rain, which had been sent to New Orleans to
help in improving the channel of the Mississippi. When the war broke
out she was taken by private parties and turned into a ram on
speculation. An arched roof of 5-inch timber was thrown over her deck,
and this covered with a layer of old-fashioned railroad iron, from
three-fourths to one inch thick, laid lengthways. At the time of this
attack she had a cast-iron prow under water, and carried a IX-inch
gun, pointing straight ahead through a slot in the roof forward; but
as this for some reason could not be used, it was lashed in its place.
Her dimensions were: length 128 feet, beam 26 feet, depth 121/2 feet.
She had twin screws, and at this time one engine was running at high
pressure and the other at low, both being in bad order, so that she
could only steam six knots; but carrying the current with her she
struck the Richmond with a speed of from nine to ten. Although
afterward bought by the Confederate Government, she at this time still
belonged to private parties; but as her captain, pilot, and most of
the other officers refused to go in her, Lieutenant A.F. Warley, of
the Confederate Navy, was ordered to the command by Commodore Hollins.
In the collision her prow was wrenched off, her smoke-stack carried
away and the condenser of the low-pressure engine gave out, which
accounts for her "remaining under the Richmond's quarter," "dropping
astern," and "lying quietly abeam of the Preble, apparently hesitating
whether to come at her or not." As soon as possible she limped off
under her remaining engine.

Although it was known to the officers of the Union fleet that the
enemy had a ram up the river, it does not appear that any preparation
for defence had been made, or plan of action adopted. Even the
commonplace precaution of sending out a picket-boat had not been
taken. The attack, therefore, was a surprise, not only in the ordinary
sense of the word, but, so far as appears, in finding the officer in
command without any formed ideas as to what he would do if she came
down. "The whole affair came upon me so suddenly that no time was left
for reflection, but called for immediate action." These are his own
words. The natural outcome of not having his resources in hand was a
hasty retreat before an enemy whose force he now exaggerated and with
whom he was not prepared to deal; a move which brought intense
mortification to himself and in a measure to the service.

It is a relief