me Shirk had telegraphed the Admiral and Fitch, and the latter
came to his assistance with three of the Cumberland River
light-draughts. Going on up the Tennessee Fitch picked up three other
light-draughts, and on the morning of the 4th approached the lower
battery from below, Lieutenant King, the senior officer above, coming
down at the same time. The enemy then set fire to the Undine, but the
channel was so narrow and intricate that Fitch did not feel justified
in attempting to take his boats up, and King was not able to run by.
Fitch, whose judgment and courage were well proved, said that the
three blocked gunboats were fought desperately and well handled, but
that they could not meet successfully the heavy rifled batteries then
opposed to them in such a channel. All three were repeatedly struck
and had several of their guns disabled. They then retired to the fort,
where the enemy opened on them in the afternoon with a battery on the
opposite shore. After firing away nearly all their ammunition, and
being further disabled, Lieutenant King, fearing that they might fall
into the enemy's hands, burnt them with the transports. The place was
relieved by General Schofield twenty-four hours later, so that if King
had patiently held on a little longer his pluck and skill would have
been rewarded by saving his vessels. At about the same time, October
28th, General Granger being closely pressed in Decatur, Alabama, above
the Muscle Shoals, the light-draught General Thomas, of the Eleventh
Division, under the command of Acting-Master Gilbert Morton, at great
risk got up in time to render valuable service in repelling the
attack.

The Union forces continued to fall back upon Nashville before the
advance of Hood, who appeared before the city on the 2d of December,
and by the 4th had established his lines round the south side. His
left wing struck the river at a point four miles below by land, but
eighteen by the stream, where they captured two steamers and
established a battery. Fitch, receiving word of this at 9 P.M., at
once went down with the Carondelet and four light-draughts to attack
them. The boats moved quietly, showing no lights, the Carondelet and
Fairplay being ordered to run below, giving the enemy grape and
canister as they passed in front, and then to round to and continue
the fight up stream, Fitch intending to remain above with the other
boats. The Carondelet began firing when midway between the upper and
lower b