[135] day, the 14th: the opportunity for testing their strength was not long coming. The flotilla which had charge of watching the whole course of the river proceeded on the morning of that day toward the estuary of the Lower Nansemond, along the banks of which the enemy had shown himself, when all of a sudden one of the hostile batteries opened fire upon it. The smallest vessels passed through without much injury, but the Mount Washington, presenting a much wider surface, was struck by several balls and her machinery damaged. Unable to manoeuvre in that condition, she ran aground near the bar in front of Hill's Point. The Confederates, perceiving her situation, immediately brought forward some field-pieces, which they placed in a small work in process of construction at that point, and began to riddle her with shot at a distance of seven hundred and fifty yards. She would inevitably have been destroyed, in spite of the vigor with which Lamson defended himself, if Lieutenant Cushing had not come in time to his assistance with the steamer Commodore Barney. For the space of four hours these two vessels, as also the river-boat Stepping-Stones, held out against the Confederate artillery and skirmishers until the tide enabled the Mount Washington to get free and resume her course. Cushing did not join her again until after he had silenced the enemy's guns. But this engagement was very costly to the Federal vessels, which were greatly damaged by the projectiles of the Confederates, and had a large number of wounded on board.
On the following day the latter, feeling encouraged by the results they had achieved, armed several new batteries along the left bank of the river. But General Getty, on the opposite side, had not been inactive. In order to be able to convey his forces with greater facility to the point which might be menaced, he had constructed along the river a new road which passed over the tributary streams, until then deemed impassable, and connected various works which had been erected in front of the enemy. These works were also speedily fortified, and the main battery of the Confederates, constructed at the extreme point of Norfleet1 for the purpose of covering their passage, was so vigorously cannonaded that it was soon reduced to silence. Lamson took
