104 The Mississippi Valley in the Civil War

Madrid, without coming within a dozen miles ofthe heavy guns of Island Number Ten.

To crown this triumph of ingenuity a daringexploit now became necessary. The place wherePope intended to cross the river, below Point Plea-sant, was guarded by Confederate batteries, whichmust first be silenced. One or two gunboats wereneeded for this, but none of the gunboats drew lessthan six feet of water, and consequently none ofthem could pass through the forest canal. Thegallant Foote considered the risk of running by theisland so great that he did not like to ask officersor men to undertake it, but Commander HenryExploit of the Walke, of the Carondelet, was foundCarondelet. eager to try the experiment. Theboilers and other vulnerable parts of the shipwere protected in every possible way by planks andchains and coils of heavy rope. A barge ladenwith hay was lashed in front of the magazine. Thegreat guns were run in under cover and the port-holes shut, the sailors, with pistol and cutlass, stoodon guard in case of an attempt to board, and theboatswain was ordered to be ready to sink the shipsooner than let her fall into the enemy’s hands.The escape-steam was led aft through the wheel-house instead of puffing and sputtering throughthe smokestacks. And thus at ten o’clock on thenight of April 4, enshrouded in the thick dark-