The fleet overwhelms CSS Tennessee

Farragut released Metacomet and the other fast gunboats to chase down or drive ashore the smaller Confederate vessels. CSS Tennessee advanced alone, but her low speed let the Union ships evade her attempts to ram them. Wooden sloops instead rammed the ironclad, including Monongahela with her reinforced ram bow. Tennessee's armor initially deflected gunfire, while poor-quality Confederate powder caused repeated misfires. Once repeated attacks had left her almost motionless, Manhattan and Chickasaw took positions toward her bow and stern and fired at close range. Their guns bent the iron protection and shattered its unseasoned oak backing. Buchanan suffered a broken leg, and Tennessee surrendered, allowing Farragut to concentrate on the forts.