But in a moment the case seemed desperate even to Farragut’s courageous soul, for he raised his hands above his head and exclaimed, “My God, is it to end in this way?” Just then Master’s Mate Allen, in charge of the ship’s fire-brigade, climbed into the mizzen rigging with the nozzle of a hose in his hand, and a moment later the spurting water of the hose had drowned the soaring flames. Meantime the tug _Mosher_ had held the raft faithfully against the _Hartford_, although under the very muzzles of the ship’s big guns and in the brilliant light of the blazing fire. But a half dozen shells were fired at her, and drifting away, she sank in the black water, carrying down every one of the heroic men upon her. And that was not the last case where men were found to face certain death in this fashion. The accounts of what was done by other vessels of the fleets are as confused as were their movements as seen by the various spectators. It appears, however, that while the last division of the squadron struggled through the pass in the barrier the _Cayuga_, at the head of the first, suddenly found herself among the Confederate gunboats and the guerrillas that were going to show the naval officers how to fight. She had passed, perhaps without seeing her, the dread ironclad _Louisiana_, moored above Fort St. Philip, but the rest of the Confederate ships were lively enough. The guerrillas were lively in their haste to escape, those that had steam up flying for life, and the crews of those without steam setting them on fire and scrambling ashore in haste, while the _Cayuga_ fired right and left at everything in sight. The _Moore_ was close beside the _Cayuga_ on one side, and the _McRae_ on the other. Both received a severe pounding as the _Cayuga_ passed on. The _Oneida_ was not far in the wake, and she, too, gave broadsides to the Confederates. The _Varuna_, swiftest of the government squadron, ran past everything and continued up the river, followed by the Confederate steamer _Moore_ with the Union signals aloft. Captain Kennon, seeing that the Confederates were being whelmed by the Union forces, determined to escape up the river. [Illustration: B. Brooklyn. C. Cayuga. D. River Defence Fleet. F. Steamers or Mortar Flotilla. G. Governor Moore. H. Hartford. H1. Hartford aground and on fire. I. Iroquois. L. Louisiana. M. Mississippi. Mc. McRae. Ms. Manassas. m. Mosher. O. Oneida. P. Pensacola. Q. General Quitman. R. Richmond. S. Sciota. U. Advance Vessels during bombardment. V. Varuna. W. Water Batteries X. Head of Fleet daring bombardment. Y. Bailey’s Division, April 23d. Z. Second Division of Mortars, 1st day’s bombardment. 1. Katahdin. 2. Kineo. 3. Wissahickon. 4. Pinola. 5. Kennebec. 6. Itasca. 7. Winona. Battle of New Orleans. _From “The Navy in the Civil War.”_]