July 15, 1862 - C.S.S. ARKANSAS Attacks Union Shipping At sunrise on July 15, 1862, three Federal vessels--the ironclad Carondelet, the wooden gunboat Tyler, and the ram Queen of the West--were steaming up the Yazoo River when they encountered the Confederate ironclad C.S.S. Arkansas coming down river. Believing the Arkansas to be better armored than the Carondelet, the Federal vessels turned downriver, and made a run for it. A running battle followed and Carondelet was crippled with a shot through her steering mechanism on her unarmored stern and run aground. The Arkansas didnt stop to finish the Carondelet; instead the Arkansas commander Isaac N. Brown, continued to pursue the Tyler and the Queen of the West down the Yazoo. The Tyler and the Queen ran down the Yazoo and out into the Mississippi River, heading for the safety of the Union fleet with the Arkansas in hot pursuit. The combined Union fleet above Vicksburg was caught completely by surprise when the Tyler, Queen, and Arkansas came around a bend of the river into view. Guns were not loaded and neither Farraguts ships or Davis gunboats had raised steam. Isaac N. Brown decided to steam past the Union vessels as close as he could to exploit the confusion. The Union ships and Arkansas exchanged fire at close range, but the Confederate raced past them down river to Vicksburg before any Union vessel could pursue. Heres Browns first report of the battle. STEAMER ARKANSAS, Vicksburg, July 15,1862. GENERAL: The Benton, or whatever ironclad that we disabled, was left with colors down, evidently aground to prevent sinking, about one mile and a half above the mouth of the Yazoo (in Old River), on the right-hand bank, or bank across from Vicksburg. I wish it to be remembered that we whipped this vessel, made it run out of the fight and haul down colors, with two less guns than they had; and at the same time fought two rams, which were firing at us with great guns and small arms this, too, with our miscellaneous crew, who had never, for the most part, been on board a ship or at big guns. I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant, I.N. BROWN, Lieutenant, Commanding. Brigadier-General M. L. SMITH, Commanding Defenses at Vicksburg. The Arkansas was still not out of danger. That night, Farraguts fleet ran down past Vicksburg and attempted to destroy Arkansas as they passed. In the darkness and confusion of battle the low-lying Arkansas was hard to make out under the bluffs at Vicksburg. Farraguts squadron scored only one hit on the Confederate ironclad, killing two men and wounding three others. At the end of the days fighting, Davis ironclads remained above Vicksburg and Farraguts squadron was back below the town. Between them, at Vicksburg, the damaged but still operational Arkansas remained for the moment. The Carondelet was repaired and put back into service as well, so in the end not a single ship was lost either side in the days fighting. [civilwar-online] Pictured below: C.S.S. ARKANSAS in a period sepia wash drawing by R.G. Skerrett. From the U.S. Naval Historical Center. cafepress/Civil_War_1861_to_1865 cafepress/CivilWar1861to1865Part2
Posted on: Tue, 15 Jul 2014 09:34:54 +0000
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