FARRAGUT AT MOBILE BAY.

387

erate fleet replying. Tlie fleet took position across the entrance to the bayand raked the advance vessels fore and aft, doing great damage, to which itWas for a time impossible to make effective reply. Gradually the fleet cameinto close quarters with Fort Morgan, and the firing on both sides becameterrific. The wooden vessels moved more rapidly than the monitors, and asthe Brooklyn came opposite the fort, and approached the torpedo line, shecame nearly alongside the rear monitor. To have kept on would have been totake the lead, with the ram Tennessee approaching and with the unknowndanger of the torpedoes underneath. At this critical moment the Brooklyn halted and began backing and signaling with the army signals. The Hart-ford was immediately behind and the following vessels were in close prox-imity, and the sudden stopping of the Brooklyn threatened to bring theWhole fleet into collision, while the strong inflowing tide was likely to carrysome of the vessels to the shore under the guns of the fort.

On the previous night the admiral had issued orders that the army signalofficers were not to be allowed on deck during the fight, but were to go intothe cockpit, on the lower deck, and assist the surgeons. The reason assignedWas that these officers would not be needed during the passage of the forts,hut would be wanted afterward to open communication with the army, andthat therefore it would be a misfortune to have any of them disabled. Thetwo army signal officers on the Hartford disrelished this order exceedingly,a ud, after consulting together, decided that in the confusion of the occasiontheir presence 011 deck would probably not be noticed, and that they wouldev ade the command if possible. I11 this they were successful until shortlybefore passing Sand Island and coming within range of Fort Morgan. Thenthe executive officer, Lieutenant-Commander Lewis A. Kimberly, who neverallowed anything to escape his attention, came to them very quietly andPolitely, and told them the admiral’s order must be obeyed. We were satis-fied from his manner that the surgeons had need of us, and, without endeav-°i'ing to argue the matter, made our way to the stifling hold, where SurgeonLansdale and Assistant-Surgeon Commons, with their helpers, were sitting,VVl th their paraphernalia spread out ready for use.

Nearly every man had his watch in his hand awaiting the first shot. To11 ignorant of everything going on above, every minute seemed an hour,ari< i there was a feeling of great relief when the boom of the Tecumseh's firstgun was heard. Presently one or two of our forward guns opened, and wec °uld hear the distant sound of the guns of the fort in reply. Soon the can-non-balls began to crash through the deck above us, and then the thunder ofour whole broadside of nine Dahlgren guns kept the vessel in a quiver.

nt as yet no wounded were sent down, and we knew we were still at com-paratively long range. In the intense excitement of the occasion it seemed

Ul * hours had passed, but it was just twenty minutes from the time weVV(!nt below, when an officer shouted down the hatchway: “ Send up an armySl gnal officer immediately; the Brooklyn is signaling.” In a moment the^lter was on deck, where he found the situation as already described. Kun-lllu & on to the forecastle, he hastily took the Brooklyn 's message, which