flag-ship as often as thirty-one times, the armor proved
sufficient to deflect or resist the impact of the projectiles. The
disaster, however, that befell the Essex made fearfully apparent a
class of accidents to which they were exposed, and from which more
than one boat, on either side, on the Western waters subsequently
suffered. The fleet lost two killed and nine wounded, besides
twenty-eight scalded, many of whom died. The Essex had also nineteen
soldiers on board; nine of whom were scalded, four fatally.

The surrender of the fort was determined by the destruction of its
armament. Of the twelve guns, seven, by the commander's report, were
disabled when the flag was hauled down. One had burst in discharging,
the rest were put out of action by the fire of the fleet. The
casualties were few, not exceeding twenty killed and wounded.

Flag-Officer Foote, having turned over his capture to the army,
returned the same evening to Cairo with three armored vessels, leaving
the Carondelet. At the same time the three wooden gunboats, in
obedience to orders issued before the battle, started up river under
the command of Lieutenant Phelps, reaching the railroad bridge,
twenty-five miles up, after dark. Here the machinery for turning the
draw was found to be disabled, while on the other side were to be seen
some transport steamers escaping up stream. An hour was required to
open the draw, when two of the boats proceeded in chase of the
transports, the Tyler, as the slowest, being left to destroy the track
as far as possible. Three of the Confederate steamers, loaded with
military stores, two of them with explosives, were run ashore and
fired. The Union gunboats stopped half a mile below the scene, but
even at that distance the force of the explosion shattered glasses,
forced open doors, and raised the light upper decks.

The Lexington, having destroyed the trestle-work at the end of the
bridge, rejoined the following morning; and the three boats,
continuing their raid, arrived the next night at Cerro Gordo, near the
Mississippi line. Here was seized a large steamer called the Eastport,
which the Confederates were altering into a gunboat. There being at
this point large quantities of lumber, the Tyler was left to ship it
and guard the prize.

The following day, the 8th, the two boats continued up river, passing
through the northern part of the States of Mississippi and Alabama, to
Florence, where the Muscle Shoals prevented th