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

OF the Manhattan carried away her racked
and battered smokestack. 1t broke short
off Just below the caSemate, and the smoke
poured into the casemate. nearly suffocating
the men; the temperature, over 100 degrees
at best, rose to over 120. Minus her stack,
her fires went down, and she could not
make enough steam to drive the engines.
She rolled like a helpless log in the water.
She could neither steam nor steer ilor fire.
1t was hot as hell itself in the casemate
and the temperature of the fireroom was
past belief. The men were almost asphyxi-
ated in the thickenng black smoke. The
pounding of the shot on the armor never
stopped for a second. And that armor could
no longer protect her. Her men were suf-
locating; fainting dying Her admiral was
had been killed outright and many wounded.
The Ossipee, running at full speed, was
almost upon her. The Hartford was bear
was CALAMITY dashing at her. The monitors
were closing in. They were making
anvil, chopping block. OF her.
Everything exposed had been shot away
long since, including the flagstaff Farra-
CUTS tactics had prevailed. He had simply
overwhelmed the ram. She had not had
single opportunity to use her most effective
weapon. She had been mobbed, rammed,
hammered to pieces by the wooden ships.
She had been racked and shattered by the
monitors. Captain johnson. consulting with
Admiral Buchanan, finally determined upon
her surrender. With heroism which was
only matched by the way he had fought
against overwhelming odds, until he was
absolutely helpless for offense or defense.
he fastened white flag to a gun rammer
and sprang out upon the deck or top of the
casemate in the midst OF that awful storm
of shot and shell.
One by one as the Union ships saw the
black, smok@d-grimed, powder-stained fig
ure waving the white flag on the top of the
ram they ceased their fire and drew of.
The Osstpee, however. had too much way to
stop. Though her engines were reversed
and her helm shifted she struck the ram q
slight blow after she had surrendered. The
last effort of the confederates was over.
For one long hour the great Tenn ,ssee had
heroically fought the whole mighty Union
ieet-and in vain.
And this is the general order to the fleet
which the splendid old admiral published
the next morning:
United States Flagship Hartford.
Mobile Bay, Aug. 9. 1884.
The admiral returns thanks to the officers
and crews of the vessels of the feet for
their gallant conduct during the fight Of
yesterday.
1t has never been his good fortune to see
men do their duty with more courage and
cheerfulness, for, although they knew that
the enemy was prepared with all devilish
means for our destruction. and though they
witnessed the almost instantaneous annfhila-
ton of our gallant companions In the Te-
cumseh by a torpedo and the slaughter OF
their friends, messmates and gunmates on
our decks, still there were no evidences OF
hesitation in following their commander-in-
chief through the line of. torpedoes and OBJ
structions, of which we knew nothing, ex-
cept from the exaggerations of the enemy,
who had given out that we should all be
blown up as certainly as we attempted 10
enter.
For this noble and implicit confidence in
their leader he heartily thanks them.
d. G. FARRAGUT,
Read Admiral Commanding W. G. B.
Squadron.
cro be continued tomorrow.)