USS Marmora-- Part 2: Helping the Queen of the West and Encountering the Mines

Commissioned  on 21 October 1862, the next day the Marmora steamed downriver to join the Mississippi Squadron's actions against Vicksburg, Mississippi.  Her first action occurred when she attacked and destroyed several barges at Lake Providence, captured two skiffs and demolished a flatboat farther downstream.

On 29 November, the USS Marmora discovered heavy enemy fortifications 30 miles from the mouth of the Yazoo River but did not engage.  On 5 December, she tried to refloat the ram Queen of the West, aground at Paw Paw Island.

On 11 December, she ran up the Yazoo River for 20 miles and came across several mysterious objects floating in the water.  She fired at one of them and a tremendous explosion.  The ship was shaken as it was 50 feet away, but didn't fire at the others and let riflemen ashore finish the job.

Don't Mess With Strange Torpedoes You Don't Know.  --Old B-Runner