This appalling disaster was accompanied by a touching incident. When the _Tecumseh_ was diving downward Commander Craven and the pilot instinctively started for the opening through which only one man could pass at a time. They reached the foot of the ladder at the same moment. "You first," said Craven, halting. The pilot just succeeded in scrambling out, when the _Tecumseh_ went down, taking her heroic captain with her. The terrible occurrence was witnessed by friends and foes. A boat was quickly lowered from the _Metacomet_ and sent to the relief of the survivors. It passed within a hundred yards of Fort Morgan, which could have easily blown it out of the water. But General Page, the Confederate commandant, knowing her errand, gave the order not to harm the boat, which was on its way to save drowning men. His soldiers broke into cheers, but he sternly stopped them, with the advice to wait till the _Hartford_ was sunk. The boat picked up ten men and officers, while four swam to the beach and were made prisoners. When the lull was over Farragut headed his ship for the fort, signalling to the remainder of the fleet, which followed close after him. When warned of the torpedoes the wrathful Admiral came near adding a little profanity to his contemptuous opinion of them as he passed on. Wheeling, he launched his whole broadside at the fort, then delivered a second at the _Tennessee_ and headed for the gunboats _Selma_, _Gaines_ and _Morgan_, all of which were raking him. Casting off his consort, the _Metacomet_, he sent her after the _Selma_, and, after a hot chase, she captured her. The other two took to shallow water under the guns of the fort. The ships, having passed the latter, were about to anchor when the _Tennessee_ was perceived coming straight for the fleet, with the intention of attacking it. Farragut signalled to the vessels to run her down and ordered the pilot of the _Hartford_ to drive her with full speed at the ironclad. The _Monongahela_ was the first to reach the monster, struck her fairly, and, swinging around, let fly with a broadside of 11-inch shot, which dropped harmlessly from her mailed side. Undaunted, the _Monongahela_ rammed her again, though she received ten times as much damage as she inflicted. The _Lackawanna_ passed through a somewhat similar experience but a gunner drove a 9-inch shell into one of the shutters, which was shattered and forced within the casemate. The crews were so close that they taunted each other through the portholes and even hurled missiles across the brief intervening space.