ter, breaking
his leg. The command then fell upon Captain Johnston, who endured the
hammering, powerless to reply, for twenty minutes longer; then, after
consultation with the admiral, he hauled down the flag which was
hoisted on a boat-hook thrust through the grating. As it had before
been shot away the fire of the fleet did not stop, and Johnston
accordingly went on the roof and showed a white flag. As he stood
there the Ossipee was approaching at full speed to ram on the
starboard side, passing the sluggish Winnebago, whose captain, still
outside his turret, exchanged greetings with his more fortunate
competitor. Her helm was put over and engines backed at once, but it
was too late to avoid the collision. As they came together her captain
appeared on the forecastle and, along with the blow, Johnston received
a genial greeting from the most genial of men: "Hallo, Johnston, old
fellow! how are you? This is the United States Steamer Ossipee. I'll
send a boat alongside for you. Le Roy, don't you know me?" The boat
was sent and the United States flag hoisted on board the Tennessee at
ten o'clock.[37]

The fight had lasted a little over an hour. The loss of the Tennessee
was 2 killed and 10 wounded, that of the Union fleet, from the forts
and the enemy's squadron, 52 killed and 170 wounded.[38] Besides the
loss of the smoke-stack and steering-gear, the injuries to the
casemate of the ram were very severe. On the after-side nearly all the
plating was found to be started, the after gun-carriage was disabled
and there were distinct marks of nine XI-inch solid shot having struck
within a few square feet of that port. The only shot that penetrated
the casing was the one XV-inch from the Manhattan. Three port shutters
were so damaged as to stop the firing of the guns.

The Chickasaw, which had so persistently stuck to the ram, now took
her in tow and anchored her near the flag-ship. At half-past two of
the same afternoon the Chickasaw again got under way and stood down to
Fort Powell, engaging it for an hour at a distance of three hundred
and fifty yards. The fort had been built to resist an attack from the
sound and was not yet ready to meet one coming like this from the
rear. That same night it was evacuated and blown up.

On the 6th the Chickasaw went down and shelled Fort Gaines, and the
following day it was surrendered. Fort Morgan still held out. The army
under General Granger was transferred from Dauphin Island to Mobi