At half past ten P.M. the boats left their moorings & steamed down the river, the Benton, Admiral Porter, taking the lead. As they approached the point opposite the town, a terrible concentrated fire of the centre, upper and lower batteries, both water and bluff, was directed upon the channel, which ran within one hundred yards of the shore. At the same moment innumerable flats of turpentine and other combustible materials were set ablaze. In the face of all this fire, the boats made their way with but little loss except the transport Henry Clay, which was set on fire & sunk.