Friday's blog told of a Nova Scotia reader of these blogs and the tip that a few years back the US Mint produced a series of coins commemorating Civil War battles, the battlefields and efforts to preserve them. The article showed images of coins depicting Gettysburg and Antietam and other battlefields. His interest was as a result of locating a quarter commemorating the USS Cairo and its involvement with the Yazoo Expedition of December 1862. Today I'll talk about this.
In December of 1862 the North was in operation of its plan to split the Southern states in two by controlling the Mississippi River, a major north/south water route. Thus split, each side would have more difficulty navigating either northbound or southbound. This would have horrible effects on the movement of troops and supplies. This river in the state of Mississippi is just to the left of Vicksburg as shown with the "A" above. Vicksburg is about 50 miles West of Jackson and about 200 south of Memphis Tennessee.
Today's story takes place on the river about 10 miles north of Vicksburg at a place called Haynes Bluff.
In an operation called the Yazoo Expedition, a number of shallow bottomed boats (that could navigate shallow watered rivers) and that were also Ironclads, (build with iron shielding all around those portions above the waterline) were on a mission to capture or destroy any enemy vessels, destroy their fortifications and also clear mines from the river beds.
Today's story takes place on the river about 10 miles north of Vicksburg at a place called Haynes Bluff.
In an operation called the Yazoo Expedition, a number of shallow bottomed boats (that could navigate shallow watered rivers) and that were also Ironclads, (build with iron shielding all around those portions above the waterline) were on a mission to capture or destroy any enemy vessels, destroy their fortifications and also clear mines from the river beds.
The USS Cairo, depicted here and on the recent minted quarter, had a compliment of 251 officers and men, but according to a listing on the internet, may have been operating with only 158 men and a handful of officers on December 12th while it was northbound up the Mississippi River. When about 10 miles past Vicksburg the war vessel came under heavy fire from a fortification at Haynes Bluff. Quickly making the guns ready she turned to better face her enemy. And in that quick action she either struck a pressure triggered underwater mine... called a torpedoe in those days, or actually hit an electronic triggered mine being operated buy Confederate troops along the shoreline. Regardless, of type of device it had devastating effects in that it blew two holes in the side of the ship and it sank in about 35 feet of water within a dozen minutes. But not a sailor lost his life in the explosion.
This should be of interest to my reader from Nova Scotia as on that very day there were no less than at least 7 Canadian sailors on board. (Two from Nova Scotia.) In fact, of the crew of 158 that day, a whopping 42% of the men were non-American born. The ship has gone down in history as being the first ever to be destroyed by an electronic underwater bomb, but the real cause is now being question as to the type used, as above noted.
During this expedition the Cairo was commanded by Lt Commander Thomas O Selfridge, who would many years later rise to the rank of Rear Admiral. This officer was indeed a lucky fellow. This would be his second ship that would sink under his feet. The first was back on March 8th of that same year... 1862. On that day, or more accurately stated the following day he would be involved in the famous Civil War battle of the Monitor and the Merrimack. (Often misspelled Merrimac) But truth be known, that battle actually started the day before with the Merrimack sinking another vessel called the USS Cumberland in about another 15 minute battle. That unfortunate vessel lost many lives when it had a hole big enough to drive a horse and carriage through, poked into its side. This being from a giant ram fastened under the waterline to the front of the Confederates ship... the Merrimack. (True name was the CSS Virginia, but many refer to it as the Merrimack as that was the name of the vessel earlier sunk, then raised and made into a new ship...the Virginia)
Selfridge was a serving officer on the Cumberland that dreadful day it was sunk. He was one of about a third of the crew that were not killed and lived to fight another day. Two others from the Cumberland, Canadians both, would later earn Medals of Honor in other battles.
And on that first day's battle I should also noted that there were only two deaths to the Confederate's Merrimack (Virginia) and the first of these two was a Canadian from New Brunswick.
On the second day of the famous Monitor and Merrimack battle Selfridge was on the new Union's ironclad... the USS Monitor and when its commander was wounded, actually ended up for a brief period as its commander.
One of the other vessels in the Yazoo Expedition was the USS Baron de Kalb of which Charles Robinson not only served, but later was awarded a Medal of Honor. He lived for some 30 years at Halifax, raised a family there and is buried there. Regular readers of these blogs know of my argument that he and three others actually earned not one... BUT TWO Medals of Honor and three blogs in this space brought readers that story.
This should be of interest to my reader from Nova Scotia as on that very day there were no less than at least 7 Canadian sailors on board. (Two from Nova Scotia.) In fact, of the crew of 158 that day, a whopping 42% of the men were non-American born. The ship has gone down in history as being the first ever to be destroyed by an electronic underwater bomb, but the real cause is now being question as to the type used, as above noted.
During this expedition the Cairo was commanded by Lt Commander Thomas O Selfridge, who would many years later rise to the rank of Rear Admiral. This officer was indeed a lucky fellow. This would be his second ship that would sink under his feet. The first was back on March 8th of that same year... 1862. On that day, or more accurately stated the following day he would be involved in the famous Civil War battle of the Monitor and the Merrimack. (Often misspelled Merrimac) But truth be known, that battle actually started the day before with the Merrimack sinking another vessel called the USS Cumberland in about another 15 minute battle. That unfortunate vessel lost many lives when it had a hole big enough to drive a horse and carriage through, poked into its side. This being from a giant ram fastened under the waterline to the front of the Confederates ship... the Merrimack. (True name was the CSS Virginia, but many refer to it as the Merrimack as that was the name of the vessel earlier sunk, then raised and made into a new ship...the Virginia)
Selfridge was a serving officer on the Cumberland that dreadful day it was sunk. He was one of about a third of the crew that were not killed and lived to fight another day. Two others from the Cumberland, Canadians both, would later earn Medals of Honor in other battles.
And on that first day's battle I should also noted that there were only two deaths to the Confederate's Merrimack (Virginia) and the first of these two was a Canadian from New Brunswick.
On the second day of the famous Monitor and Merrimack battle Selfridge was on the new Union's ironclad... the USS Monitor and when its commander was wounded, actually ended up for a brief period as its commander.
One of the other vessels in the Yazoo Expedition was the USS Baron de Kalb of which Charles Robinson not only served, but later was awarded a Medal of Honor. He lived for some 30 years at Halifax, raised a family there and is buried there. Regular readers of these blogs know of my argument that he and three others actually earned not one... BUT TWO Medals of Honor and three blogs in this space brought readers that story.
Here is the coin that started this two part series on coins. To the right is the start of a resurrection of the USS Cairo, which was located in 1952. Raised in pieces for several reasons, it is now in the process of being reconstructed and can be seen at the museum in Vicksburg. There are many personal artifacts also recovered and on display as well.
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