put on all energy for the moment. They had;--flesh, blood, bones, iron,
brass, steel,--animate and inanimate,--were nerved up for the trial of
the hour!

Officers and men behold her in astonishment and admiration. For a moment
there is silence. The men stand transfixed by their guns, forgetting
their duties. Then the Rebel gunners, as if moved by a common impulse,
bring their guns to bear upon her. She is exposed on the right, on the
left, and in front. It is a terrible cross-fire. Solid shot scream past.
Shells explode around her. She is pierced through and through. Her
timbers crack. She quivers beneath the shock, but does not falter.
On--on--faster--straight towards the General Beauregard.

The commander of that vessel adroitly avoids the stroke. The Queen
misses her aim. She sweeps by like a race-horse, receiving the fire of
the Beauregard on one side and the Little Rebel on the other. She comes
round in a graceful curve, almost lying down upon her side, as if to
cool her heated smoke-stacks in the stream. The stern guns of the
Beauregard send their shot through the bulwarks of the Queen. A splinter
strikes the brave commander, Colonel Ellet. He is knocked down, bruised,
and stunned for a moment, but springs to his feet, steadies himself
against the pilot-house, and gives his directions as coolly as if
nothing had happened.

The Queen passes round the Little Rebel, and approaches the General
Price.

"Take her aft the wheelhouse," says Colonel Ellet to the pilot. The
commander of the Price turns towards the approaching antagonist. Her
wheels turn. She surges ahead to escape the terrible blow. Too late.
There is a splintering, crackling, crashing of timbers. The broadside of
the boat is crushed in. It is no more than a box of cards or thin
tissue-paper before the terrible blow.

There are jets of flame and smoke from the loop-holes of the Queen. The
sharpshooters are at it. You hear the rattling fire, and see the crew of
the Price running wildly over the deck, tossing their arms. The
unceasing thunder of the cannonade drowns their cries. A moment, and a
white flag goes up. The Price surrenders.

But the Queen has another antagonist, the Beauregard. The Queen is
motionless, but the Beauregard sweeps down with all her powers. There is
another crash. The bulwarks of the Queen tremble before the stroke.
There is a great opening in her hull. But no white flag is displayed.
There are no cries for quarter, no thoughts