Monitors form a mobile armored screen

The fleet entered in two parallel columns. Farragut placed the monitors closest to Fort Morgan on the starboard side of the channel, where their armor could absorb fire that would be far more dangerous to wooden hulls. They were also positioned to engage CSS Tennessee while the wooden ships dealt with the smaller gunboats. Brooklyn led the wooden column because she had four forward-firing chase guns and a device described as a 'cow catcher' intended to remove mines. Hartford followed her. The arrangement assigned the leading positions to ships with particular protection, weapons, and equipment.