That night I was officer of the deck from eight to twelve o’clock. When I was relieved at midnight we were still coaling, with the two guns of the midship division run in on the port side to facilitate the work.
The night was very dark, the moon had set, and the mist, hanging low over the river, shut in the hulls of the other ships of the fleet near us, their masts and spars only being visible. Of course, the Richmond, from her size, must have been the most conspicuous object from the river, while the noise made in shoveling and hoisting the coal marked our position most admirably. A more favorable opportunity for a night attack could scarcely have been desired.
But a tired watch officer whose responsibilities have been turned over to his relief does not usually lose much time in reflecting upon possibilities; and I was soon sleeping the sleep of the just. For what transpired during the next four hours I have to depend upon the reports of others.
Master’s Mate Gibbs, in charge of the Frolic, anchored astern of us, says that at about 3.40 A. M., seeing a long, black object moving stealthily down the river, he hailed, “Richmond ahoy! There is a boat coming down the river on your port bow!”
He says that he repeated the warning, but the noise of the coaling probably prevented its being heard on board of our ship, as he received no response.
Commander French of the Preble reports that at 3.45 o’clock a midshipman rushed into his cabin, exclaiming, “Captain, here is a steamer right alongside of us!” When Captain French reached the deck, he says he “saw a ram, that looked like a large whale, steering toward us; but it changed its course to avoid us and made directly for the Richmond, and in an instant huge clouds of the densest black smoke rolled up from the strange vessel and we all expected to see the Richmond blow up!”
I, meanwhile, had been soundly sleeping, when I was rudely awakened by a tremendous shock, followed by the sound of the rattle we used as a signal to night quarters.
Jumping into my trousers, with my coat in one hand and my sword in the other, I, with the other wardroom officers, rushed on deck, fully expecting to find that we were boarded by the enemy,—as we very readily might have been in this moment of surprise!
Emerging from the hatchway, I saw on the port side amidships a smokestack just above our hammock nettings from which belched streams of black smoke! The vessel, whatever she was, was then slowly dropping astern, scraping our side, and at that moment she threw up a rocket, doubtless as a signal that she had accomplished her work!
I had but a moment to take in the condition of affairs, as I found sufficient occupation in getting the guns of my division run out.