ter the action commenced, finding
that her position was too near the bluff to allow of her guns being
elevated sufficiently to throw their shot to the crest of the cliff,
retired to a more favorable position. The Confederates wasted but few
shot on her, knowing they would not pierce her armor.

The _Galena_ was managed and fought with great skill and daring.
Approaching to within about six hundred yards of the Confederate
batteries, she was deliberately moored, her battery sprung and a
well-directed fire opened upon the Confederate works. From half past
six o'clock in the morning until about eleven, when the action ceased,
she kept this position, receiving nearly the whole of the Confederate
fire. The most effective gun on the Bluff was the eight-inch solid
shot gun of the _Patrick Henry_. Knowing by previous experience the
power of the gun, Tucker gave it his personal supervision. At 11
o'clock A.M. a shot from this gun passed into one of the bow posts of
the _Galena_, and was followed by an immediate gushing forth of smoke,
showing that the vessel was on fire or had sustained some serious
damage, a conclusion confirmed by her moving off down the river,
accompanied by the other four vessels of the Federal squadron. It was
at Drewry's Bluff that Midshipman Carroll, of Maryland, was killed. He
was struck by a projectile whilst standing by Tucker's side, whose
aide he was.

For some days it was expected that another attack on the Confederate
position would be made, but no other effort to capture Richmond with
iron-clads was attempted. A half a dozen armored vessels, built
expressly for being forced through obstructions and by batteries,
could have passed Drewry's Bluff and captured Richmond, but the force
with which the attempt was actually made was neither well adapted for
the undertaking nor sufficiently strong for success.

The _Galena's_ loss was thirteen killed and eleven wounded, and one
officer and two men were wounded on board the other Federal vessels.
On the Confederate side the loss, including the battalion of
Artillery, as well as the force of sailors, was eleven killed and nine
wounded.

After the Federal repulse at Drewry's Bluff, the officers and crew of
the _Patrick Henry_, _Virginia_ and _Jamestown_ were permanently
attached to the naval batteries at that place, Tucker continuing to
command his men on shore.

In August, 1862, Tucker was ordered to command the iron-clad steamer
_Chicora_, which vess