Naval Happenings 150 Years Ago: May 9th to 10th ,1862

MAY 9TH

Captain Davis temporarily relieves Flag Officer Foote of command of the Western Flotilla who had been wounded at Fort Donelson.

President Lincoln still in Hampton Roads on his "command ship, the Miami", personally reconnoitered to the seaward of Sewell's Point and found an unfortified landing site at Willoughby Point.  Troops landed there the next morning.

He then ordered the USS Monitor to reconnoiter Sewell's Point to see if the batteries were still manned.  They weren't and troops landed.  Lincoln then ordered General Wool troops to march to Norfolk.


MAY 10TH

Norfolk Navy Yard set afire by evacuating Confederates in a withdrawal up the peninsula to defend Richmond.  Norfolk also abandoned and occupied by General Wool.

Pensacola, Florida, reoccupied by Union forces.  The Navy Yard, Forts Barrancas and McRee, the CSS Fulton and an ironclad building on the Escambia River destroyed.  The Confederacy had been planning to evacuate Pensacola ever since Foote had his success in the Upper Mississippi.  Guns and troops were needed there to slow Union advance.  The fall of New Orleans was the final straw.

The USS New Ironsides launched in Philadelphia.

More Confederate Losses.  --Old B-Runner

The Confederate River Defense Fleet's eight gunboats made an attack on the Union's gunboats and mortar boats at Plum Point Bend, Tennessee.  The USS Cincinnati was sunk in shallow water and USS Mound City ran aground to avoid sinking.  Confederate ships drew too much water to press home attack and withdrew.  The two Union ships were quickly raised, repaired and returned to service.

Old B-Runner