The Brooklyn was at the head of the column,
while the Hartford came second, and the others followed. In this order,
the fleet advanced to the attack.
There was an unwonted stillness on the ships as they swung in towards
the harbor mouth, for every man felt within him a vague unrest caused by
one awful and mysterious peril, the torpedoes. For the forts, the
gunboats, even the great ironclad, the men cared nothing--they had met
such perils before--but lurking beneath the water was a horror not to be
guarded against. They knew that these deadly mines were scattered along
the channel through which they must make their way, and that any moment
might be the end of some proud vessel.
The ships were all in fighting trim, with spars housed and canvas
furled, and decks spread with sawdust so that they would not grow
slippery with the blood which was soon to flow. As the fleet came within
range of the forts, a terrific cannonade began, in which the Confederate
ships, stationed just inside the harbor, soon joined. One of them was
the great ram, Tennessee, and the commander of the leading monitor, the
Tecumseh, noted her and determined to give her battle. So he swung his
ship toward her and ordered full steam ahead; but an instant later,
there came a sudden dull roar, an uplifting of the water, the boat
quivered from stem to stern, and then plunged, bow first, beneath the
waves.
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