First Use of a Periscope In Action?-- Part 2

APRIL 12TH, 1864: //// Of course, the use of the periscope in warfare really came into use during the age of submarine warfare in World War I and II. //// The high banks of the Red River posed a great difficulty for the Union gunners in aiming their cannons from water level. Doughtry's ingenius invention helped solve that problem. //// Selfridge wrote that: "On first sounding to general quarters....[I] went inside the turret to direct (he was the Osage's commander) its fire, but the restricted vision from the peep holes rendered it impossible to see what was going on in the threatened quarter, whenever teh turret was trained on the loading position. //// In this extremity I thought of the periscope, and hastily took up station there, well-protected by the turret, yet able to survvey the whole scene and to direct an accurate fire." //// Thus was the periscope, a familiar sight on gun turrets and on submarines brought into the Civil War use on the Western waters. //// New Technology. --Old B-Runner

First Use of Periscope in Action?-- Part 1

APRIL 12TH, 1864: The engaement between Porter's ships and dismounted Confederate cavalry at Blair's Landing, Louisiana, also featured what may have been the first use of a periscope in action. //// It had been developed by Chief Engineer Thomas Doughtry of the ironclad USS Osage and later described by Lt.Cmdr Thomas O. Selfridge as "a method of sighting the turret from the outside, by means of what would now be called a periscope...." In other words, he could peer through it from the safety of inside and sight his guns. //// --Old B-R'er

Red River Campaign: Action At Blair's Landing

APRIL 12TH, 1864: As Porter's fleet and the Army transports returned down the Red River from Springfield Landing, they came under fire from Confederate guns from the high bluffs. //// At Blair's Landing, dismounted Confederate cavalry supported by artillery, engaged the Union fleet. It was kind of strange to see troops and warships fighting it out. The battle continued for an hour before the Confederates were driven off and their commander, General Green killed. //// Porter described it as "a curious affair." However, this battle saw the introduction of a naval first, which I will talk about in my next post. //// --Old B-Runner