,
1 however, did not last long for suddenly the
4 MCiac0met cut loose from the flagship, and rs
/ the crew gave three hearty cheers she dashed
I ahead in pursuit of the rebel gunboat Selma.
I Hardly had the MetacOnet left the HarttOTd's
/ side when she opened fire on the Selma, which
/ wounded her Commander aud killed the EXec-
/ utiyc Officer, aud in less than 20 minutes the
I gallant Jgucti Of the MutacOmct, returned with
| The Selma n tow. The gunbOat Gaines had IN
/ the meantime been crippled and run ashore
near Fort Morgan, deserted and set on fire,
while the Morgan and the ram took shelter
under ;hc guns Of Fort Morgan.
The q ct had passed the forts aud wcro an
chOreG about FIVE miles up the bay. At about
9 o'clock the ram was reported coming up the
bay. Instantly the drums beat 10 quarters,
the cables were slipped and preparations made
70 give her warm reception. The Tennessee
came up at full speed. making directly for the
/ Hartford. The rebels IN the forts crowded the
parapc's to witness the battle between the ram
/ aud the wooden ships. The MOnOnEahela and
monster at full speed, and
THE RAI WAS RAMNED
By both vessels without doing her any damage.
I They only succeeded in smashing their own
bows. While tho vessels were I'm contact with
each other the ram fred two shots through
the bow Of the Laclrwanna aud kept on for
tho Hartford, which in turn was making for
the ram, both vessels approaching each other
bow TO bow. The two nagships came together,
tp fiat4T
slautinE blow, and as they passed delivered
their bIoagsides into each Othcr. The 10 -
inch shot dad the ram no damage. OHiy one
gun Of the ram was fred the others hung
fire, but that shot was the last hostile shot ever
fred at the old Hartford, and IL killed five
men and wounded eight. As soon as the ram
had cleared the Hartford. she became the tar
get Of every ship 10 the feet, who were ham
meriug aud butting her from every direct ioH.
The Lackawanna WAS moving under full head
OF steam toward the ram, with the intention
81 running her down, when the Hartford,
which was also making for the RAM attempted
10 run across the bow Of the Lacl,awanna, aud
instead Of the latter ship striking the ram she
struck the Hartford on the starboard side amid
ships, crushing halfway through, knocking
two port. holes into one, dismounting two o.
inch guns, aud creating general CONSERVATION
/ and for a few moments il was thought the ship
must 90 10 the bottom. While every man was
I thinking Ol Swing the Admiral, the object Oi
their solicitude, with remarkable c0Olucss
sprang into the mizzen rigging. and looking
over tho side Of the ship, found that the danger
was not SO great as IL was thought 10 be. lie
instantly ordered the ship to 20 On al full speed
after the ram.
While the Hartford, Monongahela, Ossipeo
and Lackawanna were again heading for the
ram az full speed, the Brooklyn. the Richmond
aud the monitors were hammerug 10 pieces
her iron cascmAtes. A 1J-inch she'll from the
Manhattan went clear through her cascmate
The ram appeared TO be in bad plight.
THE FLAGSTAFF had BEEs SHOT AWAY,
, her sm0ze-stack knocked overheard aud 4
+ heavy column Of black smoke was issuing from
the stump that was left. And Well.dlcctel
) shot from the ChickasaW smashed her steering.
. gear Another she'll exploded in one ol hcI
ports, piece Of which wounded the rebd Ad.
miIal. Tie ram was now hors du combat, and
size lay on the water like a huge monster a
Z bay, and "a few minutes later white lag came
I up through an opening n the top Of Ler iron
cascmate. The sight Of the white feather q
! caused cheer % 20 mp from the leet. which
/ went ocaOIug over the water, and was heard ou
board tho saips OF the bar. The memorable
! fight ia Mobile Bay was over The forts we're
passed, and the victory won
= The following is a list ol killed aud wounded
in tie feet as given Ia Admiral Porter
r I History cf the Navy Hartford killed -
. wounded p; Brooklyn, killed H. wounded
4 . i3 Oneida, killed eight, wounded 20: Iagka
wanna, killed four wounded 81: M6asupa
I l.IH wounded Eiy. AItfaE,f1rf l.fFH.a ~.