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| A gunboat of fighting fame, the Cairo The first engagement of the Cairo, a third-rate ironclad of 512 tons, mounting six 42-pounders, six 32-pounders, three 8-inch guns and one 12-lb. howitzer, was under the command of Lieutenant N. C. Bryant on February 19th, in the Cumberland River in Tennessee. At Clarksville with the gunboat Conestoga the Cairo engaged three forts, capturing the town. On May 10th the Cairo, still commanded by Lieutenant Bryant, participated in the action at Fort Pillow and the river combat with the Confederate “River defense” fleet. While being rammed the Cincinnati was so injured that she sank. The Mound City also was injured and three of the Confederate vessels were disabled. Once more the Cairo, on June 6th, with four other ironclad gunboats and two of the Ellet rams, engaged the Confederate flotilla off the city of Memphis. On December 12, 1862, the Cairo, then under the command of Lieutenant T. O. Selfridge, was destroyed by a torpedo in the Yazoo River. |
