One of few Civil War fleet actions on the Mississippi, temporarily halting Union bombardment of Fort Pillow while demonstrating ironclad vulnerability to ramming tactics.
Key Facts
- Date
- May 10, 1862
- River
- Mississippi River, Tennessee
- Confederate vessels engaged
- 8 ships
- Union ironclads sunk
- 2 (Cincinnati and Mound City) ships
- Both sunk ironclads refloated
- Yes, returned to service
- Outcome
- Confederate tactical victory, limited strategic gain
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Union forces had advanced down the Mississippi River to Fort Pillow, some 50 miles north of Memphis, conducting daily mortar bombardments with a predictable routine: a single mortar boat guarded by one ironclad moved downstream to shell the fort while the rest of the fleet remained upriver, creating an opportunity the Confederates sought to exploit.
On the morning of May 10, 1862, the Confederate River Defense Fleet attacked the Union guard ironclad USS Cincinnati, ramming her with three vessels. Two additional Union ironclads, Carondelet and Mound City, sortied to assist; CSS General Earl Van Dorn rammed and severely damaged Mound City. A third Union ironclad, USS Benton, arrived later. The Union ships maneuvered into shallow water to negate Confederate ramming, and superior Union guns forced the Confederates to withdraw.
Cincinnati and Mound City sank, prompting the Union to reinforce the waterlines of their ironclads; both vessels were later refloated and returned to service. The Union resumed the Fort Pillow bombardment with revised procedures. On June 4 the Confederates abandoned Fort Pillow, and on June 6 the River Defense Fleet was destroyed at the First Battle of Memphis, ultimately enabling Union control of the Mississippi River by July 1863.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
1 belligerent