The Confederates and Union engaged in a bloody fight to the finish north of Mobile, AL. The Rebel squadron, led by CSS Nashville, clashed with the Union squadron of USS Cincinnati, USS Chickasaw and tinclad No.41. In the battle that ensued, the Union squadron was annihilated, losing every ship present. It was truly a Pyrrhic victory for the Rebel navy, though, as they had to destroy their squadron to save it.

The "last ship standing," CSS Nashville -- ably captained by Heidi Hardy -- sent Chickasaw to the bottom after a brutal slugging match at point blank range. Though victorious, Nashville's damage was so severe as to render future action moot. Still, the Confederates quit the field with their honor intact.

The high point for me was Darryl Smith executing a perfect ramming attack with his tinclad on a Confederate gunboat, only to inflict no damage -- except for dismounting his own sternwheel, crippling his own ship. You could almost picture the wheel climbing up the stern of the ship, splintering and collapsing as it went.