CHAPTER XII.
IN August, 1864, the Confederate vessels off Mobile point at the entrance to Mobile bay were the iron-clad Tennessee and the gunboats Morgan, Gaines and Selma. The Tennessee was one of the most powerful of the Confederate ironclads. Built on the general plan of the Merrimac, her shield was armored with six inches of iron, both sides and ends inclined at an angle of forty-five degrees. She was begun at Selma on the Alabama river, and finished at Mobile. She drew fourteen feet, was particularly strong at her "knuckle," and carried six guns, one 7-inch Brooke rifle, bow and stern, and four 6-inch Brooke rifles in broadside. Her engines were weak, and her speed only six knots, but her greatest defect was in her steering gear, which was unprotected. The Morgan and Gaines were wooden gunboats the first carrying two 7 -inch rifles and four 32-pounders, the latter one 8-inch rifle and five 32-pounders. The Selma, a river steamer "converted," had three 8-inch shell guns and one rifled 32-pounder.
The officers of the Tennessee were Commander James D. Johnston, Lieuts. William L. Bradford, A. D. Wharton, E. G. McDermett, Fleet Surg. D. B. Conrad, Masters J. R. Maloy and H. W. Perrin, Asst. Surg. R. C. Bowles, Engineers George D. Lining, J. C. O'Connell, John Hayes, Oscar Benson and William B. Patterson, Paymaster's Clerk J. H. Cohen, Master's Mates Forrest, Beebe and Carter, Boatswain McCredie, Gunner H. S. Smith. The crew numbered no men.
