Tuesday, June 18, 2024

Charles Rivers Ellet Epilogue

Charles Rivers Ellet (and I love his middle name considering his service) was not finished after his Queen of the West was lost.

On March 26, he ran his ram Switzerland past Vicksburg again.  The ram Lancaster was with him, commanded by his cousin, John A. Ellet.  Both ships received heavy fire from the Vicksburg batteries and the Lancaster was run aground and sunk to prevent capture by Confederate forces.

The Switzerland was damaged, but repaired and continued duty on the Mississippi River until the fall of Vicksburg and Port Hudson.  Ellet also went on to command the Marine Brigade.

He died very young at the age of 21 on October 29, 1863.

--Old B-Runner


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