An attempt was made about seven o’clock to launch a boat that was upon the wharf for repairs, and then supposed to be in condition for use, in order to send Captain Sherive, who volunteered to go, on board one of the vessels with a request that they come up and take the troops off. Colonel Burrell, Captain Sherive, Adjutant Davis, Lieutenant Cowdin and Private Morrill, Company D, had got the boat launched from the end of the wharf, but it filled with water and sank at once, because some bullet holes had not been noticed, when the riflemen from a brick building at the head of the next wharf commenced to fire at them. As the bullets began to whistle over their heads the men shouted: “Look out, colonel, they are firing at you!” Private Morrill was severely wounded in a hand, Captain Sherive and Adjutant Davis dodged behind hawser posts, Lieutenant Cowdin jumped for shelter, and the colonel disappeared in a hurry down a sloping freight gangway that was handy. The men thought he was shot until he called to them: “I am all right.”
In a few moments the Owasco was seen in the slight foggy mist of the morning coming along from the coal bark, and when off the wharf sent a few shells into the building, driving the annoying riflemen out. The Clifton, ordered by Renshaw to return to the city when the action opened, with difficulty kept the channel, and returned from Pelican Spit soon after daylight, opening fire upon the enemy’s guns placed in position on the sand beach near Fort Point by Captain Fontaine, driving the gunners away, and continued on past the wharf a short distance, taking position near the Sachem. In passing, a solid shot was fired over the wharf obliquely, into the brick building used for a lookout station, one quarter of a mile distant, tearing a corner out and making a bad wreck of the building.
With the exception of a few shot and shell fired into the city by the gunboats nearly all firing had ceased when it was about broad daylight. The enemy had removed most of their artillery; only a few pieces remained that they could not and dare not persist in attempting to take away: the rifles of Company G could reach them and prevented it. Captain Sherive asked permission to take his company out and secure them, but the colonel would not allow it, fearing an ambuscade. Volunteers were called for, to go out and ascertain the position of the enemy. Several volunteered, but the selection fell upon Private Colson, Company I, a rather tough customer, who had been put in irons for misbehavior and confined in the guard-house for some time, but been released. He went out, soon returned, and reported the enemy hid behind buildings and massed in the yards not far away.
The naval force, excepting the Westfield, all assembled on the harbor front, daylight to assist them in discovering the enemy’s position; the front of Kuhn’s Wharf cleared of their presence, it did seem for a short time that a victory would eventually be won.
In less than fifteen minutes the whole aspect of affairs was changed. The State authorities had taken the Bayou City, a Houston and Galveston packet steamer, made bulwarks of cotton bales upon her sides and armed her with a 68 Pr. rifled gun, placed in the bow. The river steamer Neptune was also fitted out in the same manner and carried two Howitzer guns. Steamers Lucy Govirn and Royal Yacht were used as tenders to collect wood for the gunboats, and steamer John F. Carr was fitted up for a hospital boat.
The Bayou City was commanded by Captain Henry Lubbock, with Captain M. McCormick for pilot. Colonel Green had command of troops on board, about one hundred and fifty men. Captain A. R. Wier, Cook’s regiment artillery, was in charge of her artillery. Captain Martin, of the cavalry, was a volunteer on board. The Neptune was commanded by Captain Sangster, with Captains Swift and McGovern for pilots. Colonel Bagby had command of troops on board, about one hundred men. Lieutenant Harby, in command of a company infantry acting as artillery, was in charge of her artillery. The John F. Carr was commanded by Major A. W. McKee. General Magruder called for three hundred volunteers from Sibley’s brigade, armed with Enfield rifles and double-barrel shot-guns, to man this flotilla.
The entire flotilla was under command of Captain Leon Smith, a man of great experience in steamboat management, who was employed by Magruder in the Quartermaster Department, made a volunteer aide on his staff with rank of major, and afterwards called commodore by the general. Major Smith had charge of all work in preparing these steamers for action. He had orders to be ready to attack the Federal vessels at midnight.
At half-past four o’clock the Confederate flotilla, at Half Moon Shoals, fired up with rosin and proceeded towards Galveston, arriving within a mile of the Federal gunboats at daylight.
When a lookout on the Harriet Lane soon after midnight first discovered the Confederate flotilla, Wainwright, asleep in his stateroom, was notified and assumed charge of the deck. After this flotilla disappeared the Harriet Lane retained her position, with steam on, while her officers, on the watch for further developments, leaned over her rails listening to sounds from on shore, that indicated some movement there by the enemy, until the first gun was fired at the wharf. Her anchor was then raised to the cathead, but not secured, and attempts made to turn around for the purpose of proceeding towards Kuhn’s Wharf to occupy the place made vacant by the Clifton, gone to Renshaw’s assistance. To do this without getting aground necessitated a use of great skill and consumed much time, for the vessel had to forward and back to gradually swing her bow around. Why she should have been stationed at this point—head of the ship channel where it was impossible to manœuvre her—when the Westfield or Clifton (old ferry-boats) were better adapted for the position, had often been discussed by naval officers at Galveston.
While working his vessel around Wainwright opened fire on the city. Her bow was headed towards the wharf when signs of an approach by the flotilla were again seen, which caused him to abandon proceeding down the channel and to work his vessel around again in order to present her bow to the enemy. Fairly around she steamed up to meet the Bayou City and Neptune, who showed a disposition to attack, other cotton boats keeping out of harm’s way. A fire was opened upon them with shells from her eight-inch forward gun, sending three shells and a cannon shot into the Bayou City; the shells passed through her engineer’s room, one exploding near the engineer, doing some damage; the cannon shot passed through her messroom and pantry.