o buy a number of river steamers on the Mississippi
and convert them into rams upon a plan of his own. In accordance with
this order he bought,[1] at Pittsburg, three stern-wheel boats, having
the average dimensions of 170 feet length, 31 feet beam, and over 5
feet hold; at Cincinnati, three side-wheel boats, of which the largest
was 180 feet long by 37 feet beam, and 8 feet hold; and at New Albany,
one side-wheel boat of about the same dimensions; in all seven boats,
chosen specially with a view to strength and speed. To further
strengthen them for their new work, three heavy, solid timber
bulkheads, from twelve to sixteen inches thick, were built, running
fore and aft from stem to stern, the central one being over the
keelson. These bulkheads were braced one against the other, the outer
ones against the hull of the boat, and all against the deck and floor
timbers, thus making the whole weight of the boat add its momentum to
that of the central bulkhead at the moment of collision. The hull was
further stayed from side to side by iron rods and screw-bolts. As it
would interfere with this plan of strengthening to drop the boilers
into the hold, they were left in place; but a bulwark of oak two feet
thick was built around them. The pilot-houses were protected against
musketry.

It is due to Colonel Ellet to say that these boats were not what he
wished, but merely a hasty adaptation, in the short period of six
weeks, of such means as were at once available to the end in view. He
thought that after striking they might probably go down, but not
without sinking the enemy too. When they were ready he was given the
command, and the rank of Colonel, with instructions which allowed him
to operate within the limits of Captain Davis's command, and in entire
independence of that officer; a serious military error which was
corrected when the Navy Department took control of the river work.

No further attack was made by the Confederate fleet, and operations
were confined to bombardment by the gunboats and constant reply on the
part of the forts until June 4th. That night many explosions were
heard and fires seen in the fort, and the next morning the fleet moved
down, found the works evacuated and took possession. Memphis and its
defences became no longer tenable after Beauregard's evacuation of
Corinth on the 30th of May.

On June 5th, the fleet with transports moved down the river, anchoring
at night two miles above the city. The