Meantime the _Vincennes_ and the _Preble_ had been “drifting” also, and without making any attempts to get their bows pointed upstream. They were under sail, and the wind was in the north. The _Preble_ outran the _Richmond_, even. Captain French says that as he passed the _Richmond_ Captain Pope told him to “proceed down the pass.” He obeyed, and after bumping on the bar two or three times, crossed over into water unfretted by rams and fire-rafts. So he “anchored near the coal ships _Kuhn_ and _Nightingale_ to protect them if necessary.” Meantime the _Vincennes_, like the _Richmond_, had grounded in the pass, and a little later along came the _Water Witch_. She had found, as she steamed down the pass, “that the _fire rafts_ were drifting with the wind steadily over toward the western shore,” so the “_Water Witch_ was now steered to the northward and eastward (upstream) and easily cleared them.” The river at this “time in the vicinity of the passes was entirely clear of the enemy.” Nevertheless, a “_general signal_, ‘cross the bar,’” was displayed on the _Richmond_. The effect of this signal on Captain Handy of the _Vincennes_ is well-nigh past belief. He read it “abandon the ship,” he says, but he was not quite sure about the reading, and so sent a boat to the _Water Witch_ to ask how Captain Winslow read it. Captain Winslow replied “that it was impossible” an order to abandon the ship had been given. Captain Handy was of his original opinion still, and at once ordered the boats away. A slow match was set to the magazine, and then, as the crew started over the side of the ship, Captain Handy wrapped the ship’s flag about him in broad folds and climbed down the ladder to his gig. Fortunately, a quarter-gunner (whose name has not been preserved, alas!) slipped down below, and cutting off the burning end of the slow match, tossed it overboard. Two of the boats went to the _Water Witch_, but the others, including the gig, to the _Richmond_. Here Handy’s theatrical air left him. The utter disgust of his crew became manifest after it was told that the slow match had been cut, and Handy was sent back crestfallen to his ship. But, though crestfallen, he was as nerveless as ever.