Friday, April 5, 2013

Naval Happenings 150 Years Ago: April 5th to 6th, 1863-- Last Preps for Charleston Attack

APRIL 5TH

With ironclads and enough steamers to take them in tow if any were knocked out of action,  Du Pont departed North Edisto for Charleston, arriving off that port in the afternoon.  As a last preparation, the Stono bar was buoyed to fix a safe channel.  Two monitors remained inside the bar to protect those buoys.


APRIL 6TH

The USS Pawnee reported the Stono Bar had been buoyed.  Du Pont croseed the bar in his flagship, the USS New Ironsides, intending to attack this day.  He had with him the monitors Passaic, Weehawken, Montauk, Patapsco, Catskill, Nantucket, Nahant and Keokuk.

After reaching anchorage inside the bar, Du Pont found the weather so hazy that they couldn't see ranges and the pilots declined to go farther.

Old B-Runner

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