show the ships to the enemy as they passed, and for the same purpose
large fires, already stacked on the opposite point, were lit. The fire
of the fleet and from the shore soon raised a smoke which made these
precautions useless, while it involved the ships in a danger greater
than any from the enemy's guns. Settling down upon the water in a still,
damp atmosphere, it soon hid everything from the eyes of the pilots. The
flagship leading had the advantage of pushing often ahead of her own
smoke; but those who followed ran into it and incurred a perplexity
which increased from van to rear. At the bend of the river the current
caught the _Hartford_ on her port bow, sweeping her around with her head
toward the batteries, and nearly on shore, her stern touching the ground
slightly; but by her own efforts and the assistance of the _Albatross_
she was backed clear. Then, the _Albatross_ backing and the _Hartford_
going ahead strong with the engine, her head was fairly pointed up the
stream, and she passed by without serious injury. Deceived possibly by
the report of the howitzers in her top, which were nearly on their own
level, the Confederates did not depress their guns sufficiently to hit
her as often as they did the ships that followed her. One killed and two
wounded is her report; and one marine fell overboard, his cries for help
being heard on board the other ships as they passed by, unable to save
him."

If the capture of the batteries was impossible, their passage was almost
equally so. The _Richmond_ was so badly injured that she was compelled
to turn down stream, having suffered a loss of three killed and fifteen
wounded, while the _Monongahela_ had six killed and twenty-one wounded
before she was able to wrench herself loose from where she had grounded
and drift out of range.

Now came the _Mississippi_, whose tragic fate is graphically told by