ing her
bow-guns, and opening at once upon the enemy. The latter approached
gallantly but irregularly, the lack of the habit of acting in concert
making itself felt, while the fire of the Cincinnati momentarily
checked and, to a certain extent, scattered them. The leading vessel,
the General Bragg, was much in advance of her consorts. She advanced
swiftly along the Arkansas shore, passing close by the mortar-boat and
above the Cincinnati; then rounding to she approached the latter at
full speed on the starboard quarter, striking a powerful blow in this
weak part of the gunboat. The two vessels fell alongside, the
Cincinnati firing her broadside as they came together; then the ram
swinging clear made down stream, and, although the Confederate
commander claims that her tiller ropes alone were out of order, she
took no further part in the fray.

Two other Confederates now approached the Cincinnati, the General
Price and General Sumter. One of them succeeded in ramming in the same
place as the Bragg, and it was at this moment that Commander Stembel,
who had gathered his men to board the enemy, was dangerously shot by a
rifle-ball through the throat, another officer of the vessel, Master
Reynolds, falling at the same time mortally wounded. The other
assailant received a shot through her boilers from the Benton, which
was now in action; an explosion followed and she drifted down stream.
The Cincinnati, aided by a tug and the Pittsburg, then steamed over to
the Tennessee shore, where she sank on a bar in eleven feet of water.

As soon as the rams were seen, the flag-ship had made a general signal
to get under way, but the morning being calm, the flags did not fly
out well. Orders were passed by hail to the Carondelet and Pittsburg,
and the former vessel slipped immediately and stood down. The Mound
City on the other side did not wait for signals, but, being in
advance, started at once, taking the lead with the Carondelet; the
Benton following, her speed being less. The Carondelet got up in time
to open fire upon the Bragg as she retreated, and to cut the
steam-pipe of the other of the two rams which had attacked the
Cincinnati after the Bragg's fatal assault.

The fourth Confederate, the General Van Dorn, passed by the Cincinnati
and her assailants and met the Mound City. The latter, arriving first
of the Union squadron on the Arkansas side of the river, had already
opened upon the Sumter and Price, and now upon the Van Dor