Monday, February 2, 2015

Ice Problems for Confederate James River Squadron

FEBRUARY 2ND, 1865:  Having failed to pass the obstructions at Trent's Reach in order to attack the Union supply base at City Point, Flag Officer Mitchell confronted another kind of difficulty in maintaining communications with his own capital, Richmond.

In the bitter cold the James River began to freeze over and the ice threatened Wilton Bridge.  This date, Mitchell ordered the CSS Beaufort to break up the ice near the bridge and remain near it "to insure its safety."

Two days later, Mitchell noted that the CSS Torpedo was of special importance because "she is now the only boat in connection with the Beaufort (that is crippled) that we can use to protect the Wilton Bridge from ice and keep open our communications with the city."

--Old B-R'er

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