f the Civil War":

"The steamship _Mississippi_, Captain Melancthon Smith, followed in the
wake of the _Monongahela_, firing whenever her guns could be brought to
bear. At 11:30 o'clock she reached the turn which seemed to give our
vessels so much trouble, and Captain Smith was congratulating himself on
the prospect of soon catching up with the flag officer, when his ship
grounded and heeled over three streaks to port.

"The engines were instantly reversed and the port guns run in in order
to bring her on an even keel, while the fire from her starboard battery
was reopened on the forts. The engines were backed with all the steam
that could be put upon them, and the backing was continued for thirty
minutes, but without avail.

"It was now seen that it would be impossible to get the ship afloat.

"Captain Smith gave orders to spike the port battery and throw the guns
overboard, but it was not done, for the enemy's fire was becoming so
rapid and severe that the Captain deemed it judicious to abandon the
ship at once in order to save the lives of the men.

"While preparations were being made to destroy the ship, the sick and
wounded were lowered into boats and conveyed ashore, while the men at
the starboard battery continued to fight in splendid style, firing at
every flash of the enemy's guns. The small arms were thrown overboard,
and all possible damage was done to the engine and everything else that
might prove of use to the enemy.

"The ship was first set on fire in the forward storeroom, but three
shots came through below her water-line and put out the flames. She was
then set afire in four places aft, and when the flames were well under
way, so as to make her destruction certain, Captain Smith and his first
lieutenant (George Dewey) left the ship, all the officers and crew
having been landed before.

"The _Mississippi_ was soon ablaze fore and aft, and as she was now
relieved of a great deal of weight--by the removal of her crew and the
destruction of her upper works--she floated off the bank and drifted
down the river, much to the danger of the Union vessels below. But she
passed without doing them any injury, and at 5:30 o'clock blew up and
went to the bottom."

When the time came for the crew to save themselves as best they could,
all sprang overboard and struck out for shore. A little way from the
blazing steamer a poor sailor was struggling hard to save himself, but
one arm was palsied from a wound, and