Thursday, February 14, 2013

Naval Happening 150 Years Ago: February 13th to 17th,1863-- Capture of USS Queen of the West

FEBRUARY 13TH

Commander James H. North, CSN, wrote Mallory from Glasgow that he didn't believe Great Britain would ever recognize the Confederacy.  "If they will let us get our ships out when they are ready, we shall feel ourselves most fortunate. It is now almost impossible to make the slightest move or do the smallest thing, that the Lincoln spies do not know of it."


FEBRUARY 14TH
The USS Queen of the West, patrolling the Red River captured a steamer with corn, then came under fire of Confederate shore batteries and Col. C Ellet forced to abandon the ship, a valuable capture for the Confederates.


FEBRUARY 16TH

Lincoln is greatly interested in the naval assault on Charleston and reviewed plans of the attack with Asst. Sec. Navy Fox.


FEBRUARY 17TH

Porter wrote Welles that he believed Confederate forces at Port Hudson, the only other strong point the Confederates had on the Mississippi besides Vicksburg, that they are short in provisions and would quickly surrender if General Banks' Army pushed them.

Confederate troops captured U.S. tug Hercules opposite Memphis.  Then attempted to capture several coal barges but were driven off by gunfire from gunboats at the wharves.

Old B-Runner

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