e moved further up, out of range.

Meanwhile the enemy was pushing reinforcements across the stream below
the works, and the Union forces, having accomplished the diversion
which was the sole object of the expedition, began to fall back to
their transports. It would seem that the troops, yet unaccustomed to
war, had been somewhat disordered by their victory, so that the return
was not accomplished as rapidly as was desirable, the enemy pressing
down upon the transports. At this moment the gunboats, from a
favorable position, opened upon them with grape, canister, and
five-second shell, silencing them with great slaughter. When the
transports were under way the two gunboats followed in the rear,
covering the retreat till the enemy ceased to follow.

In this succession of encounters the Tyler lost one man killed and two
wounded. The Lexington escaped without loss.

When a few miles up the river on the return, General McClernand,
ascertaining that some of the troops had not embarked, directed the
gunboats to go back for them, the general himself landing to await
their return. This service was performed, some 40 prisoners being
taken on board along with the troops.

In his official report of this, the first of his many gallant actions
on the rivers, Commander Walke praises warmly the efficiency as well
as the zeal of the crews of the gunboats, though as yet so new to
their duties.

The flotilla being at this time under the War Department, as has been
already stated, its officers, each and all, were liable to orders from
any army officer of superior rank to them. Without expressing a
decided opinion as to the advisability of this arrangement under the
circumstances then existing, it was entirely contrary to the
established rule by which, when military and naval forces are acting
together, the commander of each branch decides what he can or can not
do, and is not under the control of the other, whatever the relative
rank. At this time Captain Foote himself had only the rank of colonel,
and found, to use his own expression, that "every brigadier could
interfere with him." On the 13th of November, 1861, he received the
appointment of flag-officer, which gave him the same rank as a
major-general, and put him above the orders of any except the
commander-in-chief of the department. Still the subordinate naval
officers were liable to orders at any time from any general with whom
they might be, without the knowledge of the fla