MAY 10TH, 1864: The USS Mound City and USS Carondolet grounded near the work on the dam across the Red River rapids above Alexandria.
On MAY 11TH, as the river continued to rise behind the two wing dams, these two ironclads and the USS Pittsburg were hauled across the upper falls by throngs of straining soldiers. As troops looked on, the ironclads, with all hatches battened down, successfully lurched through the gap between the dams to safety.
The USS Ozark, Louisville and Chillicothe were preparing to follow on the 12th.
Admiral Porter later wrote Secretary Welles: "The passage of these vessels was a beautiful sight, only to be realized when seen."
Bet He Was Breathing a Sigh of Relief By This Time. --Old B-Runner
No comments:
Post a Comment