As the warship turned, s searchlight illuminated her, and men on deck passed the order to No. 2 turret to shoot out the offending light. When the turret responded with "Astoria"s 12th and final salvo, the shells missed "Kinugasa" but struck the No. 1 turret of . "Astoria" lost steering control on the bridge at about 0225, shifted control to central station, and began steering a zig-zag course south. Before she made much progress, though, the heavy cruiser lost all power. Fortunately, the Japanese chose that exact instant to withdraw. By 0300, nearly 400 men, including about 70 wounded and many dead, were assembled on the forecastle deck. Suffering from the effects of at least 65 hits, "Astoria" fought for her life. A bucket brigade battled the blaze on the gun deck and the starboard passage forward from that deck, and the wounded were moved to the captain's cabin, where doctors and corpsmen proceeded with their care. Eventually, however, the deck beneath grew hot and forced the wounded back to the forecastle. The bucket brigade made steady headway, driving the fire aft on the starboard side of the gun deck, while a gasoline handy-billy rigged over the side pumped a small stream into the wardroom passage below. With daylight, "Bagley" returned to the heavy cruiser and came alongside her starboard quarter. Since it appeared that the ship could be saved, a salvage crew of about 325 able-bodied men went back aboard "Astoria". Another bucket brigade attacked the fires while the ship's first lieutenant investigated all accessible lower decks. A party of men collected the dead and prepared them for burial. came up to assist in the salvage effort at about 0700. After securing a towline, "Hopkins" proceeded ahead, swinging "Astoria" around in an effort to tow her to the shallow water off Guadalcanal. A second gasoline-powered handy-billy, transferred from "Hopkins", promptly joined the struggle against the fires. soon arrived on the scene, coming alongside the cruiser at about 0900 to pump water into the fire forward. Called away at 1000, "Hopkins" and "Wilson" departed, but the heavy cruiser received word that was on the way to assist in battling the fires and that was coming to tow the ship. Nevertheless, the fire below decks increased steadily in intensity, and those topside could hear explosions. Her list increased, first to 10° and then 15°.