Fort Clifton and Army Gunboat Brewster-- Part 1: The Brewster Scuttled

I have been writing about Acting Ensign Arnold Harris a lot of late.  Here is some more information as this was the ship Brewster that Gen. Benjamin Butler wanted to use to sneak into the Cape Fear River by Wilmington, North Carolina, and do damage back in January 1864.  Later that year, the Brewster carried orders to the USS Commodore Perry to open fire on this Fort Clifton.

From HMdb Fort Clifton

FORT CLIFTON

From the marker:

"A short distance east on the Appomattox River stands Confederate Fort Clifton, an important fortification that guarded Petersburg against Union naval attack  during the Civil War.  

On 9 May 1864, Federal  gunboats commanded by Maj. Gen. Charles K. Graham attacked the fort.

During the engagement, Fort Clifton's artillery disabled the Army gunboat Samuel L. Brewster, which its crew then scuttled.

--Old B-Runner