The _Chancellorville_ lay all night watching off the port of the two
gunboats and, soon after daylight, the lookout descried three smokes to
the westward and they were later made out to be the _Chicken_, the
_Holy Moses_ and the _Adolphus_, the latter tagging hurriedly after the
United States vessels.
The _Chicken_ had been a harbour tug but she was now the U.S.S.
_Chicken_, by your leave. She carried a six-pounder forward and a
six-pounder aft and her main point was her conspicuous vulnerability.
The _Holy Moses_ had been the private yacht of a Philadelphia
millionaire. She carried six six-pounders and her main point was the
chaste beauty of the officer's quarters.
On the bridge of the _Chancellorville_, Lieutenant-Commander Surrey
surveyed his squadron with considerable satisfaction. Presently he
signalled to the lieutenant who commanded the _Holy Moses_ and to the
boatswain who commanded the _Chicken_ to come aboard the flag-ship.
This was all very well for the captain of the yacht, but it was not so
easy for the captain of the tug-boat who had two heavy lifeboats swung
fifteen feet above the water. He had been accustomed to talking with
senior officers from his own pilot house through the intercession of
the blessed megaphone. However he got a lifeboat overside and was
pulled to the _Chancellorville_ by three men--which cut his crew almost
into halves.
In the cabin of the _Chancellorville_, Surrey disclosed to his two
captains his desires concerning the Spanish gunboats and they were glad
for being ordered down from the Nuevitas station where life was very
dull. He also announced that there was a shore battery containing, he
believed, four field guns--three-point-twos. His draught--he spoke of
it as _his_ draught--would enable him to go in close enough to engage
the battery at moderate range, but he pointed out that the main parts
of the attempt to destroy the Spanish gunboats must be left to the
_Holy Moses_ and the _Chicken_. His business, he thought, could only be
to keep the air so singing about the ears of the battery that the men
at the guns would be unable to take an interest in the dash of the
smaller American craft into the bay.
The officers spoke in their turns. The captain of the _Chicken_
announced that he saw no difficulties. The squadron would follow the
senior officer in line ahead, the _S. O._ would engage the batteries as
soon as possible, she would turn to starboard when the depth of water
forced her to do so and the _Holy Moses_ and the _Chicken_ would run
past her into the bay and fight the Spanish ships wherever they were
to be found. The captain of the _Holy Moses_ after some moments of
dignified thought said that he had no suggestions to make that would
better this plan.
Surrey pressed an electric bell; a marine orderly appeared; he was sent
with a message. The message brought the navigating officer of the
_Chancellorville_ to the cabin and the four men nosed over a chart.
In the end Surrey declared that he had made up his mind and the juniors
remained in expectant silence for three minutes while he stared at the
bulkhead. Then he said that the plan of the _Chicken's_ captain seemed
to him correct in the main. He would make one change. It was that he
should first steam in and engage the battery and the other vessels
should remain in their present positions until he signalled them to run
into the bay. If the squadron steamed ahead in line, the battery could,
if it chose, divide its fire between the cruiser and the gunboats
constituting the more important attack. He had no doubt, he said, that
he could soon silence the battery by tumbling the earth-works on to the
guns and driving away the men even if he did not succeed in hitting the
pieces. Of course he had no doubt of being able to silence the battery
in twenty minutes. Then he would signal for the _Holy Moses_ and the
_Chicken_ to make their rush, and of course he would support them with
his fire as much as conditions enabled him. He arose then indicating
that the conference was at an end. In the few moments more that all
four men remained in the cabin, the talk changed its character
completely. It was now unofficial, and the sharp badinage concealed
furtive affections, Academy friendships, the feelings of old-time
ship-mates, hiding everything under a veil of jokes. "Well, good luck
to you, old boy! Don't get that valuable packet of yours sunk under
you. Think how it would weaken the navy. Would you mind buying me three
pairs of pajamas in the town yonder? If your engines get disabled, tote
her under your arm. You can do it. Good-bye, old man, don't forget to
come out all right----"
When the captains of the _Chicken_ and the _Chicken_ emerged from the
cabin, they strode the deck with a new step. They were proud men. The
marine on duty above their boats looked at them curiously and with awe.
He detected something which meant action, conflict, The boats' crews
saw it also. As they pulled their steady stroke, they studied
fleetingly the face of the officer in the stern sheets. In both cases
they perceived a glad man and yet a man filled with a profound
consideration of the future.