... Benton and St. Louis, for with but slight loss and damage he retreated down the river, and had his vessels in good shape four weeks later at Memphis. A new departure in river fighting began when Colonel Charles Ellet, Jr. , came down with his nine rams, which consisted of old stern-wheelers and side-wheelers strengthened by bulkheads, their boilers protected by oak and iron and their bows reenforced with heavy metal sh...