Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-03-10

sn broadside after broadsfde in rapid
 succession, which was returned with splendid spirit by the garrison, espe- cially by the water battery, masking the northwest curtain between the channel bastionH. A few moments aft CT the Hartford, now close aboard the Brooklyn, also got the fort abeam un- der her guns and by mighty broadsides almost cleared the batteries.
 The Confederates could not main-
 tain their stations at the bafbette guns
 in such a rain of shot as that. They
 were forced to seek shelter between
 the broadsides, and their own fire
 abatNd perceptfbly, but now the lead
 ing ships were within easy range of
 the guns of the Tennessee and the gum boats dead ahead. The Union fleet made a splendid target and thefire of BuchanansS gunb0ats, for the most part effectively handled and well delivered,
 was fearfuliy effective. Except for a few light chase guns the ships could
 make no reply. The fire of the gun
 boats was much more destructive than that of the fort at this juncture.
 Meanwhile at the head of the line the
 Tecumseh was making for the Ten nessee Craven's orders, as were the orders of all the other captains, had
 been to pass to the eastward uf the
 easternmost buoy through the clear
 channel right under the guns of the
 fort, but with fine tactical apprehen-
 sion of the situation on the part of Ad-
 miral Buchanan the Tennessee had =, <,x,oyl ,xyo. y,c,ry a<1 4I,o< cha xr,oc cta
 toned just behind the line of torpedoes. To get at her the Tecumssh would have
 to cross the line or by going to the east
 of the buoy, find herself in very dan-
 gerous as well as disadvantageous p0-
 gition. By Craven's Initiative, thare-
 fore, the orders were disregarded, and the Tecumseh rushed straight for the
 Tennessee. The heart of Craven was bent upon grappling with the iron mon ] ster toward which he was now head ing. He believed that he was more
 than a match for her, and he deter mined to try 1t. Buchanan was not less willing and anxious for the test. There would be no indecisive Monitor and Merrimac fight about this action. The leading ships were now fully en- R6R0O, anu Iue TOdE LuC UdCl1c w d0 tremendous. The water between the ships and the fort was whipped into foam by the shot. Clouds of smoke
 and flame hung over the scene, and the fort itself loolxed like volcano in erup- tion.
 Aft on the poop deck of the Hart ford stood Drayton, magnificent officer that he was, cool calm and collected, watching the ship. By him were Wat son, the flag lieutenant, and Ensign Brownell, calmly taking notes of the action. The admiral had gone for ward and climbed upon the sheer poles of the port main rigging in order bet ter to see the movements of his ships. As the smoke of the battle settled over the bay he unconsciously ascended rat line by ratline in order to rise above it and still be able to see his fleet. Pres entity he found himself just below the I futtock shrouds beneath the top. There he stopped. He could communicate with Freeman, the pilot, in the top above him, who was coming the ship | through speaking tube to the deck
 and directing the movements of the
 Metacomet by motioning to Lieutenant | Commander Louett her cantain. Mho