Fighting at Deep Bottom on the James River

JUNE 29-30, 1864:  Converted ferry boat USS Hunchback and single-turreted monitor USS Saugus bombard Confederate batteries at Deep Bottom on the James River and caused their eventual with drawal.

Rear Admiral Lee reported: "The importance of holding our position at deep Bottom is obvious.  Without doing so our communications are cut there, and our wooden vessels cannot remain above that point, and the monitors would be alone and exposed to the enemy's light torpedo craft from above and out of Four Mile Creek.

"The enemy would then plant torpedoes there to prevent the monitors passing by for supplies."

Evidently, Deep Bottom was behind the Union forward ships.

--Old B-R'er