More Action on the Tennessee River

NOVEMBER 4TH, 1864:  Paddle-wheelers USS Key West, USS Towah and small steamer USS Elfin were destroyed after an engagement with Confederate batteries at Johnsonville, Tennessee, along with several transport steamers and a large quantity of supplies.

Acting Lt. King, in command of the naval group, was patrolling the river and protecting the Union depot and headquarters at Johnsonville as the forces of General Forrest suddenly struck the city.

--Old B-Runer

Action Heating Up on the Tennessee River

NOVEMBER 2ND, 1864:  Paddle-wheelers USS Key West and USS Towah, patrolling the Tennessee River, encountered the Undine and Venus, which the Confederates had captured three days earlier.

After a heated running engagement, the Venus was retaken, but Undine, though badly damaged, escaped.  Carrying Confederate troops, the Undine outran her pursuers and gained the protection of Confederate batteries at Reynoldsburg Island, near Johnsonville, Tennessee.

--Old B-R'er

Operation on the Tennessee River-- Part 2

Finding no evidence of Confederates, the Federal troops began to land.  Suddenly masked batteries on both sides of the river opened a severe crossfire, immediately disabling transports Aurora and Kenton and causing widespread confusion among the troops.

Key West and Undine, both steamers of about 200 tons, hotly engaged the batteries.  Seeing the two disabled transports drifting downstream out of control, the Undine followed them while the Key West stayed at Eastport to cover the City of Pekin as troops re-embarked and to escort her downstream in withdrawal.

--Old B-R'er

Operation on the Tennessee River in Mississippi-- Part 1

SEPTEMBER 10, 1864:  The USS Key West and Undine and transports City of Pekin, Kenton and Aurora, were surprised by Confederate shore batteries off Wastport, Mississippi, on the Tennessee River, and after a severe engagement, were forced to retire downriver.

The combined operation at Eastport was designed to secure the river at this point against the crossing of General Forrest's cavalry and provide an outpost against the threatened advance of Confederate General Hood from the east.

Departing Clifton, Tennessee, on 9 October with the gunboats in the van, the force steamed up the river and cautiously approached Eastport.

--Old B-Runner

150 Years Ago: October 24th to 26th, 1863-- Fort Sumter Under Attack Again

OCTOBER 24TH

USS Hastings and Key West arrived in Eastport, Mississippi, to support Army operations along the Tennessee River. General Sherman was happy to have the help, despite problems with low water level. Operations continued until mid-December as efforts to solidify Union control along the river continued.

**  USS Calypso captured British schooner Herald off Frying Pan Shoals (NC) with a cargo of salt and soda (not soda pop).

OCTOBER 26TH

Union ironclads began an intensive two week bombardment of Fort Sumter. General Beauregard wrote of the "terrible bombardment" and said that the fort had been hammered by 1000 shot in just 12 hours.

A week later, Commander Stevens of the monitor USS Patapsco, said the bombardment was "hardly describable, throwing bricks and mortar, gun carriages and timber in every direction and high into the air." But, Rear Admiral Dahlgren noted: "There is an immense endurance in such a mass of masonry, and ruins may serve as shelter to many men."

In other words, you can destroy it only so much before it gets stronger. The embattled defenders held on, though.

--Old B-Runner