It effectively sealed New Orleans off from the sea and was a convenient point for an attack upon Fort Jackson and Fort St. Philip, the last line of defense for the city. He began assembling his command at the confluence of the passes in late September. Supporting the sail sloops was the Water Witch, a side-wheel steam powered gunboat mounting one 32-pound smoothbore and one rifled 12-pound howitzer. The Manassas struck the Richmond a glancing blow on her port side just astern of the bow, wedging briefly between the Toone and Richmond. Aside from the rout of the Union blockading fleet there was little gain. The most severely damaged ship of the battle proved to be the Manassas, and most of the damage was done when she rammed the Richmond, rather than from enemy fire. (Image source: Wikimedia Commons) The American Civil War forever changed the course of naval warfare with the. Manassas successfully rammed Richmond, but was now disabled, and the fire rafts sowed confusion amongst the U.S. sailors, before harmlessly drifting to the riverbank. and to one another. Arriving at SW Pass just after the U.S. Navys disastrous encounter with CSS Manassas, it was the contract steamer General McClellan that pulled USS Richmond across the bar to safety in the Gulf of Mexico. He ordered his ships to slip their cables and retreat down the Southwest Pass. On the National Register of Historic Places, this is the only house to have survived August 7, 1861, burning of Hampton. After sunrise Commodore George N. Hollins, running low on ammunition and fuel, ordered the mosquito fleet to withdraw upriver. Document 5 Richmond, Vincennes, and Preble all ran aground in the Southwest Pass in their haste to escape. Battle of the Head of Passes - Wikiwand The Battle of the Head of Passes was a bloodless naval battle of the American Civil War.It was a naval raid made by the Confederate river defense fleet, also known as the "mosquito fleet" in the local media, on ships of the Union blockade squadron anchored at the Head of Passes. CivilWarTalk Menu CWT Home RegisterLatest activityCalendar Forums New posts What's new The shells screaming overhead unnerved Pope, a veteran 45-year officer. Hollins finished organizing the haphazard collection of six lightly armed riverboats. Manassas was retrofitted with a newer 32-pounder cannon and refitted ram. Talk:Battle of the Head of Passes - Wikipedia For her single gun was an 8-inch rifle capable of throwing a 132-pound projectile four miles allowing the Ivy to fire her ship-killing gun, while standing out of range of the smoothbore guns then aboard the task force under command of Captain Pope. Genealogy Projects: Battle_of_the_Head_of_Passes - Geni.com These documents allowed the holder to capture union shipping for prize money from the Confederate government, insuring that everything that would float in Louisiana was snapped up by private investors hoping to make a profit. Mallory then ordered two ironclads laid down in New Orleans, and another two built in Memphis, Tennessee. The fight. This occupation resulted in the Battle of the Head of Passes, where the blockading forces were temporarily driven from the area. He then expanded construction, conversion, and acquisition efforts on the Mississippi, seized the privateer-ironclad Manassas, and embarrassed US blockaders at the battle of the Head of Passes in October 1861 in a failed attempt to break the blockade. It was a naval raid made by the Confederate river defense fleet, also known as the "mosquito fleet" in the local media, on ships of the Union blockade squadron anchored at the Head of Passes. The vessels bow was extended and strengthened to mount its cast-iron ram just below the waterline. Some of these projectiles knocked down one of the stacks of the Manassas, her only vulnerable projections above the rounded upper armor deck. He leads the Museums Civil War and Hampton Roads Lecture Series and is now writing blogs and presenting online content via YouTube Live. Pope wrote to Flag-Officer McKean on Oct.14: "Everyone is in great dread of that infernal ram. The shield was built of 16 inches of oak and pine backing topped with 1.25-inch iron plate. 1861: After Action report of the USS Preble, Battle of the Head of Passes. She raised a red signal light into her rigging as a warning and opened fire. First battle pass doesn't impress me and life has hit me head on so I'm glad to hear that I can wait. The Battle of the Head of Passes was a bloodless naval battle of the American Civil War. Biography [ edit] Born in 1824 in Salem, Massachusetts, Atkinson was still living in that city when he joined the Navy. Find Battle Of The Head Of Passes stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. The Richmond was lashed to the coal schooner Joseph H. Toone on her port side, just off the lighthouse at the head of the Southwest pass on the east bank. I connect my family and marriage and union and my household to this Powerful altar of Zion prayer movement outreach for Divine mercy Divine Grace and mercy Recovering, the three rockets were fired. About 4:40 a.m., Richmond was in the process of loading coal from the schooner Joseph H. Toone when a lookout from Preble shouted, Ahoy! The site of the U.S. battery was to be in vicinity of Pilot Town, or just south. Find A Grave # 120671747 Pope (naval officer) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to navigationJump to search This article is about the US Navy officer. Find your connection to the worlds waters The mosquito fleet deployed three fire rafts, which were ignited and followed the ironclad ram CSS Manassas into the action. Manned by an experienced crew of 260 well trained sailors, she was a behemoth compared to any vessel of the mosquito fleet. SOURCE: A History of Ironclads: The Power of Iron Over Wood, John V. Quarstein. Hollins mosquito fleet proceeded with a ruthless determination characteristic of its leader. Thomas E. Atkinson (born 1824, date of death unknown) was a Union Navy sailor in the American Civil War and a recipient of the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions at the Battle of Mobile Bay . Posted on March 22, 2020 by SUMPTER. Captain Pope reported, Everyone is in dread of that infernal ram. Squadron commander Flag Officer McKean reported, the more I hear and learn of the facts the more disgraceful it does appear. The ridiculous Union actions during the engagement resulted in Capt. Tall tales, trip guides, & the world's weird & wonderful. It was a naval raid made by the Confederate river defense fleet, also known as the mosquito fleet in the local media, on ships of the Union blockade squadron anchored at the Head of Passes. G. Skerrett, artist, 1904. It patrolled the Head of Passes into 1862, but was destroyed at the battle of Forts Jackson and Saint Philip on April 24, 1862, in the failed Confederate defense of New Orleans. Despite his fears of an assault by a stronger force, Pope failed to set out picket boats, stations with flares, or any other precaution to warn him of the enemys approach. The Richmond was sent to Key West, Florida, for temporary repair. Upon seeing the other rockets burst in the air, the fire rafts were released and floated down the river toward the Union flotilla. Many ships in Louisiana were snapped up by private investors hoping to make a profit. The obvious superior strength of the Union fleet made the accomplishment an even more enviable feat. Targeting USS Richmond, Warley ordered his ship to full speed while Chief Engineer William H. Hardy ensured tar, tallow, and sulphur [sic] were thrown into the furnace.[ix]. . Only Preble had reached the safety of the Gulf of Mexico. -- (. Since no explosion was forthcoming, Handy and crew were ordered back to their ship by the disgusted Captain Pope. [19], The final comic opera touch to the woes of the Union fleet was a mistaken signal in the last phase of the gun battle. For the US Army general of the American C To enable the proper functioning and security of the website, we collect information via cookies as specified in our. The range of the CSS Ivy's rifled gun alarmed Pope. Ships involved in the ensuing conflict at the location include the CSS Manassas, the USS Vincennes, and the USS Richmond. Rousseau was left to wallow in the wake of citizens eager to make up for revenue lost by the Confederate embargo on cotton, the former main export of New Orleans. The obvious superior strength of the Union fleet made the accomplishment an even more enviable feat. The mosquito fleet was supported by three fire rafts, which were ignited and followed the ironclad ram into the action. Each gunboat would push a fire raft, which would be ignited after a signal from Manassas indicating that she had crushed the USS Richmond. Flag-officer McKean, commanding the blockade at the river mouth stated, and I am sorry to be obliged to say that the more I hear and learn of the facts the more disgraceful it does appear. Union Naval Secretary Gideon Wells referred to the incident as Popes Run. Each 73.5 pound exploding shell would wreak havoc on a cotton clad vessel, setting her aflame in a blast of splinters and iron fragments. Formerly the Mexican warship Marquis de la Habana, it was captured as a pirate ship by USS Saratoga during the March 1860 Battle of Anton Lizardo. On October 9, Pope reported to McKean, I have to report that the Ivy has been down this afternoon and has made an attack upon these ships, throwing shot and shell over this ship and the Preble, keeping herself entirely out of range of any of the guns on either of the ships, her shot passing some 500 yards over this ship, which makes it evident we are entirely at the mercy of the enemy. The Mariners' Museum is a U.S. 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. All Rights Reserved. The first project was the conversion of USS Merrimack into CSS Virginia at the Gosport Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia. USS Brooklyn (1858) - Wikipedia Head of the Passes Lighthouse - United States Coast Guard After sunrise Commodore George N. Hollins, running low on ammunition and fuel, ordered the mosquito fleet to withdraw upriver. Commodore Lawrence Rousseau was sent by Confederate Naval Secretary Stephen Mallory to manage the naval defense of New Orleans. 1, Vol 16, 712. He gained great fame for his daring capture of the steamer St. Nicholas on June 29, 1861. The Manassas was taken back to the forts under tow. None of the Rebel vessels were hit, the Richmond was only hit twice, one shot wrecking one of the boats stored on the main deck, one passing into a gun port and coming to rest in the hull. It was a naval raid made by the Confederate river defense fleet, also known as the "mosquito fleet" in the local media, on ships of the Union blockade squadron anchored at the Head of Passes. Head of Passes - Wikipedia The convex design was intended to cause enemy shot to glance off the side of the ironclad. Battle of the Head of Passes | Military Wiki | Fandom Each 73.5 pound exploding shell would wreak havoc on a cotton clad vessel. When . [xii] Stone quickly regained his composure, successfully lighting a second rocket. The Battle of the Head of Passes was a bloodless naval battle of the American Civil War. One broadside from the Richmond carried more firepower than could be mustered by the entire Rebel fleet. This page is not available in other languages. Battle of the Head of Passes - Wikipedia @ WordDisk There is a boat coming down on your port bow. The noise of the coaling probably masked the sound of this warning when suddenly, Manassas appeared out of the mist. [i] Confederate leaders dismissed the proposal, and Stevenson resolved to materialize his ideas independently. The vessels superstructure and masts were cut down and a convex shield was built over the main deck. The arrival of these vessels was much sooner than anyone in New Orleans had imagined, and the panic-stricken rush that occurred when neutral shipping was given a fifteen-day grace period to vacate the port was an ugly dose of reality to stack against the concept of business as usual. Captain Pope on the Richmond was confronted with the unlikely spectacle of an officer even more timid and panicky than himself. .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct,.mw-parser-output .geo-inline-hidden{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}290925N 891514W / 29.157N 89.254W / 29.157; -89.254. Head of Passes is where the main stem of the Mississippi River branches off into three distinct directions at its mouth in the Gulf of Mexico: Southwest Pass (west), Pass A Loutre (east) and South Pass (centre). His efforts to achieve more were impeded by Mallorys ironclad projects intended to produce two mighty warships, the CSS Louisiana and CSS Mississippi. The Head of Passes remained in Confederate control until Farragut proceeded upriver, but blockading ships simply stationed themselves at each river pass in the meantime, maintaining an effective, if less coordinated, blockade of the Mississippi River. This counteroffensive would result in the Battle of Forts Jackson and St. We are liable to be driven from here at any moment, and, situated as we are, our position is untenable. Events: Battle of the Head of Passes | LibraryThing You can help our automatic cover photo selection by reporting an unsuitable photo. I may be captured at any time by a pitiful little steamer mounting only one gun.[15] The Ivys rifled gun did outrange Popes smooth bores, but at extreme range could not score any hits. His efforts were undercut by Confederate President Jefferson Davis, who authorized the distribution of letters of marque and reprisal to the general population of the new Confederacy. Exoprimal is Capcom's super unique action title that provides action-packed PvE gameplay with an inventive PvP twist. When the Civil War erupted, Hollins was the commander of USS Susquehanna. One of the two engines of the Manassas was torn loose by the impact, and she lost power. [11]:204 Supporting the Richmond were the Vincennes and Preble. In 1863 the light was placed on a wooden tripod. Some of these projectiles knocked down one of the stacks of the Manassas, her only vulnerable projections above the rounded upper armor deck. About: Head of Passes - DBpedia Association Already unnerved by skirmishes with the CSSIvy on October 9, Pope had written to McKean, I have to report that the Ivy has been down this afternoon and has made an attack upon these ships, throwing shot and shell over this ship and the Preble, keeping herself entirely out of range of any of the guns on either of the ships, her shot passing some 500 yards over this ship, which makes it evident we are entirely at the mercy of the enemy. A navy department was established by the newly created Confederate government by February 21, 1861. On October 10, he ordered Lieutenant Alexander Warley to take command of the vessel so that it could be added to the Confederate fleet. On the 17th of October the USSSouth Carolina and the Vincennes were sent in pursuit of the pestiferous CSS Ivy. The Union fleet proceeded rapidly downriver, until at sunrise all ships but Preble grounded on the bar at the mouth of the river. Alarmed by the rafts, all the vessels of the Union fleet slipped their anchor cables and moved downriver along the Southwest Passage, firing at the Manassas while doing so. Handy ordered the engineer to set and light a fuse to the magazine of the Vincennes to blow her up, then ordered the crew to abandon ship and report to the Richmond. : B The schooner Toone still contained 15 tons of coal, but was a former prize of the Union fleet and an old leaky tub. .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct,.mw-parser-output .geo-inline-hidden{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}290925N 891514W / 29.157N 89.254W / 29.157; -89.254, The Battle of the Head of Passes was a bloodless naval battle of the American Civil War. The unorthodox ship quickly developed numerous nicknames, including bug-bear, floating cigar, and turtleback, though U.S. sailors simply called it the ram.[iii], The ships small frame supported a single 64-pounder cannon fixed in place, but Manassas chief weapon was its ram. The fire rafts were chained together, and would be released by the gunboats to engulf the Union fleet as it milled helplessly after the destruction of the Richmond. 17 Navy Battles of the American Civil War You Probably Never - SOFREP The vessels were almost invisible in the eerie gloom. [20], Hollins returned to a heros acclaim in New Orleans. A navy department was established by the newly created Confederate government by February 21, 1861. The danger at the end of September 1861 presented as the single-gun CSS Ivy. In turn, the gunboats of the mosquito fleet were quite capable of outmaneuvering the Union fleet, but too light to damage it. Ivy opened fire on the Union flotilla. The Capture of New Orleans - Essential Civil War Curriculum The first Union ship to arrive off the Mississippi Delta was the steam screw sloop USS Brooklyn on May 27, 1861. The arrival of these vessels was much sooner than anyone in New Orleans had imagined, and the panic-stricken rush when neutral shipping was given a fifteen day grace period to vacate the port was an ugly dose of reality to stack against the concept of business as usual. When Flag Officer Hollins learned that Union ships had occupied the Head of Passes, he sent CSS Ivy to investigate on October 9, 1861. It was a naval raid made by the Confederate river defense fleet, also known as the mosquito fleet in the local media, on ships of the Union Blockade squadron anchored at the Head of Passes. As a signal to release the fire rafts she was to fire three rockets. The rebel gunboats, once freed of the glare of the rafts between them and the targets, opened fire on the Union fleet. It was a naval raid made by the Confederate river defense fleet, also known as the mosquito fleet in the local media, on ships of the Union blockade squadron anchored at the Head of Passes. For the Confederates, the prospect of the Union fleet occupying a base at the Head of Passes was intolerable as it would cut New Orleans off from the sea. This website stores cookies on your computer. Stephenson went to meet with President Jefferson Davis in Montgomery, Alabama, to ask for the use of a heavy tug, altering it to make it comparatively safe against the heaviest guns afloat, and by preparing bow in a peculiar manner rendered them capable of sinking by collision the heaviest vessels ever built. With Daviss approval, Stevenson returned to New Orleans to build an ironclad privateer, quickly raising more than $100,000 in subscriptions. (And the plan for establishing a Federal battery at the Head of Passes was abandoned.) It was known that two, and perhaps three vessels were being outfitted at New Orleans as privateers or gunboats (CSS Sumter had departed the Mississippi River on her cruise of destruction in June.) The Manassas presented only two and a half feet of armored deck above the waterline; the 32-pound shot of the Preble went high over her deck and scored no hits. The Battle of the Head of Passes was a bloodless naval battle of the American Civil War. Hale and Son, 1867), 68-69. Answering Jefferson Davis call for privateers, Stevenson raised $100,000 and purchased the tug Enoch Train. Ranked Play Season 04 is in full swing, and you have plenty of time but not too much time to complete the Battle Pass and reach the maximum Prestige Rank until Season 05 begins! The Head of Passes is the datum from which mileages on the Lower Mississippi River are measured. . [11]:204 Supporting the Richmond were the Vincennes and Preble. The Battle of the Head of Passes was a bloodless naval battle of the American Civil War. Historical Information: In 1852 the Head of Passes Light consisted of a 67-foot tower. He pressed every available vessel into service with his mosquito fleet, including CSS Calhoun (flagship), CSS Jackson, CSS Pickens. The Confederate squadron peppered them for several hours. John presents Civil War tours and lectures across the country and is the author of 18 books, with three more on the way. She raised a red signal light into her rigging as a warning and opened fire. Long after the event, Admiral David Dixon Porter stated, Put this matter in any light you may, it is the most ridiculous affair that ever took place in the American Navy. Despite the outrage, the damage was easily repaired. Port Eads is located at the southern tip of South Pass. [2] While the majority of the discharge of the Mississippi River flows through these mouths, a portion of the river flows out of the Atchafalaya River mouth, and a small portion continues to seep out of the 200 miles (300km) of the Delta shoreline.[3]. The damage she did to the Richmond was a significant hull leak below the waterline, but this was not enough to sink or disable the Richmond. Welcome to Geni, home of the world's largest family tree. Battle of the Spurs (Kansas) Berlin Crisis of 1958-1959. Mallory then replaced the hapless Rousseau with George N. Hollins, a former navy veteran who was promoted to Commodore and sent to New Orleans on July 31, 1861. [xiii] The surprise ramming, the sudden onset of fire rafts, and Confederate cannon panicked U.S. sailors. Known as Manassas, after the Confederate victory in July 1861, Stevensons prototype ironclad became the first in North American, pioneering Civil War naval tactics. USS Prebles sailors saw a dark mass not 20 yards distant moving with great velocity toward the bow of the Richmond. Preble hoisted a red light to warn Richmond, as huge clouds of the densest, blackest smoke rolled up from the iron turtles twin smokestacks. Recovering, the rockets were fired to signal the advance of the fire rafts. . The Passes were a constant problem for the growing port of New Orleans in the 1800's. At high water, a passage was easy, but at low water heavy ships often could not find an open channel between the river and sea. When the Civil War erupted, Confederate Secretary of the Navy Stephen Russell Mallory knew that the South could only counter and defeat the larger US Navy if ironclads were employed. None of the Rebel vessels were hit; the Richmond was only hit twice, one shot wrecking one of the boats stored on the main deck, while another passed through a gun port and come to rest in the hull. In the Battle of the Head of the Passes, fought in the early hours of October 12, Warley rammed the screw sloop Richmond. The commandant of the New Orleans Naval Station was Flag Officer George N. Hollins who had served under Stephen Decatur during the War of 1812 and the Second Barbary War. Even though the Ivy was joined by another rebel steamer, both were driven up the Southwest passage to the Head of Passes where the chase was abandoned due to inability to close the range on the rebel vessels. After sunrise Commodore George N. Hollins, running low on ammunition and fuel, ordered the mosquito fleet to withdraw upriver. Two days before the battle of Head of Passes, a rebel steamer, CSS Ivy, chugged down river and opened fire on the Richmond and the Preble with her rifled 32-pounder, performing a sort of recon by force. [ii]Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, (Navy Department, 1959-1991), Vol. Battle of the Head of Passes, Louisiana | Roadtrippers This was one of the guns intended for the shore battery at the lighthouse. The ironclad was severely damaged when it hit Richmond. Battle of the Head of Passes | Civil War Wiki | Fandom . It was a quick and bloodless Confederate victory, but failed to alter the strategic situation. Manassas took the lead. Even though the Ivy was joined by another rebel steamer, both were driven up the Southwest passage to the Head of Passes where the chase was abandoned due to inability to close the range on the rebel vessels. The Vincennes also mounted a 9-inch smooth bore as a bow pivot gun. The USSPowhatan arrived off the Southwest pass on April 30. [3], Louisiana seceded from the Union on January 26, 1861. , , , . The strategy of a Union blockade was formulated by General Winfield Scott and proclaimed by President Abraham Lincoln on April 19, 1861. Following would be Tuscarora, McRae, and Ivy moving three abreast. The commander of Vincennes misread a signal from Captain Pope and ordered the ship to be abandoned. This apprehension would come to be known as "ram fever". It was a naval raid made by the Confederate river defense fleet, also known as the mosquito fleet in the local media, on ships of the Union blockade squadron anchored at the Head of Passes. I may be captured at any time by a pitiful little steamer mounting only one gun.[15] The Ivys rifled gun did out range Popes smooth bores, but at extreme range could not score any hits. When Hollins insisted, Stephenson boasted that Hollins did not have men enough to take her.[vi] Enraged, Hollins seized the ship. 43, No. The hull buckled, resulting in yet another leak, and one of the engines was knocked off its mounting. [16], The Preble, anchored 200 yards upstream of the Richmond, was the first to detect the Manassas. With a longstanding naval staff and command structure there was less time wasted once hostilities at Fort Sumter established the inevitability of naval action. LibraryThing catalogs yours books online, easily, quickly and for free. Armed with eight guns, McRae was his most powerful ship. Ram Fever was born! The Battle of the Head of Passes was a bloodless naval battle of the American Civil War. International War and Military projects Portal. Flag Officer Hollins missed an opportunity to capture Vincennes. After sunrise Commodore George N. Hollins ordered the mosquito fleet to withdraw upriver. composition of units during military action) for the 1st Army and its constituent 3rd and 5th Divisions. The Richmond was sent to Key West, Florida, for temporary repair. Battle of the Head of Passes - es.itpedia.wiki This began in 1861 with a Union blockade stationed at the Head of Passes. We are liable to be driven from here at any moment, and, situated as we are, our position is untenable. The weak link in this concentrated chain of firepower was the fleet commander and captain of the Richmond, Captain John Pope. Stay up to date on our events, exhibits, programs, and community. The draft had increased by four and a half feet. When the recently-launched (January) USS Richmond departed for the Mediterranean on October 13, 1860, its namesake was the capital of one of the United States, albeit one of the original thirteen - Virginia, the Old Dominion. The Water Witch was to provide towing capacity for the sail vessels under unfavorable wind conditions.[12][13][14]. Deluxe and Ultimate Editions Have Free Access to Premium Battle Pass [10]:38 Each of the Dahlgren guns weighed 9,020 pounds and was 9 feet long. In May 1861, New Orleans river captain John Stevenson travelled to Montgomery, Alabama, proposing to adapt some of our heavy and powerful tow-boats on the Mississippi by armoring them and preparing their bow with a ram capable of sinking by collision United States blockaders.
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