This prompted a Confederate attack. The local Confederate forces arrived quietly and prepared for a night-time attack on the Union forces. When the Union went to sleep, they let less-experienced soldiers man the guns. The Confederates seized the opportunity and moved their cannons closer. The cannons lined up 1,000 yards away from the gunboats, while the cavalry and foot-soldiers advanced. Numerous cannon shells penetrated the gunboat’s hulls. While the cavalry and foot-soldiers moved in, the artillery advanced as well, and finished off the vessels. On May 8, Ella Morse, a Union Supply ship did not know of the Union casualties. Then brought moved up all the way to the other ships with supplies. When she noticed that confederates were manning the guns it was too late. They gunned the ship down. The Union Forces suffered many casualties. They lost the Ella Morse, the U.S.S Granite City, the U.S.S Wave, and the U.S.S New London. On the other hand, the Confederates did not lose too many soldiers. The Confederates only suffered a few men from each battalion. The engagement was between the forces of Confederate Col. W. H. Griffin and Union Lieutenants Benjamin Loring and C. W. Lamson. In the battle, Confederates fought and captured two Union gunboats ("Wave" and "Granite City") and later converted them into blockade runners.