“The order of battle was as follows: The _Weehawken_, Capt. John Rodgers, with a raft on the bows to explode torpedoes, led the line; the _Passaic_, Capt. Percival Drayton; the _Montauk_, Capt. John L. Worden; the _Patapsco_, Commander Daniel Ammen; the _New Ironsides_, Commodore Thomas Turner (as flagship), followed by the _Catskill_, Commander George W. Rodgers; the _Nantucket_, Commander D. M. Fairfax; the _Nahant_, Commander John Downes, and the _Keokuk_, Commander A. C. Rhind. “The vessels were ordered to pass without returning the fire from batteries on Morris Island; when within easy range of Fort Sumter they were to open upon it, and take position to the north and west, at a distance of 800 yards, firing low, and at the centre embrasure. The necessity for precision of fire was enjoined.” Of these nine ships the _New Ironsides_ was a big broadside steamer with heavy iron plating, and she carried two 150-pounder rifles and fourteen eleven-inch Dahlgrens. The _Keokuk_ was a sort of monitor with two fixed turrets, and the others were new monitors carrying one fifteen-inch Dahlgren, the solid shot of which weighed 440 pounds, and one eleven-inch Dahlgren, save only that the _Patapsco_ carried a 150-pounder rifle in place of the smaller Dahlgren. On April 7th this formidable squadron steamed up the channel. They did not get started until 1.15 P.M. because of the fouling of the big raft that was expected to serve as a torpedo-catcher in front of the leading monitor (_Weehawken_), but at 2.50 o’clock the squadron was within range of Fort Moultrie, and the Confederates opened fire. It was a battle in enclosed water--the Confederate gunners had the range marked to a yard with colored buoys, and the fire was hot from the first gun. But the squadron steamed slowly on until within about 1,000 yards of Fort Sumter. There is a clash of authorities as to the exact distance, but the point is of no consequence because it is certain that the distance of the ships was in no case less than 800 yards from Sumter. At 3.05 the ship at the head of the line opened fire. “A fifteen-inch shell fired at Sumter was watched until it struck on the northeast face; the fort was covered with a mass of dust from the bursting shell.” So says Ammen, and that tells the whole story of the effect of the attack. It kicked up a mighty dust. Some of the ships, including the flagship, became unmanageable. “Disregard motions of flagship” was signalled by Admiral Dupont, commanding. The ships were in a turmoil because of the tidal currents and the difficulty of seeing through the peep-holes and through the smoke. But they did not try to pass into the harbor and attack the forts in the rear. Capt. John Rodgers, of the _Weehawken_, in his report, tells why for himself and all the squadron: