As the flag-ship reached the hulks
the night, which, though very dark, was fairly clear, had become
obscured by the dense clouds of smoke that an almost breathless
atmosphere suffered to settle down upon the water. Only twenty minutes
had elapsed since the forts opened upon the Cayuga, when Farragut's flag
entered the battle. Soon after passing the obstructions, and when about
to sheer in toward Fort Jackson, upon which was to be concentrated her
own battery and that of her two formidable followers, a fire-raft was
observed coming down the river in such a way as to make contact probable
if the course were not changed. Heading across the river, and edged
gradually over by the raft continuing to work toward her, the ship took
the ground a little above Fort St. Philip, but still under its
batteries. While in this dangerous position, the raft, whose movements
proved to be controlled not by the current but by a small tugboat, was
pushed against her port quarter. The flames caught the side of the ship,
spread swiftly along it, leaped into the rigging and blazed up toward
the tops. The danger was imminent, and appeared even more so than it
was; for the body of heat, though great, was scarcely sufficient to
account for such a rapid spread of the flames, which was probably due
mainly to the paint. The thoroughly organized fire department soon
succeeded in quenching the conflagration, its source being removed by
training some of the after-guns upon the daring pygmy, which with such
reckless courage had well-nigh destroyed the commander-in-chief of her
enemy's fleet. The tug received a shot in her boilers and sunk. The
Hartford backed clear, but in so doing fell off broadside to the stream,
thereby affording another chance to the hostile rams, had there been one
prepared to dare the hazard. Watson, the flag-lieutenant, remarks that
the flag-officer stood during this critical period giving his orders and
watching the ship slowly turn, referring occasionally to a little
compass which was attached to his watch-chain. During most of the
engagement, however, he was forward observing the conflict.

The Brooklyn and Richmond, with the Sciota and the Iroquois, which
followed immediately after them, fought their way through with more or
less of adventure, but successfully reached the river above the forts.
It is to be observed, however, that these, as well as the Hartford,
suffered from the embarrassment of the smoke, which had inconvenienc