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| The “Cincinnati,” a salvaged gunboat The “Cincinnati” was one of the first seven Eads ironclads to be built and was the second to meet disaster. She was Foote's flagship at Fort Henry and in the engagement she was struck thirty-one times. Two of her guns and one of her paddle-wheels were disabled, and her smokestacks, after-cabin, and boats were riddled with shot. She was soon in commission again and joined the flotilla above Island No.10. In the sudden attack by which the Confederate gunboats surprised the Federal squadron above Fort Pillow, the “Cincinnati” again met disaster and was towed to shallow water, where she sank. Again she was repaired in time to take part in the bombardment of Vicksburg, May 27, 1863, under Lieutenant George D. Bache. Here she gallantly engaged single-handed the batteries on Fort Hill to the north of the town. The terrific hail of grape-shot from the Confederate guns compelled her to close her bow ports. In endeavoring to get away, she was so badly hit that she could barely be gotten into shoal-water before she sank. The Confederates set fire to her a few days later, but even that was not to be the end of the gallant ironclad. After the occupation of Vicksburg, she was raised and found to be not so badly damaged as had been supposed. The next year she was on duty in the Mississippi between Fort Adams and Natchez. In 1865 she was sent by Admiral Lee to take part in the final naval operations that led to the fall of Mobile. |
