Slow monitors escape the Hindenburg battery

Once the weather cleared near Ostend, German ranging rapidly became accurate against the exposed monitors. The shells fell steeply enough that a deck hit could pass almost vertically through a hull whose bottom was only about twelve feet below the waterline. Bacon ordered withdrawal because the ships could not survive sustained hits. With no after guns they could not answer while retiring at roughly seven knots, and they still had about 10,000 yards to steam before leaving the battery's full range. The ships escaped only because a premature burst near a German muzzle persuaded the opposing commander to stop using full charges.