Naval Happenings This Date: January 9th to 11th, 1863-- Fall of Fort Hindman-- Alabama Sinks the Hatteras

JANUARY 9-11

Army-Navy expedition attacks and captures Confederate Fort Hindman at Arkansas Post.  There was a serious exchange of gunfire on the 10th and 11th in which every gun in the fort was dismounted, disabled or knocked to piece.  The fort surrendered.

Porter wrote Welles that the commander of the rebels said, "You can't expect men to stand up against the fire of those gunboats."

After the loss, Confederates abandoned other positions on the White and St. Charles rivers.


JANUARY 10TH

Under orders from Farragut to recapture Galveston, Texas, the port was bombarded, but eventually withdrew.


JANUARY 11TH

CSS Alabama, under Captain Raphael Semmes, sank the USS Hatteras about thirty miles off Galveston, Texas, in a 13-minute battle.  The Hatteras sank in nine and a half fathoms and its crew rescued by the Alabama.  Other Union blockaders gave chase, but to no avail.

Old B-Runner