tinued on and as she forged ahead of the brig she received another broadside. She was so close to her adversaries that the gun muzzles almost touched as they passed. Firing rapidly, the ships were fairly wrapped in flame. The Japanese gunners, firing furiously, were able to pour three broadsides into the Wyoming as she steamed past. One shell entered her just under one of the 32-pounders, killing or wounding all but three of her gun crew. A wounded seaman continued to work a gun alone until late in the action when he received reinforcements.
McDougal had entered the passage against the tide and the strong current in the narrow straits made manoeuver difficult, but despite this and the shot and shell rained upon the Wyoming she was not doing badly herself. Every shot fired at the bark and brig had taken effect and the latter was now in a sinking condition. Thus far the Koshin had taken but a minor part in the conflict. Now her anchor was up and she was preparing to manoeuver. Just then the Wyoming ran aground. Under the heavy fire of six batteries and two ships, she struggled desperately to free herself. She wriggled loose just before the Koshin got close enough to ram or grapple her and the fight was resumed. The Wyoming had now traversed nearly the entire length of the straits and McDougal might have passed between Shimonoséki and Modji and out to the open sea but instead he swung her 'round again and ran the gauntlet a second time, now directing most of his attention to the Koshin.
Boatswain's mate Frank Wyatt was in charge of one pivot-gun; Peter King commanded the other. "Cut loose and provide! Run in! Shift Pivot to the right! Serve vent and sponge! Load! Run out? Prime! Point! Ready—Fire! Another shell was on its way. One struck the Koshin Maru, the Prince of Choshiu's own ship, entering just above the water line, piercing plates and boiler and tearing a great hole in the far side; then continuing on its way, it finally exploded among the houses in the town beyond. A moment later there was an explosion on the stricken ship. A great column of water rose skyward like a geyser carrying wreckage and debris with it. Fire broke out on the doomed steamer and her sailors leaped into the sea where the Wyoming's sailors picked them off with revolvers until McDougal stopped them. About 40 of the Koshin's crew were lost.
The shore batteries still continued their bombardment as did the bark whose crew was firing as fast as they could serve her six guns, but she was soon riddled and many of the guns ashore were silenced. The Wyoming was so completely enveloped in her own smoke that visibility was difficult, but she succeeded in dropping shells within the batteries despite this handicap. The artillerymen ashore had no difficulty in finding the Wyoming since her topmasts stuck up through the smoke, and besides she always passed at known and expected ranges.
As in the case of the Constitution and the Guerriere, fifty-one years before, this action lasted 70 minutes. The Wyoming had lost but five killed and six wounded. She was still in good condition to fight though she had been hulled seven times, her foremast and mainmast had each been struck four times, her funnel was riddled, and her rigging badly cut. In a brief report to Gideon Welles, Lincoln's Secretary of the Navy, McDougal said modestly, "I hope we taught them a lesson."
The Alabama, for which the Wyoming was primarily in search, was located the following June off Cherbourg by the Wyoming's sister ship, the Kearsarge, which defeated and destroyed her.
