suffer as now, and the quarters of her forward division
became a slaughter-pen; a single shot killing ten and wounding five
men, while the splinters and shreds of bodies were hurled aft and on
to the decks of her consort. The greater part of the ship's company
had never been in action, but so admirable was their spirit and
discipline that no wavering was seen, nor was there any confusion even
in reorganizing the more than decimated crews of the guns. The
Tennessee meantime waited for her, Buchanan having set his heart on
sinking the enemy's admiral, but as the ram stood down the Hartford
put her helm to starboard and, having the greater speed, avoided the
thrust without difficulty. Two shots were fired by the ram at the same
moment at such short range that it seemed wonderful they missed. The
Tennessee then followed up the bay till her opponent was about a mile
from his own fleet, when for some reason she gave up the pursuit and
turned to meet the other wooden ships, which were advancing in close
order, the Brooklyn still leading. The Tennessee stood for the latter
vessel, as though intending to ram, but sheered off and went by on her
starboard side, at less than one hundred yards, firing two shots,
which struck and went through and through, and receiving the contents
of the Brooklyn's guns in return. She passed on down the line to the
Richmond, which was ready with her broadside and a party of
musketeers, who kept up a brisk fire into the ram's ports. Whether the
aim was thus disordered or there was not time to lay the guns properly
after reloading, the two shots flew high and no harm was done. The
Tennessee passed the next ship, the Lackawanna, also on the starboard
side, but then made a determined sheer toward the line as though
certainly intending to ram. Captain Strong of the Monongahela seeing
this, headed for her, putting his helm to port and then shifting it so
as to strike at right angles, but the Monongahela could not get her
full speed, from having the gunboat Kennebec in tow alongside; she
therefore struck the ram somewhat glancing and on her port quarter.
The blow threw the Tennessee's stern around and she passed close along
the port side of the Kennebec, injuring the planking on the latter's
bow and leaving one of her boats and its iron davit with the gunboat
as a memento of the collision. As she went by she fired a shell which
entered the berth-deck and exploded, seriously wounding an officer and
four men.