MCCWRT May Meeting: Charles Rivers Elett, the Queen of the West and the Sinking of the Indianola-- Part 1

The McHenry County Civil War Round Table met on May14, 2024, and Ed Urban gave a talk on this oft overlooked aspect of the Civil War involving situations around Vicksburg as the Union Army and Navy attempted to subdue the Confederate stronghold and open the Mississippi River.

The Union forces launched four attempts at capturing Vicksburg.  The first was in May 1862, then June 1862, November 1862 and Sherman's attack on Chickasaw Bluffs.  The May attack was bungles, the June was derailed by the CSS Arkansas and November by the Confederate attack on Holly Springs.

Confederates still maintained control of the Mississippi River between Vicksburg southward to Port Hudson.

The Mississippi Ram fleet was the brainchild of Charles River Ellet.  Even though this involved ships, it was not a part of the Navy because Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles turned him down, but Secretary of War Stanton didn't.  As such, the Ram Fleet was technically a part of the Army.

(I have always been somewhat confused on this point.)

--Old B-Runner