Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-24
Is 81
E-TS -

tnirr.. Of war was held. This was
only noteworthy from the fact that II
was here that Admiral Farragut WA
overpersuaded. by the unanimous so
HcitatiCns of his captains. ana gay"
up his original determine ion of tak1h@
the lead. This was very much against
his own Judgment, and the events OF
the next day proved that he was rishi
The Brooklyn. Capt. Alden, was So
lected to lead. she being provided vita
an extemporized torpedo-catchef pro
jecting from her bow.
At sunset the last ordcE had been Is
sued. Every commanding officer knew hi
duty, and unusual quiet prevailed in t.
fleet. TIE waters Of the gull rested, I"
a time. from their customary tunuit. !"
gentle breeze relieved the midsunrnc.
heat. and the evening closed upon lis ::
peacefully as if we had been on boar
a yachting squadron at Newport. Duri.;
the early part Of tle night the stiffness
was almost oppressive. The officers of I'll
Hartford gathered around tie capacioUi
Wardroom table. writing what they knew
might he their last letters To loved one
far away. giving 10 friends message
and instructions in case 81 death. lhfr"
were 10 signs OF fear, but, IKE braN.
and intelligent men, they recognized tho
stern possibilities of the morrow ana
acted accordingly.
But this occupied but little time. and
then. business over. there followed an
hour of unrest rainel jollity Many an
old story retoid and ancient conun-
drum repeated Old officers forgot. foH
the moment, their customary dignity. and
il was evident that all were cXhilarate'
and stimulated by the knowledge of the
coming struggle. Finally Chief En-
cineer Williamson suggested an adjourn
ment to the forecastle. for n last smoke
and the smoking club Went forward but
somehow. smoke had lost its customary
favor. and. after a few WhiffS. all hands
turned in. to enjoy what sleep wonld
come.
The gray slimmer OF dawn was just
beginning TO struggle through a dens"
fog when we were reused, at ; o'clock
next morning. and the work of formin.
line was begun. \ hasty lunch of sand l.
witches and coffee was served. the a,i-
niral pror osinc to have breakfast inside
the bay at the regular hour. The pre-
cautions necessary for maneuvcrins
through the fog made AN tInavoida bi,.
delay, for il was the admiral,s intention
To lave 'he meet close to the fort befo~"
sunrise. 1t was weird sight as the
hiS SHIPS balanced to Partners the dim
outlines SLOW emerging like phantu:ns
III the reg. The vessels were dashed TO-
2ethei III pairs, fastened side by side nv
ihSc cables, the Brooklyn ana Octur0ra
leading. the 1agship Hartford and the
h,td'o'Het iolloVihs- ne remaining YES
sells we're paired as follows the one
named hrSt i'll each instance being Sn Ia,
starh"aTd and most exposed side: Rich
mona and Port Royal, Lackawanna and
seminole MonongaheIa and kennebcc
oSSlIee and Itasra Oneida and Galena
Nj the vessels had been stripped for the
fight.
In addition to the seven pairs of wood
en- vessels, there We're four monitors m
Iecumseh aud Manhattan. single tIu-
lcteU. With
the llinebago and ChickaSaW of lighter
draught, with double turrets and with
eleVen-lnch guns. The monitors being
very slow-gaited. were started in ad
vance, the intention being to have them
on the right flank OF the line in front.
to partially shield the fleet from fort and
ram.
IL was fifteen minutes of g o'clock be-
fore the whole fleet got under way About
sunrise. While the line was being formed
n light breeze sprang up and scattered
the fog leaving us a bright and beautiful
day. The fleet presented a magnificent
sight as the stately ships moved on each
with the Star and Stripes flying from
every masthead, and the men gathered a
Their guns ready for work.
On the previous night the admiral had
issued orders that the army signal Off
GERS were not to be allowed on deck dur
ing the fight, but were TO go into the
cockpit on the lower deck and assist the
surgeons. The reason assigned was that
these officers would not be needed during
the passage of the forts, but would be
wanted afterward to open communication
with the army. and that therefore it