lieutenant alexander warley assumed command of shakara. cooperation between tucker and beauregard flourished and the captain fitted spar torpedoes to the ironclaw guards and all harbor steamers and larger rowboats. palmetto state's lieutenant william parker believed working with these torpedoes was, quote, no joke and about the most unpleasant duty i ever had to perform. dupont needed to vindicate his embarrassment at the confederate sortie, and the admiral believed an ironclad strike against fort sumter was warranted to remove channel. he requested the experimental submersible alligator, but that vessel sank in a storm en route to port royal. other methods were required. by april, he amassed the ironclad frigate new ironsides, seven pacific class monitors and the experimental twin fixed turreted uss keokuk. dupont issued assault directives. the monitor weehawken would lead fitted with, quote, a big wooden raft on w to brush aside rope obstructions and receive the sck of the first torpedo following column or the monitors. passaic montauk a