At 9 p.m. of the 24th, signal was made to weigh anchor and pass the forts up-stream. The vessels except the Mississippi were lashed in pairs (Hartford and Albatross, Richmond and Genesee, Monongahela and Kineo). The mortar fleet below the forts opened a heavy fire on the works, and two light gun-boats took up an enfilading position and shelled the water-batteries. The Hartford passed up without trouble. The Richmond (slowest vessel in the squadron) reached a bend of the river where she was directly within the cross-fire of the batteries, but could not stem the current even with the help of her tow, so she was obliged to turn and go back. The Monongahela reached the bend and the current forced her ashore for about half an hour; getting off finally she started ahead, but was obliged to stop her engine on account of the heating of the journals; drifted down again out of range. The Mississippi ran aground at the bend, but could not be gotten off. After working for half an hour, her guns were spiked, the ship was fired and deserted, and she blew up. Casualties: killed, 12; wounded, 35; missing, 63. One steam frigate lost.
Passage of Fort Morgan,
August 5, 1864.
FEDERAL.
| MONITORS. | |
| Guns. | |
| Tecumseh | 2 |
| Manhattan | 2 |
| Winnebago | 4 |
| Chickasaw | 4 |
| CORVETTES. | |
| Brooklyn | 26 |
| Hartford | 28 |
| Richmond | 25 |
| Lackawanna | 14 |
| Monongahela | 14 |
| Ossipee | 12 |
| Oneida | 10 |
| GUN-BOATS. | |
| Octarora | 10 |
| Metacomet | 10 |
| Port Royal | 6 |
| Seminole | 6 |
| Kennebec | 4 |
| Itasca | 4 |
| Galena | 6 |
CONFEDERATE.
Fort Morgan.—A masonry fort containing 30 guns. Iron-clad ram Tennessee (six 7-inch rifles). Gun-boats Selma, Morgan, and Gaines. A line of torpedoes and pile obstructions across the channel.
Before the Action.
After the Action.