USS Lexington-- Part 3: Further Operations on the White, Yazoo and Cumberland Rivers

The Lexington continued operations on the Tennessee River until returning to the Mississippi with the Conestoga, Mound City  and St. Louis and entered the White River and captured St. Charles, Arkansas.

The Lexington was afterwards transferred to the Union Navy and in October 1962, participated in a joint expedition up the Yazoo River to attack Vicksburg from the rear.  Providing cover for General Sherman's troops when they attacked on Chickasaw Bayou.

On January 4, 1863, the gunboats and army transports headed up the White River for an attack on Fort Hindman which was captured.  Then the Lexington was recalled to the Cumberland River in Tennessee and cleared it of Confederate efforts as well as arriving just in time to save the Union garrison at Fort Donelson.

--Old B-R'er

USS Marmora-- Part 4: Guerrilla Action.and Looking for Sterling

The USS Marmora participated in the  attack on Fort Hindman, Arkansas, 4 to 11 January 1863, when it was captured.  Located  80 miles up the Arkansas River it became an important post for Union efforts to control supplies coming to Vicksburg from the west.

In February 1963, the Marmora joined four other ships and Army troops in a new Yazoo River expedition and departed Helena  27 March.  They captured the CSS Fairplay (later the USS Fairplay) and destroyed newly constructed Confederate batteries 20 miles up the Yazoo.

For the next several months the Marmora did patrol duty and supply runs.  She also dealt with guerrilla activity.  In one instance, the Marmora stopped at Gaines' Landing 13-15 June to burn houses.  She then steamed up the White and Little Red rivers on 8 August, looking for information on Confederate General Sterling Price's army.

--Old B-Runner

January 4, 1863: Joint Army-Navy Expedition Against Fort Hindman

JANUARY 4, 1863:  A joint Army-Navy expedition under Rear Admiral David D. Porter and Major General W.T. Sherman got underway up the White River, Arkansas, aiming at the capture of Fort Hindman at Arkansas Post.  Porter described Fort Hindman as a "tough little nut," mounted 11 guns.

Porter's ship were seriously short of coal and had army transports tow them to conserve fuel.  His fleet consisted of the USS Baron de Kalb, Louisville, Cincinnati, Signal, Marmora, Lexington, New Era, Romeo, Rattler, Glide and Porter's flagship, the Black Hawk.

This date, Porter also ordered the ram Monarch to join him at the mouth of the Arkansas River

--Old B-R'er

Naval Happenings This Date: January 9th to 11th, 1863-- Fall of Fort Hindman-- Alabama Sinks the Hatteras

JANUARY 9-11

Army-Navy expedition attacks and captures Confederate Fort Hindman at Arkansas Post.  There was a serious exchange of gunfire on the 10th and 11th in which every gun in the fort was dismounted, disabled or knocked to piece.  The fort surrendered.

Porter wrote Welles that the commander of the rebels said, "You can't expect men to stand up against the fire of those gunboats."

After the loss, Confederates abandoned other positions on the White and St. Charles rivers.


JANUARY 10TH

Under orders from Farragut to recapture Galveston, Texas, the port was bombarded, but eventually withdrew.


JANUARY 11TH

CSS Alabama, under Captain Raphael Semmes, sank the USS Hatteras about thirty miles off Galveston, Texas, in a 13-minute battle.  The Hatteras sank in nine and a half fathoms and its crew rescued by the Alabama.  Other Union blockaders gave chase, but to no avail.

Old B-Runner

Naval Happenings 150 Years Ago: Jan. 1 to 4th, 1863-- Those Infernal Machines

JANUARY 1ST

The Confederates used their torpedoes (today's mines) extensively in their western waters (and along the coasts).  Union leaders used similar ingenuity to overcome them. 

The noted Col. Charles R. Ellet proposed a plan to get rid of those pesky infernal machines in the Yazoo River (the ones that Cmdr. Selfridge didn't clear out) involving the swift and powerful steamboat Lioness.

Twin 65-foot spars were to be placed at the bow connected by a 35-foot crosspiece with hooks going into the river to cut the wires by which they are fired.  A similar method was used in World War II and the Korean War.

Unless, of course, you had Thomas O. Selfridge who removed the torpedoes by ramming them with his ship.


JANUARY 4TH

A joint Army-Navy expedition got underway up the White River, Arkansas, with the goal of capturing Fort Hindman at Arkansas Post.  Porter was lacking adequate coal and had his gunboats towed upriver by Army transports.  His flagship was the Black Hawk and his flotilla included ironclads USS Baron de Kalb, Louisville and Cincinnati.

Old B-R'er