This was to give added protection to a vital part of the ship.
The work was hard and unpleasant, especially to men who had not spent the major portion of their lives at manual labor, but it was one of those disagreeable fortunes of war to which we were growing accustomed, and we toiled without comment.

That night when we turned in, that is, those who were fortunate enough to have the "off watch," it was generally rumored about the decks that the fleet would surely bombard early the following morning.
About two bells (five o'clock) the different guns' crews, who were sleeping at the batteries, were called by the boatswain's mates, and told to go to breakfast at once.
"It's coming," exclaimed "Hay," joyfully.

"The old 'Yankee' will see her real baptism of fire to-day.

'Kid,' you young rat, you'll have a chance to dodge shells before you are many hours older." "You may get a chance to stop one," retorted the boy.
After a hurried meal, word to clear ship for action was passed, and the "Yankee's" boys set to work with a vim.

The task was done more thoroughly than usual.