The Gulf and Inland Waters: The Navy in the Civil War. Volume 3.Mahan, A. T. (Alfred Thayer)
History
The Gulf and Inland Waters: The Navy in the Civil War. Volume 3.
Mahan, A. T. (Alfred Thayer)
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Naval operations; United States. Navy -- History
In the years since 1862, Island No. 10, the scene of so much interest
and energy, has disappeared. The river, constantly wearing at its
upper end, has little by little swept away the whole, and the deep
current now runs over the place where the Confederate guns stood, as
well as through the channel by which the Carondelet passed. On the
other shore a new No. 10 has risen, not standing as the old one, in
the stream with a channel on either side, but near a point and
surrounded by shoal water. It has perhaps gathered around a steamer,
which was sunk by the Confederates to block the passage through a
chute then existing across the opposite point.
While Walke was protecting Pope's crossing, two other gunboats were
rendering valuable service to another army a hundred miles away, on
the Tennessee River. The United States forces at Pittsburg Landing,
under General Grant, were attacked by the Confederates in force in the
early morning of April 6th. The battle continued with fury all day,
the enemy driving the centre of the army back half way from their
camps to the river, and at a late hour in the afternoon making a
desperate attempt to turn the left, so as to get possession of the
landing and transports. Lieutenant Gwin, commanding the Tyler, and
senior officer present, sent at 1.30 P.M. to ask permission to open
fire. General Hurlburt, commanding on the left, indicated, in reply,
the direction of the enemy and of his own forces, saying, at the same
time, that without reinforcements he would not be able to maintain his
then position for an hour. At 2.50 the Tyler opened fire as indicated,
with good effect, silencing their batteries. At 3.50 the Tyler ceased
firing to communicate with General Grant, who directed her commander
to use his own judgment. At 4 P.M. the Lexington, Lieutenant Shirk,
arrived, and the two boats began shelling from a position
three-quarters of a mile above the landing, silencing the Confederate
batteries in thirty minutes. At 5.30 P.M., the enemy having succeeded
in gaining a position on the Union left, an eighth of a mile above the
landing and half a mile from the river, both vessels opened fire upon
them, in conjunction with the field batteries of the army, and drove
them back in confusion.
The army being largely outnumbered during the day, and forced steadily
back, the presence and services of the two gunboats, when the most
desperate attacks of the enemy were made, were of the utmost value,
and most effectual in enabling that part of our line to be held until
the arrival of the advance of Buell's army from Nashville, about 5
P.M., allowed the left to be reinforced and restored the fortunes of
the day. During the night, by request of General Nelson, the gunboats
threw a shell every fifteen minutes into the camp of the enemy.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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