CHAPTER VI
While army and navy were using up themonths of February and March in these combinedexperiments, the navy was also endeavouring todisturb the Confederate control over the riverbelow Vicksburg . To this end, on the 2d of Feb-ruary before daybreak Porter sent the ram Queenof the West down past the dreaded batteries. Shesucceeded in running safely by, and Naval opera-immediately attacked and disabled the tlons -Confederate steamer Vicksburg , after which shecruised up and down the river for a fortnight,capturing and destroying Confederate vesselswherever found. At midnight of the 12th thepowerful armoured gunboat Indianola ran swiftlypast the batteries and escaped without a scratch,though under fire for twenty minutes. The ad-miral, in high spirits, now looked forward to thespeedy conquest of the river between Vicksburg and Port Hudson, but events soon maliciouslymocked him. On the 14th the Queen of the West,while running past a battery on the Red river,