"In obedience to these orders, the _Itasca_ ran up to the boom, and at eleven o'clock showed a night signal that the channel was clear of obstruction excepting the hulks, which, with care, might be passed safely. "A heavy fog, and the settling of the smoke from the steamers upon the waters, made the night a very dark one. No sound came from the forts, yet active preparations were going on in them for the approaching struggle, and their fleet was stationed near them in readiness to assist in the effort to prevent the Union vessels from ascending the river. "At one o'clock every one on the Union ships was called to action, but the fleet remained stationary until two, and at half past three Farragut's and Bailey's divisions were moving up the river, each on its appointed side, and at the rate of four miles an hour. "Then Porter's mortars, still at their moorings below the forts, opened upon those forts a terrible storm, sending as many as, if not more than, half a dozen shells, with their fiery trails, screaming through the air at the same moment. "But no sound came from the forts until they discovered Captain Bailey's ship, the _Cayuga_, just as she had passed the boom, when they brought their heavy guns to bear upon her, and broke the long silence with their roar. "When she was close under Fort St. Philip she replied with heavy broadsides of grape and canister as she passed on up the river. "The other vessels of Bailey's division followed closely after, each imitating the _Cayuga's_ example in delivering a broadside as she passed the forts, which they did almost unharmed, with the exception of the _Portsmouth_, a sailing vessel, which lost her tow, on firing her broadside, and drifted down the river. "Captain Bell and his division were not quite so fortunate. Three of his vessels passed the forts, but the _Itasca_ received a storm of shot, one of which pierced her boiler, and she drifted helplessly down the river. The _Kennebec_ lost her way among the obstructions and went back to her moorings below; the _Winona_, too, recoiled from the storm. "In the meantime, Farragut was in the fore rigging of the _Hartford_, watching with intense interest, through his night glass, the movements of the vessels under the command of Bailey and Bell, while the vessels he commanded in person were slowly nearing Fort Jackson. He was within a mile and a quarter of it when its heavy guns opened upon him. They were well aimed, and the _Hartford_ was struck several times. "Farragut replied with two guns which he had placed upon his forecastle, while at the same time he pushed on directly for the fort. When within a half mile of it he sheered off and gave them heavy broadsides of grape and canister; so heavy that they were driven from all their barbette guns. But the casemate guns were kept in full play, and the fight became a very severe one.