With the aid of the first lieutenant he selected the men for the
movement, though Christy would not permit the detail to consist of all
the best men, for that would not be fair or generous to the officers of
divisions. They were a fair average of the quality of the seamen.
The Tallahatchie made an attempt to come about in order to make her
guns available; but for some unknown reason it appeared to be a failure,
for she presently stopped her screw again. The Bellevite was rapidly
approaching her, and her commander evidently realized that the loyal
ship intended to board, for he made his preparations to meet the
onslaught.
Captain Rombold, in spite of his misfortune in the Dornoch the year
before, was inclined to disparage the bravery and skill of the officers
of the United States Navy, and to regard the seamen as inferior to those
of his own country, though he was too gentlemanly to express himself
directly to this effect. Christy had drawn this inference from what he
said in the conversations with him when Colonel Passford and he were
prisoners on board of the Chateaugay.
Holding this view, as Christy was confident he did, it was plain from
his action that he expected, or at least hoped, to win a victory in the
hand-to-hand encounter which was impending. Of course it was possible
that he might do so, and come into possession of the Bellevite, winch
had outsailed him, and disabled his ship for a combat at longer range.
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