Work had hardly begun when the Confederate gunboats appeared on every hand.

With the same coolness that he had shown when driven ashore in Mexico, the command was given for the guns to be fired "on both sides." Indeed, there were so many targets that it would have been about as difficult to miss as to hit one.
[Illustration: ATTACK ON ROANOKE ISLAND--LANDING OF THE TROOPS.] The _Varuna_ did terrific work, her gunners displaying fine markmanship.
The formidable craft _Governor Moore_ had detected her in the early morning light, and steaming after her, fired a shot when only a hundred yards away, but missed.

The _Varuna_ replied, killing and wounding men on the _Governor Moore_ at every shot.

One of the enemy's shot, however, raked the _Varuna_, killing four men and wounding nine.
Another struck the _Varuna's_ pivot gun and killed and wounded a number more.

Then the _Governor Moore_ rammed the _Varuna_ twice in quick succession.
But while the Confederate was doing so, Boggs planted three 8-inch shells into his antagonist, which set her on fire and compelled her to drop out of action.