MCCWRT May Meeting: Charles Rivers Elett, the Queen of the West and the Sinking of the Indianola-- Part 1

The McHenry County Civil War Round Table met on May14, 2024, and Ed Urban gave a talk on this oft overlooked aspect of the Civil War involving situations around Vicksburg as the Union Army and Navy attempted to subdue the Confederate stronghold and open the Mississippi River.

The Union forces launched four attempts at capturing Vicksburg.  The first was in May 1862, then June 1862, November 1862 and Sherman's attack on Chickasaw Bluffs.  The May attack was bungles, the June was derailed by the CSS Arkansas and November by the Confederate attack on Holly Springs.

Confederates still maintained control of the Mississippi River between Vicksburg southward to Port Hudson.

The Mississippi Ram fleet was the brainchild of Charles River Ellet.  Even though this involved ships, it was not a part of the Navy because Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles turned him down, but Secretary of War Stanton didn't.  As such, the Ram Fleet was technically a part of the Army.

(I have always been somewhat confused on this point.)

--Old B-Runner

Naval Happenings 150 Years Ago: December 28 to 31st-- Loss of the Monitor

DECEMBER 28-30

Porter's gunboats supported General Sherman's attempt to capture Confederate-held Chickasaw Bluffs, upstream from Vicksburg.  Union forces forced to withdraw.


DECEMBER 31ST

The USS Monitor foundered and was lost off Cape Hatteras en route from Hampton Roads to Beaufort, NC.  This ship accomplished much in its short ten-month career.

The Confederate embargo, the capture of New Orleans and a blockade that continued to improve greatly curtailed the export of the South's major product, cotton.  Meanwhile, the Union's control of the seas ensured their goods reached foreign markets and paid for war materials.

Old B-R'er