It had taken up a strong position on another bluff, almost out of range of the John Adams, but within easy range of us.

The sharpest contest of the day was before us.

Happily the engine and engineer were now behaving well, and we were steering in a channel already traversed, and of which the dangerous points were known.

But we had a long, straight reach of river before us, heading directly toward the battery, which, having once got our range, had only to keep it, while we could do nothing in return.

The Rebels certainly served then: guns well.