Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-24

forward nervously waited for the shock,
the men at the guns in the batteries shift
ed restlessly, the gun captains ughteneo
the lockstrings in their hands, wistful and
hopeful that they could get shot In before
they went down. If down they must go.
Everybody the ship was, OF course,
aware Of the situation. even though most,
of them could see nothing of it. McFar-
land. veteran seaman, who held the helm
Of the Hartford in every one Of her ire
mendous battles was at the wheel with
two assistants. He was coolly steering the
great ship with the mathematical nicely
of an expert seaman.
"Quartermaster." called out the sharp
voice Of the admiral suddenly in the death
like silence, keep her steady as she goes!
Don't swerve hairs breadth from your
present Counsel!
AYE, aye, SIR" answered the man at the
wheel as with beautiful accuracy he held
the heaving vessel straight on her course.
A thrill of relief and anxiety went
it out then! Bully for the old fghterl He
meant to sink the ram If he could, even II
he went down with her. The Hartford was
trembling oaIl like an earthauake under ,,- the
hound through the troubled waters. She
was drawing nearer, nearer. Another mo-
ment they would be in contact, there
would be struggle for life in the water.
All. what was that?
Just before reaching the Hartford the
DOW or the Tennessee swung to starboard.
At the last moment Buchanan had con-
cluded it would be wiser for him not to
throw away his ship merely to sink the
Hartford. He ported his helm suddenly.
but not quickly enough to avoid the COLI
sion. Instead Of striking fairly bows on.
however, the Hartford struck the Tennessee
on the port bow. A few minutes before the
Manhattan had delivered a bolt from her
fifteen inch gun fair on the port side of the
rams easement. 1t shattered the plating,
broke the wooden backing and sent q
shower Of splinters into the protection nets,
but did not penetrate. AS the Hartford
rasped along the port broadside of the ram
she poured a rapid fire upon the easements
from her nine inch guns and one hundred
pounder-Parrott rif1ed pivots-at a distance
Of perhaps ten feet. None of her shot pene-
trated, although the easement was racked
by the blows and some of the port shutters
were jammed on their pivots, blocking the
guns. AS the two ships ground and rasped
alongside each other the Hartford's guns,
served with painful rapidity. roared out
again. The marines and small arm men
poured a rafting fire In at every port.
So close were they as they reeled and
gritted together that from where he stood
on the mizzen rigging Farragut might have
of the. Hartford was returned by the two
broadside guns Of the Tennessee. Heavy
shells ripped through the flagship. One Of
II them exploded sending mass Of splinters
Of these huge pieces of timber struck the
head of Lieut. Boyd Peyton, CALAMITY fight
Ing his division. He was hurled senseless
to the red deck of the Hartford.
The Tennessee was now sore beset. The
Chickasaw had taken position under her
stern, and with a rapidity of fire astonish-
ing, when one considers that the guns
were muzzle leaders, she was pouring solid
shot upon the ram. The Monongahesa
dercely rammed her again on the star-
board beam. Broadside after broadsids
the heavy nine-inch guns OF the other
ships, now fairly surrounding her. She