tleships in reserve and in ordinary, at the League Island Yard, namely, the Alabama, Illinois, Kearsarge, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
At noon, April 1st, the signal stations at Cape Charles and Cape Henry reported that a fleet of transports, flying the German flag, was converging on the entrance.
The rifle and mortar batteries at Fort Monroe were instantly manned, and to the amazement of all but the few who knew the limitations of range, the fleet, in line ahead, steamed boldly for that forbidden ground, the main entrance to the Chesapeake, lying to the south of the middle shoal. As the fleet reached the entrance it slowed down, and using the lead, crept in, hugging closely the southerly edge of the shoal.
And then Fort Monroe spoke. From her batteries there roared forth a salvo, which, twenty seconds later, struck the
