nclad ram, the Tennessee, one of the most formidable
vessels then afloat. She was not fast, but she carried six high-power
rifled guns, and her armor was very powerful, while, being of light
draft, she could take a position where Farragut's deep-sea ships could
not get at her. Farragut made his attack with four monitors,--two of
them, the Tecumseh and Manhattan, of large size, carrying 15-inch guns,
and the other two, the Winnebago and Chickasaw, smaller and lighter,
with 11-inch guns,--and the wooden vessels, fourteen in number. Seven
of these were big sloops-of-war, of the general type of Farragut's own
flagship, the Hartford. She was a screw steamer, but was a full-rigged
ship likewise, with twenty-two 9-inch shell guns, arranged in broadside,
and carrying a crew of three hundred men. The other seven were light
gunboats. When Farragut prepared for the assault, he arranged to make
the attack with his wooden ships in double column. The seven most
powerful were formed on the right, in line ahead, to engage Fort Morgan,
the heaviest of the two forts, which had to be passed close inshore to
the right. The light vessels were lashed each to the left of one of the
heavier ones. By this arrangement each pair of ships was given a double
chance to escape, if rendered helpless by a shot in the boiler or other
vital part of the machinery. The heaviest ships led in the fighting
column, the first place being taken by the Brooklyn and her gunboat
consort, while the second position was held by Farragut himself in
the Hartford, with the little Metacomet lashed alongside. He waited to
deliver the attack until the tide and the wind should be favorable,
and made all his preparations with the utmost care and thoughtfulness.
Preeminently a man who could inspire affection in others, both the
officers and men of the fleet regarded him with fervent loyalty and
absolute trust.

The attack was made early on the morning of August 5. Soon after
midnight the weather became hot and calm, and at three the Admiral
learned that a light breeze had sprung up from the quarter he wished,
and he at once announced, "Then we will go in this morning." At daybreak
he was at breakfast when the word was brought that the ships were all
lashed in couples. Turning quietly to his captain, he said, "Well,
Drayton, we might as well get under way;" and at half-past six the
monitors stood down to their stations, while the column of wooden ships
was formed, all with the