‘ [94] leave there,’ when both of our guns resumed fire, and put some shot through them broadside, when shortly, I think I saw a shell from the ten-inch gun—which had at last been remounted, burst on the deck of the Galena, and I am not sure, but that Captain Tucker's naval gun also began to lend its aid at the ‘eleventh’ hour.
Then after both sides had exchanged a few more rounds, I saw a peculiar flag (to me) slowly creeping up the small iron mast of the Galena, so I called to the men and cried: ‘Look out, they are going to try some other scheme.’ When at once, (about 11:05 o'clock), after the fight had been going on fully four long hours, the three wooden boats turned and began to steam rapidly down the river, followed more slowly by the Monitor and Galena.
Captain Farrand immediately gave the command: ‘Cease firing,’ but as my gun had just been sponged, preparatory to loading it, and my enthusiasm got the better of my discipline, for my spirits had now risen several degrees above despondency, I said to Lieutenant Wilson: ‘Let us give them a parting salute.’ He replied: ‘Don't care if you do.’ No other objection being raised about our thus disobeying orders, we loaded the gun as fast as we possibly could, and by the time we got it ‘in battery’ the wooden boats had gotten nearly a mile from us. So after pointing carefully and giving what was thought to be the proper elevation, when after most of the men, including Captain Farrand, had jumped to the top of the parapet to watch the shot on being fired, fell a little short, but ricochetting, struck the boat, which we took to be the Naugatucket, about half-way from deck and water, directly astern. Dick Pond, our No. I, afterwards declared that the hole made by the shot into the boat looked as large as a flour-barrel, and must have done some damage to her.
Then we tossed our caps into the air, and shouted our cry of victory.
After which Captain Drewry took us in hand, and said: “Don't a man leave for the quarters, for I want you to fix up these parapets that have been knocked down, and those sandbags torn to pieces, must be replaced and get ready for them, for the boats will probably be back here again in two hours.”
But they never returned again.
