Daniel Ammen, Confederate Military History, a library of Confederate States Military History: Volume 7.2, The Atlantic Coast
Clement Anselm Evans, Ed.

‘ [21] the broad expanse of water to disturb the accuracy of fire from the broad decks of that magnificent armada about advancing, in battle array, to vomit forth its iron hail, with all the spiteful energy of long-suppressed rage and conscious strength.’

At early dawn of the 7th signal was made from the flagship go to breakfast, and after the usual time given, the signals ‘get under way,’ ‘form line of battle,’ and ‘prepare for action,’ followed in due time. The vessels of war were then lying more than four miles outside of a straight line connecting the earthworks, situated, as General Drayton states, two and five-eighths miles apart and soon to be the objects of attack. The commanding officers of vessels, previously instructed, on weighing anchor took position in lines as follows: Main column, flag-ship Wabash leading, Commander C. R. P. Rodgers; side-wheel steam frigate Susquehanna, Captain J. S. Lardner; sloop Mohican, Commander S. W. Godon; sloop Seminole, Commander J. P. Gillis; sloop Pawnee, Lieutenant-Commanding R. H. Wyman; gunboat Unadilla, Lieutenant-Commanding Napoleon Collins; gunboat Ottawa, Lieutenant-Commanding Thomas H. Stevens; gunboat Pembina, Lieutenant-Commanding John P. Bankhead, and sail-sloop Vandalia, Commander Francis S. Haggerty, towed by the Isaac Smith, LieutenantCommand-ing J. W. A. Nicholson. It will be remembered that the last-named vessel, to prevent foundering, had thrown her broadside guns overboard in the gale of the 1st.

The flanking column consisted of the Bienville, Commander Charles Steedman, leading; the gunboat Seneca, Lieutenant-Commanding Daniel Ammen; gunboat Penguin, Lieutenant-Commanding P. A. Budd, and the Augusta, Commander E. G. Parrott.

At half-past 8 the vessels were as fairly in position as