The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 21, July 1917 - April, 1918 Page: 366
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The Southwestern Historical Quarterly
crew; her only means of offense now was by ramming, while her
sharpshooters enfiladed the decks as she approached.
The nearest vessel was the Harriet Lane, at anchor without
steam enough to get under way. Striking her a glancing blow on
the port quarter, the Bayou City scraped by. The Neptune ap-
roaching from the other side struck her on the starboard side aft
the wheel, forcing her to swing around with head up channel.
The Bayou City having come about, rammed again, striking the
port wheel house, and, forcing her bow under the deck guard, be-
came fast. This careened the Harriet Lane at such an angle that
her guns were useless for close quarters. In the meantime her
decks had been cleared of crew and officers by the murderous fire
of the sharpshooters of the Bayou City and Neptune.
Commodore Leon Smith and Colonel Tom Green boarded her
at the head of their men and found Commander John D. Wain-
right dead on the bridge, Lieutenant-Commander Edward Lea mor-
tally wounded, and Acting Second Master W. F. Monroe wounded.
They immediately hauled down her flag and turned such guns as
they could handle upon the gunboat Owasco, which was coming to
her aid. This with the rifle fire of the sharpshooters drove the
Owasco back. All three vessels were seriously injured. The Con-
federate steamer Neptune was so badly torn that she sank on the
edge of the channel, scarce two hundred feet away in an attempt
to beach her. The plummer block of the Harriet Lane penetrated
the deck of the Bayou City, locking both vessels together so that
neither could move without the other. The Harriet Lane's wheel
was broken and engine shaft driven out of its bearings, so that her
engines could not be started.18 When day dawned, the Harriet
Lane was boarded from the shore by an aide from General Ma-
gruder's staff, Major P. C. Tucker 2d,"4 to learn the result of the
attack and the condition of the Confederate fleet-or rather he
"sMagruder's Report, loc. cit.
"When the name Philip C. Tucker appears in this compilation, whether
preceded by the title of Major or Prize Commissioner, it is that of my
father, Philip C. Tucker, who held both these positions under the Con-
federate State government. Him I usually designate as Philip C. Tucker
2nd. His father was Philip -C. Tucker 1st, of Vermont, and I am the
third bearing his name, and so sign myself. I deem this explanation
necessary to prevent confusion.366
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 21, July 1917 - April, 1918, periodical, 1918; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101073/m1/372/: accessed April 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.