The loyal ship continued on her course to the
westward, and in ten minutes she had made three miles and a half, which
placed her out of the reach of the broadside guns of the Tallahatchie.
Christy did not abate his watchfulness over the movements of the enemy.
The shot from the sixty-pounder which had struck on the quarter of the
Confederate, had evidently created a great deal of confusion in that
part of the vessel. She had intended to describe a quarter of a circle
in order to render her port broadside guns available, but she had not
made more than the eighth of the circuit before she appeared to be going
ahead, and her direction was diagonal to that of the Bellevite.
"What does that mean?" asked Christy of the commander who stood near
him, though he had a very decided opinion of his own on the subject.
"It simply means that the last shot which struck her deranged whatever
expedient her captain had adopted for controlling the rudder," replied
the commander. "It failed when she was half round, and then she went
ahead."
"She has stopped her screw again, sir," added the first lieutenant.
"It is time for her to haul down her flag; but she does not seem to
be disposed to do it," continued Captain Breaker. "It is certainly a
hopeless case, and he ought to spare his men if not himself."
"Captain Rombold is not one of that sort.
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