USS Marmora-- Part 3: The Sinking of the Cairo and Actions on the Yazoo River

On December 12, the Marmora led  the USS Signal, Cairo and Pittsburg up the Yazoo River until they spotted several torpedoes. The Cairo commenced firing at the right bank and sent a boat out to investigate the nearest torpedo.  As that boat towed the torpedo back, another one exploded under the Cairo, ripping her bottom out completely.

The Cairo rapidly sank as the other Union ships sent out boats to rescue the crew.

After that, the Marmora continued to remove torpedoes and assist the Army as they probed to find a weakness in the Vicksburg defenses.  On December 27, the Marmora and other ships actively engaged Confederate batteries at Drumgould's Bluff.

The next day, the Union ships aided in the landing of General William T. Sherman's troops in an attempted effort to capture Confederate guns on Chickasaw Bluff upstream from Vicksburg, but that attack failed.

--Old B-Runner