Settling down upon the water in a still, damp atmosphere, it soon hid everything from the eyes of the pilots.

The flagship leading had the advantage of pushing often ahead of her own smoke; but those who followed ran into it and incurred a perplexity which increased from van to rear.

At the bend of the river the current caught the _Hartford_ on her port bow, sweeping her around with her head toward the batteries, and nearly on shore, her stern touching the ground slightly; but by her own efforts and the assistance of the _Albatross_ she was backed clear.

Then, the _Albatross_ backing and the _Hartford_ going ahead strong with the engine, her head was fairly pointed up the stream, and she passed by without serious injury.

Deceived possibly by the report of the howitzers in her top, which were nearly on their own level, the Confederates did not depress their guns sufficiently to hit her as often as they did the ships that followed her.