haʊˈɛvɚ ðə ʃˈɪp wʌz ɔːlɹˌɛdi ˌʌndɚ kəmˈænd ʌv lˈiːɑːn smˈɪθ, ɐn ˈɑːɹmi vˌɑːləntˈɪɹ ænd stˈiːmboʊt kˈæptɪn, hˌuː hæd plˈeɪd ɐ ɹˈoʊl ɪn kˈæptʃɚɹɪŋ ðə ʃˈɪp, hˌævɪŋ bˌɪn plˈeɪst ɪn kəmˈænd ʌvðə ʃˈɪp baɪ mˈeɪdʒɚ dʒˈɛnɚɹəl dʒˈɑːn bˈiː. mˈæɡɹuːdɚɹ ænd ɪn kəntɹˈoʊl ʌv ɐdˈɪʃənəl ʃˈɪps ˈɪmpɹəvˌaɪzd æz ˈeɪ "kˈɑːʔn̩klˌæd flˈiːt".
However the ship was already under command of Leon Smith, an army volunteer and steamboat captain, who had played a role in capturing the ship, having been placed in command of the ship by Major General John B. Magruder and in control of additional ships improvised as a "cottonclad fleet".