CSS Albemarle Sunk

150 years ago today Lieutenant William Cushing executed one of the most daring raids in United States military history – the sinking of the CSS Albemarle. Since its defeat of several Union ships in April, the Albemarle had remained in control of a sizable portion of the Roanoke River. The Federals wanted to end that, and Cushing volunteered to lead two small boats to try to sink her. He wrote this in a magazine article describing the attack:

I intended that one boat should dash in, while the other stood by to throw canister and renew the attempt [on the Albemarle] if the first should fail. It would useful to pick up our men if the attacking boat were disabled. Admiral Lee believed that the plan was a good one, and ordered me to Washington to submit it to the Secretary of the Navy. Mr. Fox, the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, doubted the merit of the project, but concluded to order me to New York to “purchase suitable vessels.”

Finding some boats building for picket duty, I selected two, and proceeded to fit them out. They were open launches, about thirty feet in length, with small engines, and propelled by a screw. A 12-pounder howitzer was fitted to the bow of each, and a boom was rigged out, some fourteen feet in length, swinging by a goose-neck hinge to the bluff of the bow. A topping lift, carried to a stanchion inboard, raised or lowered it, and the torpedo was fitted into an iron slide at the end. This was intended to be detached from the boom by means of a heel-jigger leading inboard, and to be exploded by another line, connecting with a pin, which held a grape-shot over a nipple and cap. The torpedo was the invention of Engineer Lay of the Navy, and was introduced by Chief Engineer Wood.

Everything being completed, we started to the southward, taking the boats through the canals to Chesapeake Bay, and losing one in going down to Norfolk. This was a great misfortune, and I have never understood how it occurred. … My best boat being thus lost, I proceeded with one alone to make my way through the Chesapeake and Albemarle canals into the sounds. …

The Roanoke River is a stream averaging 150 yards in width, and quite deep. Eight miles from the mouth was the town of Plymouth, where the ram was moored. Several thousand soldiers occupied the town and forts, and held both banks of the stream. A mile below the ram was the wreck of the Southfield, with hurricane deck above water, and on this a guard was stationed, to give notice of anything suspicious, and to send up fire-rockets in case of an attack. Thus it seemed impossible to surprise them, or to attack, with hope of success.

Impossibilities are for the timid: we determined to overcome all obstacles. On the night of the 27th of October [1864] we entered the river, taking in tow a small cutter with a few men, the duty of whom was to dash aboard the Southfield at the first hail, and prevent any rocket from being ignited.

Fortune was with our little boat, and we actually passed within thirty feet of the pickets without discovery and neared the wharf, where the rebels all lay unconscious. I now thought that it might be better to board her, and “take her alive,” having in the two boats twenty men well armed with revolvers, cutlasses, and hand-grenades. To be sure, there were ten times our number on the ship and thousands near by; but a surprise is everything, and I thought if her fasts were cut at the instant of boarding, we might overcome those on board, take her into the stream, and use her iron sides to protect us afterward from the forts. Knowing the town, I concluded to land at the lower wharf, creep around and suddenly dash aboard from the bank; but just as I was sheering in close to the wharf, a hail came, sharp and quick from the iron-clad, and in an instant was repeated. I at once directed the cutter to cast off, and go down to capture the guard left in our rear, and ordering all steam went at the dark mountain of iron in front of us. A heavy fire was at once opened upon us, not only from the ship, but from men stationed on the shore. This did not disable us, and we neared them rapidly. A large fire now blazed upon the bank, and by its light I discovered the unfortunate fact that there was a circle of logs around the Albemarle, boomed well out from her side, with the very intention of preventing the action of torpedoes. To examine them more closely, I ran alongside until amidships, received the enemy’s fire, and sheered off for the purpose of turning, a hundred yards away, and going at the booms squarely, at right angles, trusting to their having been long enough in the water to have become slimy—in which case my boat, under full headway, would bump up against them and slip over into the pen with the ram. This was my only chance of success, and once over the obstruction my boat would never get out again; but I was there to accomplish an important object, and to die, if needs be, was but a duty. As I turned, the whole back of my coat was torn out by buckshot, and the sole of my shoe was carried away. The fire was very severe.

In a lull of the firing, the captain hailed us, again demanding what boat it was. All my men gave some comical answers, and mine was a dose of canister, which I sent among them from the howitzer, buzzing and singing against the iron ribs and into the mass of men standing by the fire upon the shore. In another instant we had struck the logs and were over, with headway nearly gone, slowly forging up under the enemy’s quarter-port. Ten feet from us the muzzle of a gun looked into our faces, and every word of command on board was distinctly heard.

My clothing was perforated with bullets as I stood in the bow, the heel-jigger in my right hand and the exploding-line in the left. We were near enough then, and I ordered the boom lowered until the forward motion of the launch carried the torpedo under the ram’s overhang. A strong pull of the detaching-line, a moment’s waiting for the torpedo to rise under the hull, and I hauled in the left hand, just cut by a bullet.

The explosion took place at the same instant that 10 pounds of grape, at 10 feet range, crashed in our midst, and the dense mass of water thrown out by the torpedo came down with choking weight upon us.¹

A. F. Warley, the captain of the Albermarle, had thought his position weak, as the guns on land were of little use, and they were under constant surveillance from the other side of the river. Nevertheless, he respected the Federals for their attack, and said, “a more gallant thing was not done during the war.”² Cushing continued his story:

Twice refusing to surrender, I commanded the men to save themselves; and throwing off sword, revolver, shoes, and coat, struck out from my disabled and sinking boat into the river. It was cold, long after the frosts, and the water chilled the blood, while the whole surface of the stream was plowed up by grape and musketry, and my nearest friends, the fleet, were twelve miles away, but anything was better than to fall into rebel hands. Death was better than surrender. I swam for the opposite shore, but as I neared it a man, one of my crew, gave a great gurgling yell and went down.

The rebels were out in boats, picking up my men; and one of these, attracted by the sound, pulled in my direction. I heard my own name mentioned, but was not seen. I now “struck out” down the stream, and was soon far enough away to attempt landing. …

Again alone upon the water, I directed my course towards the town side of the river, not making much headway, as my strokes were now very feeble, my clothes being soaked and heavy, and little chop-seas splashing with a choking persistence into my mouth every time that I gasped for breath. Still, there was a determination not to sink, a will not to give up; and I kept up a sort of mechanical motion long after my bodily force was in fact expended.

At last, and not a moment too soon, I touched the soft mud, and in the excitement of the first shock I half raised my body and made one step forward; then fell, and remained half in the mud and half in the water until daylight, unable even to crawl on hands and knees, nearly frozen, with brain in a whirl, but with one thing strong in me—the fixed determination to escape. The prospect of drowning, starvation, death in the swamps—all seemed lesser evils than that of surrender.

As day dawned, I found myself in a point of swamp that enters the suburbs of Plymouth, and not forty yards from one of the forts. The sun came our bright and warm, proving a most cheering visitant, and giving me back a good portion of the strength of which I had been deprived before. Its light showed me the town swarming with soldiers and sailors, who moved about excitedly, as if angry at some sudden shock. It was a source of satisfaction to me to know that I had pulled the wire that had set all these figures moving (in a manner quite as interesting a the best of theatricals), but as I had no desire of being discovered by any of the rebs who were so plentiful around me, I did not long remain a spectator. My first object was to get into a dry fringe of rushes that edged the swamp; but to do this required me to pass over thirty or forty feet of open ground, right under the eye of the sentinel who walked the parapet.

Watching until he turned for a moment, I made a dash to cross the space, but was only half-way over when he turned, and forced me to drop down right between two paths, and almost entirely unshielded. Perhaps I was unobserved because of the mud that covered me, and made me blend in with the earth; at all events the soldier continued his tramp for some time.... I [regained the swamp] by sinking my heels and elbows into the earth and forcing my body, inch by inch, towards it. For five hours them, with bare feet, head, and hands, I made my way where I venture to say none ever did before, until I came at last to a clear place, where I might rest upon solid ground. The cypress swamp was a network of thorns and briers, that cut into the flesh at every step like knives, and frequently, when the soft mire would not bear my weight, I was forced to throw my body upon it at length, and haul it along by the arms. Hands and feet were raw when I reached the clearing, and yet my difficulties were but commenced. A working-party of soldiers was in the opening, engaged in sinking some schooners in the river to obstruct the channel. I passed twenty yards in their rear through a corn furrow, and gained some woods below. …

I went on again, and plunged into a swamp so thick that I had only the sun for a guide and could not see ten feet in advance. About 2 o’clock in the afternoon I came out from the dense mass of reeds upon the bank of one of the deep narrow streams that abound there, and right opposite to the only road in the vicinity. It seemed providential that I should come just there, for, thirty yards above or below, I never should have seen the road, and might have struggled on until worn out and starved—found a never-to-be-discovered grave. As it was, my fortune had led me to where a picket party of seven soldieries were posted, having a little flat-bottomed, square-ended skiff toggled to the root of a cypress tree that squirmed like a snake into the inky water. Watching them until they went back a few yards to eat, I crept into the stream and swam over, keeping the big tree between myself and them, and making for the skiff.

Gaining the bank, I quietly cast loose the boat and floated behind it some thirty yards around the first bend, where I got in and paddled away as only a man could where liberty was at stake.

Hour after hour I paddled, never ceasing for a moment, first on one side, then on the other, while sunshine passed into twilight, and that was swallowed up in thick darkness, only relieved by the few faint star rays that penetrated the heavy swamp curtain on either side. At last I reached the mouth of the Roanoke, and found the open sound before me.

My frail boat could not have lived a moment in the ordinary sea there, but it chanced to be very calm, leaving only a slight swell, which was, however, sufficient to influence my boat, so that I was forced to paddle all upon one side to keep her on the intended course.

After steering by a star for perhaps two hours for where I thought the fleet might be, I at length discovered one of the vessels, and after a long time got within hail. My “Ship ahoy!” was given with the last of my strength, and I fell powerless with a splash into the water in the bottom of the boat, and awaited results. I had paddled every minute for ten successive hours, and for four my body had been “asleep,” with the exception of my two arms and brain. The picket vessel Valley City—for it was she—upon hearing the hail at once slipped her cable and got underway, at the same time lowering boats and taking precautions against torpedoes.

It was some time before they would pick me up, being convinced that I was the rebel conductor of an infernal machine, and that Lieutenant Cushing had died the night before. …

I again received the congratulations of the Navy Department, and the thanks of Congress, and was also promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander.³

1. “The Destruction of the 'Albermarle'” by William Cushing in The Century Illustrated Monthly Magazine: May 1888 to October 1888 (New York: The Century Co., 1888) p. 432-436.

2. “Note on the Destruction of the 'Albemarle'” by W. F. Warley in The Century Illustrated Monthly Magazine, p. 439-440.

3. “The Destruction of the 'Albermarle'” by William Cushing in The Century Illustrated Monthly Magazine p. 436-438.

Mobile Bay Falls

In the Battle of Mobile Bay on August 5^th, David Farragut ran his ships past the forts and sunk the Confederate flotilla, but he still had to deal with three Confederate forts. Forts Gaines and Morgan guarded the entrance to the bay, and the smaller Fort Powell was positioned inside. Powell was the first to fall. Lt. Col. Williams, her commander had been ordered to hold out as long as possible, but, “when no longer tenable, save your garrison.” It did not take Williams long to decide it was untenable. Without even undergoing heavy pressure from the Federals he spiked his guns, blew up his powder and waded to the mainland with his men.

Fort Gaines

Fort Gaines was under the command of Colonel Charles Anderson. He had 818 troops in the garrison while Major General Gordon Granger had 3,300 troops besieging him. The fort had also been badly positioned. The sand dunes on the island offered cover for the Union troops to approach very close to the walls. Brigadier General Page, the Confederate commander in Mobile, ordered that the fort not be surrendered, but Anderson ignored him. He sent out a flag of truce, and surrendered to Granger and Farragut on August 8^th.

Fort Morgan

After Fort Gaines surrendered the Federal infantry was moved to face the last Confederate fort – Fort Morgan. It was an old massonry force garrisoned by 618 men under General Page himself. The Federals began a formal siege with regular lines of approaching trenches. Meanwhile, several of the monitors bombarded the fort, along with the Tennessee, which had been repaired and assimilated into the Federal fleet. On August 22 cannon and mortars on land joined the ships, and the fort was subjected to a day long bombardment. Page was afraid that the Union balls would hit his magazines, so he ordered them to be flooded. The next day he decided that further resistance was useless. He spiked his guns and raised the white flag.

Page

After Page surrendered he was arrested by the Federal forces. They accused him of violating the laws of war by destroying the guns and ammunition of the fort after he surrendered. A court of inquiry was formed in New Orleans to investigate. They found him not guilty, determining that he had destroyed the equipment of the fort before its surrender,.

The surrender of Fort Morgan marked the completion of the Federal capture of Mobile Bay. With Union ships holding the mouth of the bay, they could stop the flow of blockade runners coming too and fro. The town itself was still in Confederate hands, and would remain so until the next year.

Fort Morgan Today

Battle of Mobile Bay

Battle of Mobile Bay

In the summer of 1864 the ever advancing Union arms had left the Confederacy in possession of only a handful of major ports. One of these was Mobile, Alabama, and the Federals began to develop plans to capture it also. Leading the effort was Rear Admiral David Farragut, who had led the naval forces in the capture of New Orleans and Vicksburg. His fleet was composed of 18 ships of various types. Five were ironclad. They were up against three Confederate forts. Forts Morgan and Gaines guarded each side of the entrance to the bay, and the smaller Fort Powell was inside the harbor. The Confederates also had the CSS Tennessee, an ironclad built by the commander of the CSS Virginia, as well as three small gunboats.

Sailing past the forts

On August 3^rd 1,500 Federal infantry under General Gordon Granger were landed near Fort Gaines to attack it from the land. Farragut delayed the attack two days so one of his Monitors, the Tecumseh, could arrive. His fleet went out to battle at dawn on August 5^th, 150 years ago today. The four ironclad monitors led the attack, followed by the rest of the ships. The Tecumseh opened fire first at 6:47 AM., and the battle soon opened on all sides.

The Tecumseh sinks

The USS Tecumseh headed straight for the Tennessee, as Farragut had ordered. But her commander failed to avoid the minefield that the Confederates had place in the water. It was not long before she ran into a torpedo. It blew a harge hole in her side, sending her to the bottom within minutes with most of her crew still aboard. Seeing the fate of the first Federal ship, the Brooklyn slowed and signaled Farragut for orders. According to legend the admiral replied, “D--- the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!” Farragut believed that the Confederate torpedoes had been in the water too long to be of much use, and it had been an unlucky hit that sunk the Tecumseh. He decided to risk taking the rest of his ships through the minefield.

The Tennessee

Although the CSS Tennessee was greatly outnumbered by the Union fleet, she moved slowly forward to try to ram the enemy vessels. The Federal boats easily avoided her with their greater speed, and they themselves tried to ram. However, their rams and cannon balls just bounced off the rebel boat's iron sides. Although the Union fire could not pierce her hull, many of her accessories were shot away. With his steamstack perforated, her rudder chains cut and many of her gun shutters jammed, the Tennessee was left nearly helpless in the water. Soon the Union monitors arrived, and they fired ball after ball into the Confederate vessel. Finally with her sides bending under the heavy pressure and with some of the crew down from splinter injuries, the captain of the Tennessee hauled down his flag.

Having run into the bay and dealt with the Confederate naval threat, Farragut could now turn his attention to the siege of the forts. A short Federal bombardment left them still mostly intact at the end of the day. 

A World War I recruitment poster showing Farragut at Mobile Bay

Battle of Albemarle Sound

Back in April a new Confederate ironclad, the CSS Albemarle had made a daring attack on the Union ships off Plymouth, North Carolina, forcing them back and helping the infantry capture the town. In early May the Confederates attempted to push forward and capture New Bern. The first obstacle in the way of this plan was the eight Union ships in Albermarle Sound under the command of Melancton Smith.

The Alabama

James W. Cooke sailed the Albemarle out to attack the Federal gunboats on May 5, 150 years ago today. He was accompanied by two unarmored gunboats, the Bombshell and Cotton Plant. They engaged four Union ships, the USS Miami, Mattabesett, Sassacus and Wyalusing, mounting altogether 

more than 60 cannon. The Albemarle began the fight, her first fire hitting six men on the Mattabesett. The Confederate then moved into ram, as she had done in the previous fight. However the Mattabesett was able to deftly avoid this charge, and the Sassacus unleashed a volley directly into the Albemarle's side, but the balls just bounced off the Ironclad. When she turned her fire to the Bombshell she found a much easier target, and soon forced the unarmored gunboat to surrender.

The Sassacus rams the Alabama

Seeing that his guns were useless against the Albermarle, Lieutenant Commander Francis Roe of the Sassacus decided to ram. She struck the Confederate vessel squarely, but instead of punching a whole in her and sending her to the bottem, the ships became twisted and entangled. Cooke ordered the Albermarle to fire her guns, and at such a close range it was impossible to miss. Two shells smashed through the USS Sassacus, and one of them smashed her boiler which send scalding steam through the ship. The Sassacus broke away and drifted out of the fight, unable to sail without her boiler. The USS Miami continued the fight, but was unable to catch the Albermarle in a net or hit her with a spar torpedo. The CSS Albemarle had sustained some damage in the fighting, and eventually went back up the river to Plymouth. Although she had not gained a conclusive victory, she was successful in disabling one ship, and engaging the squadron without incurring serious damage. For months she controlled a large section of the river, as the Federals were unwilling to risk attacking her. 

Attack of the CSS Albemarle

CSS Albemarle

Throughout the war the United States Navy was vastly superior to the ships that the Confederacy was able to scrape together, but that did not stop the Southerners from trying to build their navy. They often found very innovative ways to do it. The ironclad ram CSS Albemarle was begun in a cornfield near the Roanoke River in January, 1863. The Union troops heard of the rebel boat being prepared, but they did not have enough troops to send an expedition to destroy her. By April 1864, the CSS Albemarle was launched under the command of Captain James Cooke and ready to head down river to engage the Union fleet off Plymouth, North Carolina.

She sailed down river to engage the Federal ships 150 years ago today – April 19, 1864. Mooring three miles above the town, the pilot went ahead and discovered that the water was high enough that the Union obstructions in the river were 10 feet under. As the Confederate warship set out, she came under fire from Federal batteries along the shore, but their fire just bounced off the Albemarle's iron sides.

Albemarle

After Safely passing these obstacles, the rebels encountered the Union ships, two paddle wheel steamers tied together, the USS Miami and Southfield. The Union officers tried to use the ships' connection to their advantage by trapping the ironclad between them. Captain Cooke on the Albemarle turned hard to starboard, and barely missing the shore, swung around and rammed the Southfield. Although he dealt the Yankee steamer a fatal blow, the Confederate ram was hopelessly tangled in the hull of her victim. Grasping the opportunity, the Miami fired a shell point blank into the trapped Albemarle. However, the ironclad's armor held firm, and the shell rebounded back into the Union vessel. There it exploded and killed her commander, Captain Charles Fusser. The crew of the Miami tried to board the ram, but the rebels drove them back with a heavy musketry fire. Foiled in their attempts to sink or capture the ram, the Yankees steered the USS Miami clear of the CSS Albemarle and headed into Albemarle Sound, while the Albemarle was released as the Southfield rolled and sank. With the Federal vessels driven off, Confederate infantry attacked the town and captured it, with the support of the Albemarle's guns.

CSS David vs USS New Ironsides

Porter Runs the Vicksburg Batteries

Porter

After determining on his plan to run the transports past the Vicksburg batteries, Grant moved quickly. The army worked on building a road over the swamps so they could march down the western bank, and it was completed by April 17th.

On the night of April 16th, David Porter was ready to try to sail his ships past the batteries. They were covered so they would be completely dark, and strict orders were given to make no noise. They would move slowly so their engines would not be heard. This plan started off working well. The boats were opposite Vicksburg before they were sighted. But, when they were discovered, the Southern guns opened on them with a tremendous fire. For ninety minutes the Confederates fired every gun they could, firing off over 500 shots. Even with all this resistance, Porter's fleet successfully ran the batteries. Most ships sustained only minor damage, though one transport was sunk. Altogether, it was a great success. Although one ship had been lost, no one had been killed and only 13 wounded. After receiving some repairs, the ships would be ready to transport Grant's men. A few more ships were sent through the next night, and, as before, all made it through except one.

Farragut Runs Port Hudson

Farragut

Vicksburg was no longer the only remaining Confederate stronghold on the Mississippi. Realizing the importance of the river, the Confederates had fortified Port Hudson to the south. On a strong bluff overlooking the river, it was a formidable position. Lincoln sent new forces under Major General Nathaniel P. Banks to attack the town. Banks was a political general with little military experience, and he spent much time reorganizing the army to his liking.

Gun at Port Hudson

While Banks remained in New Orleans, Rear Admiral David Farragut set out up the river with seven ships. He planned to run the batteries late on the night of Marcy 14, 150 years ago today. Extensive preparations were undertaken to prepare the ships for battle. The first four ships were tied together in pairs, proceeding one after another up the river. The decks were cleared for action and whitewashed, to improve visibility. Chains were draped down the sides, serving as armor. The Confederates were ready and waiting, having noticed increased naval movements downriver. They had 20 guns in eleven batteries, with the crews well instructed of the plans beforehand. Heated shot was prepared to try to light the wooden ships, and outposts were established to give warning of the advance.

It was one of these outposts that sighted the Union fleet, launching a warning rocket into the air at 11:20 pm on March 14. Farragut's fleet continued on straight ahead, and opened on the Confederate batteries as soon as they came in range. The darkness was lit by fires on shore, but the river was again clouded as the guns billowed forth their thick smoke. The Hartford and Albatross, the lead ships, ran aground in the darkness right beneath the Confederate batteries. Although they were stuck there for ten minutes, they were able to make it out relatively unharmed.

The Genesee and Richmond came next. A gust of wind blew away the smoke long enough for the rebel batteries to catch sight of the ships and pour a murderous fire into the Richmond. Shots tore through both her boiler safety valves, rendering her engines useless. Unable to move, she and the Genesee floated downstream with the current. The Monogahela and Kineo, coming up next, also ran aground, and the two ships came apart. The Monogahela damaged her engine in backing off, and the Kineo took a shot to the rudder. Both ships floated down stream.

USS Mississippi

The last Union ship was the Mississippi. She too ran aground, and the Confederate batteries riddled her with hot shot. Catching on fire, the captain ordered her to be abandoned, fearing the magazine would explode. Loud were the cheers of the garrison as the ship floated downstream at 3 am, a burning wreck. She blew up two hours later in a huge explosion, seen 80 miles away in New Orleans. This battle was a great victory for the Confederate garrison. They had disabled four of the ships, destroyed one completely, with only two successfully running the batteries. They lost only three men killed and 22 wounded, versus 78 killed and 35 wounded from Farragut.  

Replica of the CSS Neuse

On our Discerning History Youtube Channel, we just released a video on the CSS Neuse, were we visit the only full scale replica of a Confederate ironclad and see how Civil War naval technology changed warfare. Stayed tuned to this blog over the next few years

Queen of the West Captured

Fort DeRussy

After running past the Vicksburg batteries, the Union steamer Queen of the West continued down the Mississippi River, destroying the civilian boats along the shore. Charles Ellet, her commander, proceeded as ordered up the Red River. Hearing of three boats lying thirty miles up river at a place called Gordon's Landing, Ellet set out to try capture them. He reached the place at dusk on February 14, 150 years ago today. The steamer pulled forward slowly, and encountered the rebel Fort DeRussy, a battery of four guns in a fine position. After several shots, Ellet ordered the pilot to pull the ship back up the channel, but either accidentally or through malice, he instead ran the ship aground.

Queen of the West abandoned

Quickly getting the range, the battery opened up with a hot fire. Nearly every shot crashed through the ship. She took heavy damage, and filled with steam when a pipe was severed by a shell. Knowing that it was of no use to remain on the ship, pounded as she was by Confederate guns, Ellet gave the order to abandon ship. She was not burnt because of the wounded inside which could not be removed. The Confederates secured and repaired her, and put her in action as the CSS Queen of the West.

Queen of the West Runs Vicksburg

Queen of the West

One of the major strengths of the town of Vicksburg was the batteries, built on the high bluffs above the river. The Confederate guns placed there could bring a terrific fire on any ship that tried to pass the town. One Union ship tried to do just that 150 years ago today. The Queen of the West was a steamer converted into a ram for use by the Union military. She was ordered to run past the batteries at Vicksburg and sink a Confederate steamer, the CSS City of Vicksburg, anchored in front of the city.

As the Queen of the West rounded the bend which led up to Vicksburg, the Confederates sprang to their guns and opened a heavy fire upon the Yankee ship. This fire, although terrific, was inaccurate, and the ship was struck only three times. The City of Vicksburg had been positioned so that a ram would have to swing out into the current to have a chance at a firm blow. That is just what Colonel Charles Ellet, captain of the Queen of the West did. But as the ship swung around, the current caught her and she lost all her momentum, as the Confederates planned. But Captain Ellet was ready for this. He wrote in his report:

I had anticipated this result, and therefore caused the starboard bow gun to be shotted with three of the incendiary projectiles recommended in your orders. As we swung around, Sergt. J. H. Campbell, detailed for the purpose, fired this gun. A 64-pounder shell crashed through the barricade just before he reached the spot, but he didn't hesitate. The discharge took place at exactly the right moment, and set the rebel steamer in flames, which they subsequently succeeded in extinguishing. At this moment one of the enemy's shells set the cotton on fire near the starboard wheel, while the discharge of our own gun ignited that portion which was on the bow. "The flames spread rapidly, and the dense smoke, rolling into the engine room suffocated the engineers. I saw that if I attempted to run into the City of Vicksburg again, my boat would certainly be burned. I ordered her to be headed down stream, and turned every man to extinguishing the flames. After much exertion, we finally put out the fire by cutting the burning bales loose. The enemy, of course, were not idle. We were struck twelve times, but, though the cabin was knocked to pieces, no material injury to the boat or to any of those on her was inflicted. About two regiments of rebel sharpshooters in rifle-pits kept up a continuous fire, but did no damage. The Queen was struck twice in the hull, but above the water line. One of our guns dismounted and ruined.

I can only speak in the highest terms of the conduct of every man on board. All behaved with cool, determined courage.

Confederate Ironclads Strike at Charleston

CSS Chicora

In the first months of 1862, two Confederate ironclad rams were begun in Charleston. They were designed by John L. Porter, one of the builders of the Virginia. Their construction was payed for by contributions from the women of South Carolina. They were 170 feet long, and covered in several inches of iron. The CSS Chicora and the CSS Palmetto State were ready by fall.

Gunboats in the harbor

The gunboats went out to attack the blockading squadron on the night of January 30th. They chose that day because one of the most important ships of the war had just been captured by the blockaders. It was a British ship carrying many military supplies, including engines for two other ironclads under construction. They hoped to recapture the blockade runner before it was sailed North. The Union blockading squadron off the harbor at the time was 10 ships, but they were wooden and lightly armed, intended to only deal with blockade runners. The commander of the Palmetto State reported this on the ensuing battle:

As we approached the bar, about 4 A.M., we saw the steamer Mercedita lying at anchor a short distance outside it...the men stood silently at their guns...they did not see us until we were very near. Her captain hailed us, and ordered us to keep off or he would fire... we struck him on the starboard warter, and dropping forward part-shutter, fired the bow gun. The shell from it, according to Captain Stellwagen who commanded her, went through her diagonally, penetrating the starboard side, ... through the seam-drum of the port boiler, and exploded against the port side of the ship, blowing a hole in its exit four or five feet square.

For a Civil War ship, a shot through the boiler was very destructive. The scalding steam was released, and it flowed through the ship burning the crew, and without the boiler the ship could no longer be controlled. The Mercedita was unable to defend itself because its guns could not aim low enough to strike the Confederate ironclads, which rode low in the water. With no other alternative, the Mercedita was surrendered to the Confederacy.

USS Mercidita

The CSS Chicora did just as well as its sister ship. It moved on the Keystone State, and one of its first shots pierced the Keystone State's boiler, killing and wounding 40 men. The Keystone State lowered its flag, indicating its surrender. The captain of the Chicora ordered a boat to be sent to take over the prize. He wrote:

While the boat was in the act of being manned I discovered that she was endeavoring to make her escape by working her starboard wheel, the other being disabled, her colors down. I once started in pursuit and renewed the engagement. Owing to superior steaming qualities she soon widened the distance to some 200 yards. She then hoisted her flag and commenced firing her rifled guns, her commander, by this faithless act, placing herself beyond the pale of civilized and honorable warfare.

After this dishonorable act, there was a bout of long range firing with the other Union ships and the battle was broken off at 7:30. The two small ironclads had broken the blockade around Charleston. However, it did not last long. As soon as the news reached the Federal high command, they sent the USS New Ironsides and several sister ships of the Monitor, and the blockade was reestablished since the two small ironclads were no match for the larger Northern ships. If the blockade was to be permanently broken by the Confederacy something more would be needed.

USS Keystone State

Battle of Fort McAllister

The Nahant

One of the goals of the Union high command was to capture Charleston, South Carolina. Not only was it an important port, its capture would also be a severe moral blow to the Confederacy, as it was a hotbed of secession fervor, and the war had begun with the bombardment of Fort Sumter in the harbor. It was clear that the new ironclads would be used, but many questions remained about them. Largely new inventions, the Union naval officers did not know how effective they would be on fortifications.

The Fort today

Therefore, as a training run for the more formidable task of capturing Charleston, three ironclads, the Patapsco, Passaic and Nahant were sent to the small three gun battery of Fort McAllister, Georgia. Over the next few weeks the ships would bombard the fortification several times, training the men for harder fights ahead and testing the new equipment. A handful of casualties were suffered on both sides in this fighting. Although some damage was done to both the fort and the ironclads, neither was destroyed and the fort did not fall. Although it was proved that ironclads alone were not guaranteed to destroy a land fort, the men would be better trained for their next battle. 

Turret of the Passaic

The Passaic

Two Union ships Captured off Galveston

After recapturing Galveston, Texas at the beginning of the month, the Confederates scored another success in Texas 150 years ago today. The port was still blockaded by part of the West Gulf Blockading Squadron, specifically the USS Morning Light, an 8 gun sailing ship and the USS Velocity, a captured British blockade runner that had been converted into a blocker. They were attacked by two cottonclad steamers, the Uncle Ben and Bell, covered in bales of cotton and filled with Texas soldiers.

The Confederate steamers came out of the harbor early on the morning of the 21st. The wind was very light, so the steamers were able to quickly gain ground on the Union vessels. When the steamers came within range they opened fire, and the Union vessels answered with broadsides. The conflict continued this way for two hours, until the Confederate ships were able to draw up close enough that the infantry on the decks could open fire. Assistant Surgeon J. W. Sherfy of the Morning Light wrote:

It was impossible for the men to remain at the guns under the galling fire from the enemy's sharpshooters. They had come within close range upon our port and starboard quarters, and from their elevated position completely swept our decks. An effort was now made to train the two aft guns upon the enemy and fire through the cabin, but as it was impossible to get such a bearing as would offer a reasonable chance of inflicting any damage, and the men were now all driven from the other guns, the commander, deeming further resistance useless, reluctantly determined to surrender, and our flag was hauled down.

Both ships were captured, with a handful of men having fallen on both sides. Although this action temporarily cleared the blockade off of Galveston, it did not last long, as the Union navy soon sent stronger ships to take up the blockade.

CSS Virginia Destroyed

The retreat of Johnston's army up the Peninsula uncovered the Confederate navy base at Norfolk, Virginia. The Confederate installations there were burnt and abandoned. The most important ship the Confederates had for the defense of Richmond, the CSS Virginia or Merrimack, was threatened by this movements. For many weeks her presence had kept the Federals on the edge, since she had shown that she could destroy any of the United States Navy's wooden ships with no problems. The North had the Monitor, but since the two ships had tied when they had fought each other, the result of a rematch was doubtful. Flag Officer Josiah Tattnall, commander of the Virginia, had been unwilling to risk an attack because of the doubtfulness of the Virginia's engines. With the abandonment of Norfolk, he had to either fight, try to sail up river, or destroy the ship. He was unwilling to fight, and so he made preparations to sail up river. There were sandbars, and so he lightened the ship as much as possible. However, this uncovered places on the ship that were usually below the water line and were not covered by armor. This meant that if the ship was stuck on a bar, she would be vulnerable to Union fire. Tattnall was unwilling to take the risk to sail up river, so he gave orders early on the morning of May 11th, 150 years ago today, to abandon the ship and set her alight. When the fires reached the magazine she exploded with a terrific blast, and thus the Confederacy's most famous ironclad was destroyed.

Naval Battle of Plumb Point Bend

Charles Henry Davis

While the land forces were fighting at Shiloh and elsewhere, the Union navies continued to work towards the capture of the Mississippi River. After Island Number 10 was captured, the Union gunboats moved down to Fort Pillow. The fleet lacked infantry to take the fort, so an ironclad and a mortar boat were stationed to throw a shell into the fort ever half hour, while the other seven gunboats remained upstream out of danger at Plumb Point Bend. The commander of the fleet, Andrew Foote, left the command because of a wound he had received at Fort Donelson. He was replaced by Commodore Charles Henry Davis, a long time navy officer. The day after he took command, May 10th, 1862, he was attacked by a Confederate flotilla. It was composed of eight small gunboats from under J. E. Montgomery, a river boat captain. The ships were from New Orleans, part of what was called the River Defense Fleet. They were civilian steamboats that had been converted for military use, and were called cottonclads because of the practice of putting bales of cotton to protect from enemy shot. Although they were much weaker than the true ironclads, they hoped to make up in daring and surprise what they lacked in firepower.

They struck at 7:00. The  ironclad Cincinnati guarding the mortar boat, but the captain was not expecting an attack and the ship did not have steam up in her boilers, meaning she was immobile. When they sighted the rebel rams coming up river, they had only eight minutes to react. They tried throwing whatever flammable they could find in the furnaces, but were still unprepared when the steamboats arrived. The Cincinnati fired a broadside at the lead ship, the General Bragg, but was then struck by the ram. A twelve foot hole was tore in her side, flooding the magazine. The Sumter and Colonel Lovell also rammed, making more holes in the Cincinnati and sending her quickly to the bottom. Now the Mound City arrived, having been sent by Davis to assist the Cincinnati. She arrived too late to save the Cincinnati, and the General Van Dorn crashed through her starboard side, sending a second ironclad to the bottom. Montgomery fell back to Fort Pillow not wanting to risk a battle with the other five ironclads. But he had gloriously shown that ironclads could be sunk, and it seemed possible that these little rams might be able defeat the federal fleet. But they were not enough to save Fort Pillow. It was abandoned on July 4th to keep from getting cut off from the rest of the Confederate armies.

Cinncinati

Bombardment of Island No. 10

The Confederate position at Island No. 10 was critical to their defense of the Mississippi River. The town of New Madrid was at an S curve in the river on the Kentucky, Tennessee border. Three forts at the town covered one bend, while Island No. 10 covered the other. P. G. T. Beauregard wrote, "The fall of Columbus and of Island No. 10, must necessarily be followed immediately by the loss of the whole Mississippi Valley to the mouth of the Mississippi River." After the capture of Forts Henry and Donelson the attention of the North turned to Island Number 10. An army under John Pope laid siege to New Madrid, and captured the place after one day of bombardment.

The naval flotilla under Foote attempted to reduce the batteries on Island Number 10 with a bombardment starting 150 years ago today, March 17th, 1862. He had seven gunboats and and 11 mortar boats, carrying one 13 inch mortar each. High hopes were placed in these boats, but they were failures. Their long range fire inflicted no casualties and caused no damage to the fort. Foote declared that he would not risk running the powerful batteries of the fort, as he was convinced they would blow his ships to shreds. Another way would have to be found to bypass Island Number 10.

Monitor vs Virginia

USS Monitor

Yesterday the Virginia struck the Northern fleet, sinking two of the strongest ships, and it appeared there was nothing preventing it from destroying the entire fleet and sailing up to the Northern ports. But that was not too be. When the Virginia sailed out 150 years ago today to finish off the Federal fleet, they met a new opponent. During the night, the Monitor had arrived from the North. It didn't look like much, and at first the Confederates thought it was just machinery being moved on a raft, but soon they discovered how wrong they were. Although it only had two cannon, it had a rotating turret and was much more maneuverable. The ships began circling each other and firing, and it was found that both of their armor was very strong.

But both ships had their disadvantages. The Virginia had not brought solid shot, only exploding shells. While shells were good for wooden ships, they did not do much against the Monitor's iron sides. The Monitor's pilot house had been put in a bad position. The captain was severely wounded when a shell exploded outside the opening while he was looking out.

The battle continued for several hours, with no serious damage being done on either side. The Virginia's ram was broken, but they tried to get alongside to board, hoping their larger crew would carry the day, but the more maneuverable did not let the ships come together. At one point the Virginia ran aground, but they were able to get it afloat again. Although neither ship was being destroyed, it was a hard fight for the men inside their iron sides. The blood ran from their ears from the pounding of the shots on the side and the noise of their cannon firing, and inside the Monitor the boltheads were knocked loose and flew around inside.

At one point Lt. Jones of the Virginia came down to the guns and saw that they were not firing. "Why are not you firing, Mr. Eggleston?" he asked. The officer questioned replied, "Why, our powder is very precious, and after two hours' incessant firing I find I can do here about as much damage by snapping my thumb at here very two minutes and a half." A Federal officer wrote this:

"I triced up the port, ran out the gun, and taking deliberate aim, pulled the lockstring. The Merrimac was quick to reply, returning a rattling broadside (for she had ten guns to our two), and the battle fairly began. The turret and other parts of the ship were heavily struck, but the shots did not penetrate; the tower was intact, and it continued to revolve. A look of confidence passed over the men's faces, and we believed the Merrimac would not repeat the work she had accomplished the day before. The fight continued with the exchange of broadsides as fast as the guns could be served and at very short range, the distance between the vessels frequently being not more than a few yards. Worden skillfully man|uvred his quick-turning vessel, trying to find some vulnerable point in his adversary. Once he made a dash at her stern, hoping to disable her screw, which he thinks he missed by not more than two feet. Our shots ripped the iron of the Merrimac, while the reverberation of her shots against the tower caused anything but a pleasant sensation."

Finally, after fighting for six hours, both ships realized that it was useless to continue. They both ended the drawn battle, and went back claiming victory. The Virginia hoped to get solid shot and try again the next day, but the expected rematch never occured. The Monitor never accepted a challenge of single-handed combat, and soon the superior resources of the North built more ironclads to contain the Virginia.

While the battle was a draw, it is clear who were the strategic winners. The Monitor had put a stop to the feared Virginia. No more did the North fear the Virginia sailing to Washington and pounding the government into submission. Never again would a Confederate ironclad have the same chance as the Virginia to completely change the course of the war. Although most of the Union navy was obsolete for naval combat, they could bring their superior resources to bear and build ironclads that could fight anything the South could hope to build.

The Virginia Attacks the Northern Fleet

CSS Virginia

At the same time as the Battle of Elkhorns tavern was being fought, another equally important naval battle was being fought off Hampton Roads, Virginia. The Confederates had raised the USS Merrimack, and had converted her from a normal sailing ship to a new ironclad called the CSS Virginia. She was ready to attack the blockading squadron off Virginia in early March. As she moved down the river, the engineers were still working on getting her ready for battle. She had strong armor, but she was slow. She carried several guns, and another important tactic would be ramming in the sides of the wooden ships. As she moved forward 150 years ago today, she was accompanied by what was called a Mosquito Fleet, small gunboats carrying one or two cannon. They were not strong enough to stand up to the Federal ships, and did not play an important role in the battle.

Ramming the Cumberland

The Union blockading squadron at Hampton Roads consisted of the Congress, Cumberland, St. Lawrence, Roanoke and Minnesota along with some smaller boats. Although they were all wooden, they were some of the most powerful ships the United States had. When the Union fleet saw the Virginia approaching with her sister ships, they went out to meet her. The St. Lawrence and Roanoke ran aground before reaching the Virginia. The Virginia picked out the Cumberland and charged in an effort to ram. The Cumberland opened fire on the Virginia, but the shots just bounced off the ironclad's armor. Getting in range, the Virginia sped up to ram the Cumberland. Ashton Ramsey, an officer on the Virginia, remembered the experience:

"There was an ominous pause, then a crash, shaking us all off our feet. The engines labored. The vessel was shaken in every fiber. Our bow was visibly depressed. We seemed to be bearing down with a weight on our prow. Thud, thud, thud, came the rain of shot on our shield from the double-decked battery of the Congress. There was a terrible crash in the fire-room. For a moment we thought one of the boilers had burst. No, it was the explosion of a shell in our stack. Was any one hit? No, thank God! The firemen had been warned to keep away from the up-take, so the fragments of shell fell harmlessly on the iron floor-plates. We had rushed on the doomed ship, relentless as fate, crashing through her barricade of heavy spars and torpedo fenders, striking her below her starboard fore-chains, and crushing far into her. For a moment the whole weight of her hung on our prow and threatened to carry us down with her, the return wave of the collision curling up into our bow port. The Cumberland began to sink slowly, bow first, but continued to fight desperately for the forty minutes that elapsed after her doom was sealed, while we were engaged with both the Cumberland and the Congress, being right between them. We had left our cast-iron beak in the side of the Cumberland. Like the wasp, we could sting but once, leaving it in the wound."

With the Cumberland sinking from the Virginia attack, the Congress attacked next. Not being able to ram, the Virginia traded broadsides with her. The Congress's shots bounced harmlessly off the Virginia's iron sides. The shells from the Virginia, however, tore through the wooden sides of the Congress, inflicting many casualties. Finally she surrendered, knowing the fight was hopeless against the seemingly impregnable Virginia. The Congress was set on fire, and it burned through the night, finally exploding and sending flames high into the air. As it was late in the day, the Virginia retreated back up the river, ready to return the next day and finish off the rest of the Federal ships.

USS Congress

In this one day the Virginia changed naval history. Although it was known that ironclads were the future of warfare, an ironclad had never fought a wooden ship. The Virginia had shown what ironclads could two. The Virginia had sunk two of the best ships of the United States navy, inflicting 300 casualties, while she remained almost completely unharmed. There was nothing forseeable in the minds of the North prohibiting the Virginia from sailing to any Northern port and blasting it into submission. Stanton, Lincoln's secretary of war, said this:

"The Merrimac will change the whole character of the war; she will destroy, seriatim, every naval vessel; she will lay all the cities of the seaboard under contribution. I shall immediately recall Burnside; Port Royal must be abandoned.... I have no doubt that the monster is at this minute on her way to Washington, and not unlikely we shall have a shell or cannonball from one of her guns in the White House before we leave the room."

CSS Virginia

Battle of Fort Donelson – Bombardment

Early on the morning of February 14th, a council of war was held by the Confederate command. It was agreed that Fort Donelson was untenable, and that they must attempt to escape the fort. General Pillow was assigned to lead the breakout. As he was preparing to advance, one of his aides was killed by a sharpshooter. Pillow was very unnerved by this. Even though all the troops were gathered and ready to attack, he canceled the breakout because he believed that the Federals knew of the attempt.

Fort Donelson River Battery today

Later in the day the rest of the Union army and navy arrived. Grant convinced Foote to attack at once, even though he had not reconnoitered. Foote agreed, and putting his gunboats in line began to fire on the Confederate position. The Southerns held their fire until the gunboats arrived within 400 yards, and then opened on them. Unlike at Fort Henry where the defensive artillery had little effect, the plunging fire from Fort Donelson was very effective. Foote wounded was in the foot, and the St. Louis, his flagship floated helplessly downstream. The Louisville was disabled and the Pittsburg began to sink. Out of 500 rounds fired by the Confederates, 169 scored hits, a very high number. Eight sailors were killed and 44 wounded. The Confederates had no casualties.

Ironclads firing on Donelson

Foote and Grant had been deceived by the ease of their victory at Fort Henry. The fleet had been severally damaged, and it seemed impossible that they would be able to subdue the fort. But the Confederates were still surrounded by a strong army. If the fort would fall, it would through a siege from Grant's army.