"being iron splinters from the washers on the inner ends of the bolts that secured the plating. I continued on my way to the pilot-house, and upon looking through the narrow peep-holes in its sides to ascertain the position of the enemy’s ships, I discovered that the wooden vessels had mostly withdrawn from the action, leaving it to the monitors to effect the destruction of the ram at their leisure. At this time both of my most efficient guns had been placed in broadside, because both the after and forward port-covers had been so effectually jammed against the shield as to block up the ports. The steering apparatus had been completely destroyed, as it had been plainly visible on the afterdeck, and the smoke-stack had fallen, destroying the draught in such a degree as to render it impossible to keep steam enough to stem the tide, which was running out at the rate of over four miles an hour.
Realizing the impossibility of directing the firing of the guns without the use of the rudder, and that the ship had been rendered utterly helpless, I went to the lower deck and informed the admiral of her condition, and that I had not been able to bring a gun to bear upon any of our antagonists for nearly half an hour, to which he replied: “Well, Johnston, if you cannot do them any further damage you had better surrender.” . . .
With this sanction the commander of the Tennessee soon hoisted the white flag, hut not in time to escape ramming by one of the heaviest Union ships, which struck the ram on the starboard quarter.
As she did so her commander hailed, saying: “ This is the United States steamer Ossipee. Hello, Johnston, how are you ? Le Roy—don’t you know me? I ’ll send a boat alongside for you.” The boat came and conveyed me on board the Ossipee, at whose gangway I was met by her genial commander, between whom and myself a lifelong friendship had existed. When I reached the deck of his ship, he remarked, “I’m glad to see you, Johnston. Here’s some ice-water for you—I know you ’re dry; but I ’ve something better than that for you down below. ” . . .
Within an hour after I was taken on board the Ossipee, Admiral Farragut sent for me to be brought on board his flag-ship, and when I reached her deck he expressed regret at meeting me under such circumstances, to which I replied that he was not half as sorry to see me as I was to see him. . . .
CHICKASAW."
FORT MORGAN.
‘TENNESSEE,” BATTLE OF MOBILE BAY.
BROOKLYN. *' TENNESSEE."
SURRENDER OF THE
and jammed it against the shield so that it became impossible to run the gun out for firing, and Admiral Buchanan, who superintended the battery during the entire engagement, sent to the engine-room for a machinist to back out the pin of the bolt upon which the port-cover revolved. While this was being done a shot from one of the monitors struck the edge of the port-cover, immediately over the spot where the machinist was sitting, and his remains had to be taken up with a shove), placed in a bucket and thrown overboard. The same shot caused several iron splinters to fly inside of the shield, one of which killed a seaman, while another broke the admiral’s leg below the knee. The admiral sent for me, and as I approached he quietly remarked, “Well, Johnston, they’ve got me. You ’ll have to look out for her now. This is your fight, you know.” I replied, “All right, sir. I’ll do the best I know how.” While returning to the pilot-house I felt the vessel careen so suddenly as nearly to throw me off my feet. I discovered that the Hartford had run into the ram amidships, and that while thus in contact with her the Federal crew were using their small-arms by firing through the open ports. However, only one man was wounded in this way, the causes of all our other wounds
sinking the daring rebel ram, by running themselves up on her decks, which extended some thirty feet at each end of the shield, and were only about eighteen inches above the surface of the water. So great was their eagerness to accomplish this feat that the Laclcawanna, one of the heaviest steamers, ran bows on into the Hartford, by which both vessels sustained greater damage than their united efforts in this direction could have inflicted upon their antagonist.
Early in the action, the pilot of the Tennessee had been wounded by having the trap-door on the top of the pilot-house knocked down upon his head by a shot from one of the enemy’s ships, which struck it on the edge while it was thrown back to admit of his seeing more clearly the position of the vessel. Thereafter I remained in the pilot-house for the purpose of directing the movements of the ram.
The monitors kept up a constant firing at short range. The two double-turreted monitors (Chickasaw and Winnebago) wore stationed under the stern of the Tennessee, and struck the after end of her shield so repeatedly with 11-inch solid shot that it was found at the close of the action to be in a rather shaky condition. One of these missiles had struck the iron cover of the stern port
At the time, as Admiral Parragut says in his report,
“she was sore beset. The Chickasaw was pounding away at her stern, the Ossipee was approaching her at full speed, and the Honon-gahela, Lackawanna, and this ship were bearing down upon her, determined upon her destruction.” Prom the time the Hartford struck her she did not fire a gun. Finally the Confederate admiral,
Buchanan, was severely wounded by an iron splinter or a piece of a shell, and just as the Ossipee was about to strike her the Tennessee displayed a white flag, hoisted on an improvised staff through the grating over her deck. The Ossipee (Captain LeRoy) reversed her engine, but was so near that a harmless collision was inevitable.
Suddenly the terrific cannonading ceased, and from every ship rang out cheer after cheer as the weary men realized that at last the ram was conquered and the day won. The Chickasaw took the Tennessee in tow and brought her to anchor near the Hartford. The impression prevailed at first that the Tennessee had been seriously injured by the ramming she had received and was sinking, and orders were signaled to send boats to assist her crew, but it was soon
discovered that this was unnecessary. Admiral Buchanan surrendered his sword to Lieutenant Giraud, of the Ossipee, who was sent to take charge of the captured Tennessee. Captain Heywood, of the Marine Corps, was sent on board the ram with a guard of marines. On meeting Admiral Buchanan he could not resist the temptation to inform him that they had met before under different circumstances, the captain having been on the frigate Cumberland when she was sunk in Hampton Roads by Buchanan in the Merrimac. . . .
Port Morgan was at once invested, and surrendered on the 23d of August.
LACKAWANNA.”
“WINNEBAGO."
ON BOARD THE RAM “ TENNESSEE.”
BY JAMES D. JOHNSTON, COMMANDER, C. S. N.
. . The heavier ships of the fleet, together with the monitors, steamed up the hay to a point about four miles above Fort Morgan, where they were in the act of anchoring when it was discovered that the ram was apjjroaching with hostile intent. Upon this apparently unexpected challenge the fleet was immediately put in motion, and the heavier vessels seemed to contend with each other for the glory of
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