APPOINTED A COMMANDER IN THE VIRGINIA NAVY--IN CHARGE OF THE DEFENSES OF JAMES RIVER--TRANSFERRED TO THE CONFEDERATE STATES NAVY--PLACED IN COMMAND OF THE _Patrick Henry_--FITTING OUT UNDER DIFFICULTIES--FIRST PARTIALLY ARMORED AMERICAN VESSEL. LIEUTENANT POWELL'S PLAN FOR ARMORED GUNBOATS--OFFICERS OF THE _Patrick Henry_--GUARDING JAMES RIVER--SCALING THE GUNS--"NAVAL SKIRMISH"--A FLAG WHICH WAS NOT PRESENTED--BATTLE OF HAMPTON ROADS. SINKING OF THE _Cumberland_; AN AMERICAN _Vengeur_--BURNING OF THE _Congress_--COMBAT BETWEEN THE _Virginia_ AND THE _Monitor_--FLAG-OFFICER TATNALL TAKES COMMAND OF THE CONFEDERATE SQUADRON--SALLY INTO HAMPTON ROADS--PLAN FOR CARRYING THE _Monitor_ BY BOARDING--EVACUATION OF NORFOLK--TOWING UNFINISHED GUNBOATS TO RICHMOND--FEDERAL SQUADRON ENTERS JAMES RIVER--CREWS OF THE _Patrick Henry_, _Jamestown_ AND _Virginia_ MAN THE NAVAL BATTERIES AT DREWRY'S BLUFF--ACTION AT DREWRY'S BLUFF--THE _Galena_; A WELL-FOUGHT VESSEL. REPULSE OF THE FEDERAL SQUADRON--TUCKER ORDERED TO COMMAND THE IRON-CLAD STEAMER _Chicora_ AT CHARLESTON--SUCCESSFUL ATTACK ON THE BLOCKADING SQUADRON--TUCKER POSTED AND APPOINTED FLAG-OFFICER OF THE CHARLESTON SQUADRON--COMMANDING OFFICERS OF THE CHARLESTON SQUADRON--DUPONT'S ATTACK ON CHARLESTON--CONFEDERATE TORPEDO-BOATS AT CHARLESTON; DAMAGE DONE BY THEM--CHARLESTON NAVAL BATTALION SERVING WITH THE ARMY--EVACUATION OF CHARLESTON--ONE BATTALION OF THE CHARLESTON SQUADRON SERVES WITH THE ARMY AT WILMINGTON--TUCKER, WITH THE CHARLESTON SQUADRON BRIGADE, MARCHES THROUGH NORTH CAROLINA AND ARRIVES AT RICHMOND--TUCKER ORDERED TO COMMAND AT DREWRY'S BLUFF--CONFEDERACY AT ITS LAST GASP--EVACUATION OF RICHMOND--TUCKER NOT INFORMED OF THE INTENTION TO EVACUATE RICHMOND--SUCCEEDS IN JOINING HIS BRIGADE OF SAILORS TO MAJOR-GEN. CUSTIS LEE'S DIVISION--ACTION AT SAYLOR'S CREEK; DIDN'T KNOW THEY WERE WHIPPED, THOUGHT THE FIGHT HAD JUST BEGUN--SURRENDER--PRISONER OF WAR--RELEASED ON PAROLE--EMPLOYED BY THE SOUTHERN EXPRESS COMPANY Tucker was appointed a Commander in the Virginia Navy, with rank from the date of the commission in the United States Navy which he had resigned. He was at first assigned by the Governor to the defense of James river, but in a short time was ordered to assume command of the steamer _Patrick Henry_.