Naval chronology 1861-1865: important naval engagements of the Civil war March, 1861-June, 1865
Chronological summary of important actions in which the Federal and Confederate navies were engaged, based on official records. Minor engagements are omitted; also joint operations where the army played the principal part.March, 1861.
March 20, 1861.
Sloop Isabella, with provisions, for the Federal Navy-Yard at Pensacola, seized at Mobile by request of Gen. Bragg.
April, 1861.
April 17, 1861.
Seizure of the U. S. transport Star of the West, at Indianola, by Texas troops under Col. Van Dorn.
April 19, 1861.
Ports of South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas ordered blockaded by President Lincoln.
April 20-21, 1861.
Gosport Navy-Yard, Norfolk, Va., abandoned by Union officers in charge, and seized by Virginia State troops.
April 27, 1861.
Ports of Virginia and North Carolina included in the blockade.
May, 1861.
May 4, 1861.
S. S. Star of the West made the receiving ship of the Confed. navy, New Orleans, La.
May 9, 1861.
U. S. ships Quaker City, Harriet Lane, Young America, Cumberland, Monticello, and Yankee enforcing the blockade off Fort Monroe.
Steamers Philadelphia, Baltimore, Powhatan, and Mount Vernon armed by U. S. Government, and cruising on the Potomac.
May 13, 1861.
Proclamation of neutrality issued by Queen Victoria, in which the subjects of Great Britain were forbidden to endeavor to break a blockade “lawfully and effectually established.”
May 18-19, 1861.
Shots exchanged between U. S. S. Freeborn and Monticello and the Confed. battery at Sewell's Point, Va.
U. S. S. Harriet Lane arrives off Charleston.
May 26, 1861.
U. S. S. Brooklyn commenced the blockade of the Mississippi River.
Blockade of Mobile, Ala., commenced by U. S. S. Powhatan.
May 28, 1861.
U. S. S. Minnesota begins real blockade of Charleston.
Blockade of Savannah initiated by U. S. gunboat Union.
May 31, 1861.
U. S. S. Freeborn, Anacostia, Pawnee, and Resolute attacked Confed. batteries at Aquia Creek, Va.
June, 1861.
June 27, 1861.
Engagement between U. S. gunboats Freeborn and Reliance and Confed. batteries at Mathias Point, Va., Commander Ward of the Freeborn killed.
July, 1861.
July 2, 1861.
U. S. S. South Carolina begins blockade of Galveston.
July 4-7, 1861.
U. S. S. South Carolina captures or destroys 10 vessels off Galveston.
July 7, 1861.
“ Infernal” machines detected floating in the Potomac.
July 19, 1861.
Captain-General of Cuba liberated all the vessels brought into Cuban ports as prizes by Confed. cruiser Sumter.
July 24, 1861.
Naval expedition from Fort Monroe to Back River, Va., by Lieut. Crosby and 300 men. Nine sloops and schooners of the Confederates burnt, and one schooner with bacon and corn captured. [309]
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| Commodore Vanderbilt's present to the government This side-wheel steamer was presented to the Government by Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt in 1861, when the navy was sorely in need of ships, and she was christened after the donor. In Hampton Roads she led one of the two columns of fighting-vessels of all sorts that had been assembled to meet the “Merrimac,” in case she made another attack upon the fleet after her encounter with the “Monitor.” The “Vanderbilt” mounted fifteen guns and showed great speed. She was employed largely as a cruiser. Her first prize was the British blockade-runner “Peterhoff,” captured off St. Thomas, February 25, 1863. On April 16th she caught the “Gertrude” in the Bahamas, and on October 30th the “Saxon,” off the coast of Africa. Under command of Captain C. W. Pickering, she participated in both of the joint-expeditions against Fort Fisher. |
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July 28, 1861.
Confederate privateer Petrel, formerly U. S. revenue cutter Aiken, sunk by U. S. frigate St. Lawrence near Charleston.
August, 1861.
August 22, 1861.
The steamer Samuel Orr was seized at Paducah, Ky., by Confederates, and taken up the Tennessee River.
August 26, 1861.
Naval and military expedition to North Carolina coast sailed from Hampton Roads, Va., under command of Flag-Officer Stringham and Maj.-Gen. Butler.
August 28-29, 1861.
Bombardment and capture of Forts Hatteras and Clark, at Hatteras Inlet, N. C., 30 pieces of cannon, 1000 stand of arms, 3 vessels with valuable cargoes, and 750 prisoners were taken.
August 30, 1861.
Capt. Foote ordered to the command of U. S. naval forces on the Western waters.
September, 1861.
September 4, 1861.
Engagement on the Mississippi River near Hickman, Ky., between U. S. gunboats Tyler and Lexington and the Confed. gunboat Yankee and shore batteries.
September 14, 1861.
An expedition from the U. S. frigate Colorado, under Lieut. J. H. Russell, destroyed the privateer Judah, under the Confed. guns at Pensacola.
September 16, 1861.
A naval expedition from Hatteras Inlet, under command of Lieut. J. Y. Maxwell, destroyed Fort Ocracoke, on Beacon Island, N. C.
September 17, 1861.
Ship Island, near the mouth of the Mississippi River, occupied by Federal forces from the steamer Massachusetts.
October, 1861.
October 1, 1861.
U. S. steamer Fanny, with 35 men of the 9th N. Y. Volunteers, captured by the Confederates on the north shore of Hatteras Inlet.
October 4, 1861.
Commander Alden, U. S. S. South Carolina, captured two schooners off the S. W. Pass of the Mississippi, with four to five thousand stands of arms.
October 5, 1861.
Two boats from U. S. S. Louisiana, Lieut. A. Murray, destroyed a Confed. schooner, being fitted out for a privateer, at Chincoteague Inlet, Va.
October 12, 1861.
Five Confed. gunboats, the ram Manassas, and a fleet of fireships attacked the U. S. fleet at the passes of the Mississippi and were repulsed after considerable injury had been done to the U. S. fleet.
October 26, 1861.
Confed. steamer Nashville, commanded by Lieut. R. B. Pegram, escaped from Charleston, S. C.
October 28, 1861.
Three Confed. vessels were surprised and burnt at Chincoteague Inlet, Va., by a portion of the crew of U. S. gunboat Louisiana, under Lieut. A. Hopkins.
October 29, 1861.
Federal expedition sailed from Fort Monroe, under the command of Flag-Officer Samuel F. Du Pont, comprising 77 vessels of all classes. The land forces, numbering 20,000 men, were commanded by Brig.-Gen. Thos. W. Sherman.
November, 1861.
November 1, 1861.
A violent storm overtook the naval expedition off the N. C. coast. 3 vessels were disabled and returned, 2 were driven ashore, and 2 foundered. 7 lives lost.
November 7, 1861.
Federal fleet under Du Pont captured Forts Walker and Beauregard at Port Royal entrance, and took the town of Beaufort, S. C.
November 7-8, 1861.
Two launches and 40 men, commanded by Lieut. Jas. E. Jouett, from the U. S. frigate Santee, off Galveston, Texas, surprised and cut out the Confed. privateer Royal Yacht.
November 8, 1861.
Capt. Chas. Wilkes, commanding U. S. screw sloop San Jacinto, removed by force Confed. Commissioners Jas. M. Mason and John Slidell from British mail steamer Trent.
November 18, 1861.
U. S. gunboat Conestoga engaged Confed. batteries on the Tennessee River, and silenced them.
November 19, 1861.
The ship Harvey Birch was captured and burnt in the English Channel by the Confed. steamer Nashville.
First flotilla of the “tone Fleet” sailed for the South, from Conn. and Mass.
November 24, 1861.
Tybee Island, in Savannah Harbor, was occupied by U. S. forces under Flag-Officer Du Pont. [311]
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| A sight for the old-time sailor — a gun-crew on the deck of the flagship “Wabash” Here is a sight that will please every old-time sailor — a gun-crew on the old “Wabash” under the eyes of Admiral Du Pont himself, who stands with his hand on the sail. No finer sweep of deck or better-lined broadside guns were ever seen than those of the U. S. S. “Wabash,” the finest type of any vessel of her class afloat at the outbreak of the Civil War. Everything about her marked the pride which her officers must take in having everything “ship-shape and Bristol fashion.” She was at all times fit for inspection by a visiting monarch. The “Wabash” threw the heaviest broadside of any vessel in the Federal fleet. Her crew were practically picked men, almost all old sailors who had been graduated from the navy of sailing days. The engines of this magnificent frigate were merely auxiliary; she yet depended upon her towering canvas when on a cruise. Her armament was almost identically that of the “Minnesota,” although her tonnage was some-what less. She mounted two 10-inch smooth-bores, twenty-eight 9-inch guns on her gundeck, fourteen 8-inch on her spar deck, and two 12-pounders. At the time this picture was taken she was flagship of the South Atlantic squadron, flying the broad pennant of Admiral Samuel F. Du Pont. |
December, 1861.
December 4, 1861.
Proclamation of Gen. Phelps, attached to Gen. Butler's expedition, on occupation of Ship Island, Mississippi Sound.
December 17, 1861.
Entrance to the harbor at Savannah, Ga., blocked by sinking 7 vessels laden with stone.
December 20, 1861.
The main ship-channel at Charleston Harbor was obstructed by sinking 16 vessels of the “Stone fleet.”
December 31, 1861.
Two boats under Acting-Masters A. Allen and H. L. Sturges, from the U. S. S. Mount Vernon, destroyed a light-ship off Wilmington, N. C., which the Confederates had fitted up for a gunboat.
Capture of the town of Biloxi, Miss., by U. S. gunboats Lewis, Water Witch, and New London, with Federal forces from Ship Island.
January, 1862.
January 1, 1862.
Confed. Commissioners Mason and Slidell left Boston for England via Provincetown, Mass., where the British war steamer Rinaldo received them.
January 12, 1862.
Expedition sailed from Fort Monroe under command of Flag-Officer Golds-borough and Gen. Burnside, for Albemarle Sound, N. C.
January 13, 1862.
Steamship Constitution with the Maine 12th regiment, and the Bay State regiment, sailed from Boston for Ship Island, Miss., via Fort Monroe.
January 26, 1862.
Second “Stone fleet” was sunk in Maffitt's Channel, Charleston Harbor, S. C.
January 30, 1862.
Ironclad >Monitor was launched at Greenpoint, N. Y.
February, 1862.
February 6, 1862.
Unconditional surrender of Fort Henry to Flag-Officer Foote.
February 7-10, 1862.
Lieut. Phelps, of Foote's flotilla, commanding the gunboats Conestoga, Tyler and Lexington, captured Confed. gunboat Eastport and destroyed all the Confed. craft on the Tennessee River between Fort Henry and Florence, Ala.
February 10, 1862.
Destruction of Confed. gunboats in the Pasquotank River, N. C., also of the Confed. battery at Cobb's Point, and the occupation of Elizabeth City by Federal forces from 14 gunboats, commanded by Commander Rowan.
February 14, 1862.
Foote, with 6 gunboats, attacked Fort Donelson, but was repulsed, the flag-officer being severely wounded. Federal loss 60 in killed and wounded.
February 28, 1862.
Confed. steamer Nashville ran the blockade of Beaufort, N. C., and reached the town.
March, 1862.
March 1, 1862.
U. S. gunboats Tyler, Lieut. Gwin, commanding, and Lexington, Lieut. Shirk, on an expedition up the Tennessee River, engaged and silenced a Confed. battery at Pittsburg Landing, Tenn.
March 6, 1862.
U. S. ironclad Monitor, Lieut. Worden, sailed from New York for Fort Monroe.
March 8, 1862.
Destruction of the U. S. sloop-of-war Cumberland and the frigate Congress, in action with the Confed. ironclad Merrimac, in Hampton Roads, Va. 120 men were lost on the Cumberland, and 121 on the Congress.
March 9, 1862.
Combat of the U. S. ironclad Monitor and the Confed. ironclad Merrimac, in Hampton Roads, Va.
March 11, 1862.
Occupation of St. Augustine, Fla., by Federal naval forces.
March 12, 1862.
Occupation of Jacksonville, Fla., by Federal forces from the U. S. gunboats Ottawa, Seneca, and Pembina, under command of Lieut. T. H. Stevens.
March 17, 1862.
Federal gunboats and mortars, under Foote, began the investment of and attack on Island No.10, on the Mississippi.
April, 1862.
April 1, 1862.
During a storm at night, Col. Roberts with 50 picked men of the 42d Illinois, and as many seamen under First Master Johnston, of the gunboat St. Louis, surprised the Confederates at the upper battery of Island No.10, and spiked 6 large guns.
April 4, 1862.
Federal gunboat Carondelet ran past the Confed. batteries at Island No.10, at night, without damage, and arrived at New Madrid. [313]
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| Headquarters of General Q. A. Gillmore at Hilton Head General Gillmore is not out of place in a volume that deals with the naval side of the Civil War, for almost continually he was directing movements in which the Federal navy was operating or was supposed to lend assistance. Had many of this splendid officer's suggestions been adopted, and had he received better military support from Washington, Savannah and Charleston could not by any possibility have held out, with all the bravery in the world, as long as they did. Had he been given supreme command at the time that he was ranked by General Thomas W. Sherman and had he commanded 50,000 men instead of a small army, the Federal naval victories might have been followed up by army successes. General Gillmore conceived and superintended the construction of the fortifications at Hilton Head, and also planned the operations that resulted in the capture of Fort Pulaski. Transferred to western Virginia and Kentucky, and brevetted for gallantry, he once more returned to the coast as commander of the Department of South Carolina, where he succeeded General Hunter. It was greatly through his efforts that Forts Wagner and Gregg, near Charleston Harbor, were finally silenced. During the latter part of the war he was successively in command of the Tenth and Nineteenth Army Corps. |
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April 11, 1862.
Confed. steamers Merrimac, Jamestown, and Yorktown, came down between Newport News and Sewell's Point, on the Chesapeake, and captured 3 vessels.
April 14, 1862.
Potomac flotilla ascended the Rappahannock River, destroying several batteries. Three vessels were captured.
Foote's mortar-boats opened fire on Fort Pillow, on the Mississippi.
April 18-24, 1862.
Bombardment of Forts Jackson and St. Philip, on the Mississippi.
April 24, 1862.
Federal fleet passed Forts Jackson and St. Philip, destroying 13 Confed. gunboats, the ram Manassas, and 3 transports.
April 25, 1862.
New Orleans captured. Confed. batteries on both sides of the river destroyed.
April 28, 1862.
Forts St. Philip and Jackson, La., surrendered; Forts Livingston and Pike abandoned, and the Confed. ironclad Louisiana blown up.
May, 1862.
May 2, 1862.
U. S. S. Brooklyn and several gunboats left New Orleans, ascending the Mississippi, to open the river and connect with the Western Flotilla.
May 8, 1862.
Ironclad steamer Galena, assisted by the gunboats Aroostook and Port Royal, attacked and silenced two Confed. batteries a short distance from the mouth of the James River, Va.
May 9, 1862.
Pensacola, Fla., evacuated by the Confederates after setting fire to forts, navyyard, barracks, and marine hospital.
May 10, 1862.
Federal gunboats in the Mississippi, under the command of Acting Flag-Officer Davis, were attacked above Fort Pillow by the Confed. River Defense fleet, which after a half-hour's contest, was forced to retire. The Federal gunboats Cincinnati and Mound City were badly injured, and the Confed. vessels also were considerably cut up.
May 11, 1862.
Confed. ironclad Merrimac was abandoned by her crew and blown up off Craney Island, Va.
May 13, 1862.
Confed. armed steamer Planter run out of Charleston, S. C., by a negro crew, and surrendered to Comdr. Parrott, of the U. S. S. Augusta.
Natchez, Miss., surrendered to Iroquois, Comdr. J. S. Palmer.
May 15, 1862.
Federal ironclad Monitor, together with the Port Royal, Aroostook, and the mailed gunboats Galena and E. A. Stevens, attacked Fort Darling, on Drewry's Bluff, 6 miles below Richmond, on the James River. The Galena was badly damaged, and lost 17 men killed and about 20 wounded. The large rifled gun of the E. A. Stevens burst.
June, 1862.
June 6, 1862.
Engagement between the Federal gunboats and rams and the Confed. rams in front of Memphis, in which all of the latter but one were sunk or captured. 100 Confed. prisoners taken. Memphis occupied by Federals.
June 15, 1862.
U. S. gunboats Tahoma and Somerset, Lieuts. Howell and English, crossed the bar of St. Mark's River, Fla., and destroyed a Confed. Fort and barracks.
June 17, 1862.
Federal expedition up the White River, when near St. Charles, was fired into from masked batteries, and the gunboat Mound City received a shot in her boiler which occasioned the destruction of 82 of her crew by scalding, 25 only escaping uninjured. The Confed. works were captured by the land forces under Col. Fitch, who took 30 prisoners.
June 26, 1862.
Three Confed. gunboats burned on the Yazoo River by their officers, to prevent their capture by the Union ramflotilla, Lieut.-Col. A. W. Ellet, then in pursuit of them.
June 28, 1862.
Flag-Officer Farragut with nine vessels of his fleet ran by the Confed. batteries at Vicksburg, through a severe fire, forming a junction with Western Flotilla on July 1st.
June 29, 1862.
Steamship Ann, of London, with a valuable cargo, captured by the U. S. steamer Kanawha, in Mobile Bay, under the guns of Fort Morgan.
July, 1862.
July 1, 1862.
Porter's mortar flotilla engaged the Confed. batteries at Vicksburg, Miss.
July 2, 1862.
Commencement of bombardment of Vicksburg, Miss., by the combined mortar fleets of Davis and Porter.
July 4, 1862.
Confed. gunboat Teaser captured on James River by U. S. steamer Maratanza. [315]
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| On the deck of the “Agawam” The easy attitudes of the acting ensign, to the left of the gun, and the volunteer acting-master with him, do not suggest the storm through which the ship on which they stand, the Federal gunboat “Agawam,” passed in the spring of 1864. Their vessel was called upon to cooperate in Grant's great military movement that was to bring the war to a close. In February, Acting Rear-Admiral S. P. Lee, commanding the North Atlantic squadron, was ready to assist General Butler with gunboats in the James and York Rivers. The admiral himself remained with his main squadron at Fortress Monroe to convey Butler's expedition to Bermuda Hundred. After that general got himself bottled up and, despite the protests of Admiral Lee, had sunk obstructions in the James to prevent the Confederate gunboats from coming down, the “Virginia” and her consorts came down to reconnoiter the character of the obstructions. The “Agawam,” under Commander A. C. Rhind, was lying below Battery Dantzler, with several monitors. They were engaged by the fortification and by the Confederate gunboats concealed behind the Point. The Federal vessels promptly returned the fire and kept up the battle for six hours, inflicting considerable damage on the fort. |
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July 15, 1862.
Confed. iron-clad ram Arkansas came down the Yazoo River and engaged the Federal gunboats Carondelet and Tyler, and ram Queen of the West. The ram succeeded in escaping to Vicksburg.
July 22, 1862.
Confed. steamer Reliance captured by U. S. steamer Huntsville.
Unsuccessful attempt made to sink the Confed. ram Arkansas, at Vicksburg, by Lieut-Col. Ellet, with the Union ram Queen of the West and ironclad Essex, Commander W. D. Porter.
July 29, 1862.
Attack on Fort James, on the Ogeechee River, Ga., by Federal gunboats repulsed.
August, 1862.
August 6, 1862.
Destruction of Confed. ram Arkansas by her commander, Lieut. Stevens, at Baton Rouge, La.
August 16, 1862.
Lieut.-Comdr. Phelps with 3 gunboats and 4 rams, and the 58th and 76th Ohio in transports, left Helena, Ark., sailed down the Mississippi to Milliken's Bend, where they captured the steamer Fairplay, with arms, &c., for 6000 men. Further captures made at Haynes' Bluff and at Richmond, La., and property destroyed.
September, 1862.
September 5, 1862.
Ship Ocmulgee burned at sea by Confed. cruiser Alabama.
September 17, 1862.
U. S. gunboats Paul Jones, Cimarron, and 3 other vessels attacked Confed. batteries on St. John's River, Florida.
September 25, 1862.
Sabine Pass, Texas, captured by U. S. steamer Kensington and schooner Rachel Seaman.
October, 1862.
October 3, 1862.
Confed. fortifications at St. John's Bluff, on St. John's River, Fla., captured by 1500 Federals under Gen. Brannan, assisted by 7 gunboats from Hilton Head, S. C.
Fight on the Blackwater River, near Franklin, Va., 3 Federal gunboats, Commodore Perry, Hunchback, and Whitehead, under Lieut.-Comdr. Flusser, engaged a large force of Confederates 6 hours.
October 4, 1862.
Capture of the defenses of Galveston, Texas, after slight resistance by Federal mortar flotilla under Comdr. W. B. Renshaw.
November, 1862.
November 4, 1862.
Bark Sophia captured off N. C. coast by U. S. steamers Daylight and Mount Vernon.
November 18, 1862.
British schooners Ariel and Ann Maria captured off Little Run, S. C., by U. S. gunboat Monticello.
December, 1862.
December 12, 1862.
U. S. gunboat Cairo sunk in the Yazoo River by a torpedo. The crew saved.
December 27, 1862.
Engagement between the Benton and the Confed. battery at Drumgould's Bluff on the Yazoo. Lieut.-Comdr. Gwin mortally wounded.
December 31, 1862.
Ironclad Monitor, Commander Bankhead, foundered off Cape Hatteras, N. C.
January, 1863.
January 1, 1863.
Galveston, Texas, with its garrison of 300 men, recaptured by Confederates under Gen. Magruder, and 2 steamers, Bayou City and Neptune. 6 Federal gunboats were in the harbor. The Harriet Lane was captured after a severe fight, in which Commander Wainwright was killed, and some of his crew. Federal flagship Westfield was blown up by Commander Renshaw, to avoid capture, by which he lost his life, with many of the crew.
January 11, 1863.
U. S. S. Hatteras, Lieut.-Comdr. H. C. Blake, sunk off Galveston, Tex., by Confed. steamer Alabama. 100 of the Federal crew captured.
January 14, 1863.
Four Union gunboats under Lieut.-Comdr. Buchanan, assisted by Gen. Weitzel's troops, engaged the Confed. iron-clad gunboat J. A. Cotton, which was aided by Confed. artillery, on the Bayou Teche, La. The Cotton was destroyed after several hours' combat. Lieut.-Comdr. Buchanan was killed.
January 16, 1863.
Confed. cruiser Florida escaped from Mobile.
January 27, 1863.
First attack on Fort McAllister, Ga.
January 30, 1863.
U. S. gunboat Isaac Smith captured in Stono River, S. C. [317]
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| Discussing the plans-porter and Meade On the left sits Rear-Admiral David Dixon Porter, in conference with Major-General George Gordon Meade. There were many such interviews both on shore and aboard the “Malvern” before the details of the expedition against Fort Fisher were finally settled. Porter had been promised the necessary troops to cooperate in an attack on the fort, but it was months before they were finally detached and actually embarked. Grant and Meade had their hands full in the military operations around Petersburg and Richmond and could not give much attention to the expedition. General Butler had more time at his disposal and proposed a plan for exploding close to Fort Fisher a vessel loaded with powder. This was bravely carried out by the navy but proved entirely futile. |
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January 31, 1863.
Confed. armed iron-clad rams, Palmetto State and Chicora, and 3 steamers, under Flag-Officer Ingraham, came down Charleston, S. C., Harbor, and attacked 3 vessels of the blockading squadron, the Mercedita, Keystone State, and Quaker City, damaging them severely, and capturing and paroling the crew of the Mercedita. 30 Federals killed and 50 wounded.
February, 1863.
February 1, 1863.
Second attack on Fort McAllister, Ga. Confed. commander, Maj. Gallie, killed. Federal vessels retire without loss.
February 2, 1863.
Union ram Queen of the West ran by the Confed. batteries at Vicksburg, Miss.
February 14, 1863.
Transport Era No. 5 captured by Federal ram Queen of the West, Col. Charles R. Ellet, near Fort Taylor, Red River. The Queen of the West, running aground near Gordon's Landing, Red River, fell a prize to the Confederates.
February 18, 1863.
Mortar-boats opened fire on Vicksburg.
February 21, 1863.
Union gunboats Freeborn and Dragon engaged a Confed. battery on the Rappahannock River, Va. Three Federals wounded.
February 24, 1863.
Gunboat Indianola captured near Grand Gulf, Miss., by 4 Confed. steamers.
February 28, 1863.
Destruction of Confed. steamer Nashville in Ogeechee River, near Fort McAllister, Ga., by monitor Montauk, Commander Worden.
March, 1863.
March 14, 1863.
Adml. Farragut, with 7 of his fleet, attacked the Confed. batteries at Port Hudson. The Hartford (flagship) and the Albatross passed the batteries and went up the river. The Mississippi was destroyed and part of her crew captured.
March 31, 1863.
Adml. Farragut, with the Federal vessels Hartford, Switzerland, and Albatross, engaged the Confed. batteries at Grand Gulf, Miss., and passed them without serious loss.
April, 1863.
April 1, 1863.
Adml. Farragut's vessels proceeded to the mouth of the Red River.
April 2, 1863.
U. S. gunboat St. Clair disabled by Confederates above Fort Donelson on the Cumberland River. She was rescued by the steamer Luminary.
April 7, 1863.
Attack on Fort Sumter, Charleston, S. C., by 9 Federal ironclads under Rear-Adml. Du Pont.
April 14, 1863.
Destruction of Confed. ram Queen of the West, in Berwick Bay, La., by U. S. gunboat Estrella and others. 90 Confederates captured, and 30 lost.
April 16, 1863.
Adml. Porter's fleet of 8 gunboats and several transports ran past the Vicksburg batteries, losing only 1 transport and no men.
April 22, 1863.
Six transports and 12 barges passed the Confed. batteries at Vicksburg.
April 26, 1863.
Confed. shore batteries at Duck River shoals, Tennessee River, silenced by gunboats. 25 Confederates killed and wounded.
April 29, 1863.
Bombardment of Grand Gulf, Miss., by Porter's fleet. Confed. works greatly damaged. Fleet considerably injured.
May, 1863.
May 3, 1863.
Confed. batteries at Grand Gulf, Miss., evacuated by the Confederates, and taken possession of by Adml. Porter.
May 27, 1863.
Sinking of the U. S. gunboat Cincinnati by Confed. batteries at Vicksburg. 35 of her crew killed and wounded.
June, 1863.
June 3, 1863.
Simsport, La., attacked by Federal gunboats.
June 10-11, 1863.
Attack on Morris Island, Charleston Harbor, by Federal gunboats and troops.
June 17, 1863.
Capture of Confed. iron-clad ram Atlanta, by monitor Weehawken, in Wassaw Sound, Ga. 180 prisoners taken.
June 22-23, 1863.
Seven fishing vessels captured off Martha's Vineyard, Mass., by Confed. captured bark Tacony, Lieut. C. W. Read.
July, 1863.
July 13, 1863.
U. S. gunboat Baron DeKalb sunk by Confed. torpedo in Yazoo River, Miss. [319]
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| The “Kickapoo” The “Kickapoo” with torpedo-rake ready at the bow: this new weapon of defense was used effectively during the attack on Mobile, on March 28, 1865. The “Kickapoo” came out safely, although the “Milwaukee” near-by failed to discover a Confederate torpedo in time and was sunk. |
August, 1863.
August 21, 1863.
U. S. brig. Bainbridge foundered. Only 1 man saved.
August 23, 1863.
U. S. gunboats Satellite and Reliance captured by Confederates at the mouth of the Rappahannock, Va.
September, 1863.
September 2, 1863.
Unsuccessful attempt to destroy by Union force, gunboats Satellite and Reliance, captured by the Confederates.
September 8-9, 1863.
An assault made on Fort Sumter by 400 men in 20 boats from the Federal fleet, under Commander T. H. Stevens. The sailors were defeated with the loss of 124.
September 8, 1863.
U. S. gunboats Clifton and Sachem, attached to an expedition under Gen. Franklin, grounded on the bar at Sabine Pass, Texas, and were captured by the Confederates.
October, 1863.
October 5, 1863.
Confederates attempt to destroy the New Ironsides with the torpedo-boat David. 26 to Nov. 10.--Bombardment of Fort Sumter.
October 30, 1863.
Heavy bombardment of Charleston, S. C.
November, 1863.
November 2, 1863.
Unsuccessful attempt upon Sumter by a boat expedition.
December, 1863.
December 6, 1863.
Monitor Weehawken founders in Charleston Harbor. Over 30 lives lost.
December 5, 1863.
Fight between the U. S. gunboat Marblehead and Confed. batteries on Stono River, S. C. Confederates defeated.
February, 1864.
February 2, 1864.
Capture and destruction of U. S. S. Underwriter, Actg. Master Westervelt, by Confed. attack under Comdr. J. T. Wood, in Neuse River, N. C.
February 18, 1864.
Federal sloop-of-war Housatonic sunk off Charleston, S. C., by Confed. submarine torpedo-boat H. L. Hunley.
February 16-29, 1864.
Bombardment of Fort Powell, Ala., by Adml. Farragut.
March, 1864.
March 6, 1864.
U. S. gunboat Peterhoff sunk by collision off Wilmington, N. C.
March 11-15, 1864.
A naval expedition from Brashear City captures camp, arms, and flag on Atchafalaya River, La.
April, 1864.
April 1, 1864.
U. S. Army stmr. Maple Leaf blown up by torpedo in St. John's River, Fla.
April 5, 1864.
Fight betweeen gunboats and guerrillas at Hickman, Ky.
April 12, 1864.
Adml. Porter's Red River fleet attacked at Blair's Plantation by 2000 Confed. infantry on shore, who are beaten off.
April 14, 1864.
Gunboat expedition from Butler's army captures prisoners and stores at Smith-field, Va.
April 19, 1864.
Attack on Federal vessels under Lieut.-Comdr. C. W. Flusser by Confed. ram Albemarle, Comdr. J. W. Cooke, at Plymouth, N. C.; sinking of U. S. S. South-field and death of Flusser.
April 23, 1864.
U. S. gunboat Petrel captured by Confederates on the Yazoo River.
April 25, 1864.
Confederates in strong force attacked 3 of Adml. Porter's gunboats on the Red River.
May, 1864.
May 6, 1864.
U. S. gunboat Commodore Jones blown up by Confed. torpedo in James River.
May 13, 1864.
Adml. Porter's fleet above Alexandria Falls released by Col. Bailey's dam.
June, 1864.
June 3, 1864.
Capture of U. S. S. Water Witch, Lieut.-Comdr. Austin Pendergrast by boat expedition under Lieut. J. P. Pelot, C. S. N., in Ossabaw Sound, Ga., Lieut. Pelot killed.
June 19, 1864.
The Confed. cruiser Alabama, Capt. Semmes, was sunk off the harbor of Cherbourg, France, by U. S. sloop-of-war Kearsarge, Capt. Winslow. 70 of the Confed. crew were taken on board the Kearsarge, and 115 reached England and France. 3 persons only were wounded on the Kearsarge. [321]
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| The “Kickapoo” A forerunner of the new navy the “Kickapoo” on the Mississippi: one of the five river monitors built on Admiral Porter's enthusiastic recommendation, after he had officially examined the original Ericsson “Monitor” in 1861. |
August, 1864.
August 5, 1864.
Great battle at the entrance of Mobile Bay. The Confed. ram Tennessee captured after one of the fiercest naval battles on record. In the night, the Confederates evacuated and blew up Fort Powell. The monitor Tecumseh was blown up by a Confed. torpedo.
August 6, 1864.
Adml. Farragut shelled Fort Gaines, Mobile Bay.
August 8, 1864.
Surrender of Fort Gaines, Mobile Bay, to Adml. Farragut and Gen. Granger.
August 23, 1864.
Fort Morgan, Mobile Bay, surrendered unconditionally. By its surrender, Federals captured 200 prisoners and 60 pieces of artillery.
October, 1864.
October 7, 1864.
Confed. cruiser Florida captured at Bahia, Bay of San Salvador, Brazil, by U. S. S. Wachusett, Commander Collins.
October 27, 1864.
The Confed. ram Albemarle sunk by Lieut. Cushing, in the Roanoke River.
October 31, 1864.
Capture of Confed. batteries and their ordnance and ordnance stores, at Plymouth, N. C.
November, 1864.
November 11, 1864.
U. S. S. Tulip destroyed by boiler explosion off Ragged Point, Va. 49 officers and men killed (all of crew but 10).
December, 1864.
December 9, 1864.
The gunboat Otsego sunk by a Confed. torpedo in the Roanoke River.
December 22, 1864.
Loss of the U. S. transport North American by foundering at sea. 194 lives lost.
December 24, 1864.
Furious attack on Fort Fisher, N. C., by the fleet of Adml. Porter.
December 25, 1864.
Attack on Fort Fisher renewed. Three brigades of Union infantry landed two and a half miles above the fort. They were repulsed, and reembarked.
December 27, 1864.
Ensign Blume cuts out and takes from Galveston Harbor the blockade-running schooner Belle.
January, 1865.
January 15, 1865.
Grand assault on Fort Fisher, which was captured with entire garrison. Union loss 110 killed, 536 wounded. Confed. loss 2500 prisoners, 72 guns.
January 15, 1865.
U. S. monitor Patapsco sunk by a Confed. torpedo in Charleston Harbor. 60 of the officers and crew were lost.
January 23-24, 1865.
Confed. ironclads attempt descent of the James, and are driven back.
January 26, 1865.
Steamer Eclipse explodes on the Tennessee River, killing 140 persons.
February, 1865.
February 4, 1865.
Lieut. Cushing with 4 boats and 50 men takes possession of All Saints Parish, on Little River, S. C., capturing a large amount of cotton.
February 18, 1865.
Charleston occupied by Union forces.
March, 1865.
March 4, 1865.
U. S. transport steamer Thorne blown up by a torpedo in Cape Fear River.
March 28-29, 1865.
U. S. monitors Milwaukee and Osage sunk by torpedoes in Mobile Bay.
April, 1865.
April 8, 1865.
Spanish Fort, Mobile, bombarded. The Confederates evacuate at night.
April 12, 1865.
Mobile occupied by Union forces.
April 14, 1865.
Anniversary of the capture of Fort Sumter celebrated, by imposing ceremonies at the fort, and replacing the flag by Gen. Anderson.
April 22, 1865.
Mississippi Squadron flagship Black Hawk burnt at Mound City.
April 24, 1865.
Confed. ram Webb escapes past the Union fleet on the Red River; is run ashore below New Orleans, deserted, and blown up.
May, 1865.
May 4, 1865.
Surrender by Corn. E. Farrand, C. S. N., of vessels under his command to Acting Rear-Adml. Thatcher, commanding West Gulf Squadron, agreed upon.
May 19, 1865.
Surrender of the Confed. ram Stonewall to Spanish authorities in Cuba.
May 25, 1865.
Forts Mannahasset and Griffin, and the defenses of Sabine Pass, occupied by Acting Rear-Adml. Thatcher.
June, 1865.
June 3, 1865.
The Confed. ironclad Missouri, in Red River, surrenders to Lieut.-Comdr. W. E. Fitzhugh.
