During the American Civil WarFortPillow, Tennessee was held by the Confederates with 6000 troops and protected by eight ironclads under CommanderHollins. The fort was captured by the Union flag officer, Davis, who assailed it with a fleet of gunboats, and captured it on June the 4th, 1862. The Confederate flotilla was utterly destroyed in less than an hour. Some ships had their boilers shot through and some were butted and sunk. The fire was then directed against the fort itself, which was speedily reduced, and evacuated by the garrison. The Union troops did not hold it long, however, abandoning it in consequence of operations on the Tennessee River.
In 1864, the fort was held by 550 Federals under Major Booth, 260 of these soldiers being negroes. The fort was assaulted on April the 13th and captured by the Confederate cavalryman, Forrest, leading 4000 soldiers. The first assault was unsuccessful, but Booth was killed and Bradford, leader of the coloured troops, took command. The Federals were assisted by their gunboatNew Era, but this aid availed little, because of the high banks of the river. Forrest sent in a flag of truce-demanding a surrender, which was refused. Another assault was ordered and this time an entrance was gained and nearly the whole garrison were killed. Research Battles of Fort Pillow
The Battle of Mobile Bay was a naval engagement between the Federal and
Confederate fleets between August the 5th to the 23rd, 1864 during the American Civil War. Farragut commanded the National fleet of eighteen vessels, fourteen of these being of wood and four ironclads, the Tecumseh, Winnebago, Manhattan and Chickasaw. The Confederate Admiral Buchanan had far fewer vessels, three gunboats, the Morgan, Gaines and Selma and the ramTennessee. Still he was defended by three strongly garrisoned forts, Gaines, Morgan and Powell, at the harbour's entrance, and the Tennessee was deemed a host in itself.
Farragut entered the harbour with the gunboatBrooklyn leading and the entire fleet firing upon FortMorgan, whence a lively reply was begun. The Tecumseh immediately struck a torpedo and was sunk. The fleet became confused and for some moments was in great danger. But Farragut forged ahead with the flag-ship Hartford and was attacked by the Tennessee. The other Federal vessels quickly destroyed the Selma and chased away the Morgan and the Gaines. The Monongahela and the Lackawanna were struck by the Tennessee, but the latter was disabled by a broadside at close range from the Hartford. The other boats closed around her. Her smokestack and steering chains were gone, her crew panic-stricken and she soon became unmanageable. She therefore surrendered. The Confederate forts were shelled for several days. FortPowell was blown up and abandoned. Forts Gaines and Morgan surrendered. Research Battle of Mobile Bay
During the American Civil War, New Bern was an important seaport in the possession of the Confederates. It was captured and partially burned by the Union leader, Burnside, on March the 14th, 1862. The gunboats shelled the woods as Burnside advanced, thereby clearing the way. An insignificant fortification was destroyed near the town. Burnside captured forty-six guns, three light batteries and a large amount of stores. Later, in 1864, New Bern was occupied by the Federal General, Foster, with a small force. Pickett commanded the Confederates in that section then. On February the 1st and 2nd, he attacked Foster's outposts and captured them, inflicting slight losses. Then he assaulted the main encampment, sending at the same time a regiment to attack the Federal gunboat, Underwriter, then lying at the New Berndock. Little was accomplished by these attacks, and Pickett retired. Research Battle of New Bern
The Alula was a Japanese-built Italian gunboat of 308 tons displacement launched in 1912 as the Sekijyo Mara and acquired by the Italian government in 1917. The Alula had a top speed of 13 knots, carried a complement of 27 and was armed with a 3-inch anti-aircraft gun. Research Alula
The Amazonas was an American-built Peruvian river gunboat of 250 tons displacement launched in 1934 and assigned to the Upper Amazon Flotilla. The Amazonas was powered by diesel engines providing a top speed of 15 knots and carried a complement of 35 and was armed with four 3 inch anti-aircraft guns; two 20 mm anti-aircraft guns and two machine-guns. Research Amazonas II
HMS Andromeda was a British Leander Classfrigate of 2500 tons displacement built by the HM Dockyard at Portsmouth and launched in 1967. HMS Andromeda was powered by two oil-fired boilers providing a top speed of 27 knots and a range of 6400 km at 15 knots. She carried a complement of 260 and was armed with one quad Seacat missile launcher; twin 4.5 inch guns and two 20 mm anti-aircraft guns and a Limbo anti-submarine mortar. She carried a Wasphelicopter. She was rammed by the Icelandicgunboat Odinn in 1973 and in 1974 evacuated British Citizens from Cyprus. She served in the Falklands War of 1982, acting as a close escort to HMS Invincible, and in 1983 removed Mauritian revolutionaries from an island in the Indian Ocean area of Diego Garcia before being sold to India for operational use in 1995. Research Andromeda II
HMS Aphis was a British River Gunboat of 625 tons displacement designed by the Yarrow company during the Great War and launched in 1915. HMS Aphis was powered by Yarrow boilers providing a top speed of 14 knots. She carried a complement of between 54 and 65 and was armed with two 6 inch guns; one 3 inch anti-aircraft gun and ten smaller guns. Research Aphis
HMS Apollo was a British Leander Classfrigate of 2500 tons displacement built by Yarrow and launched in 1970. HMS Apollo was powered by two oil-fired boilers providing a top speed of 27 knots and a range of 6400 km at 15 knots. She carried a complement of 260 and was armed with one quad Seacat missile launcher; twin 4.5 inch guns and two 20 mm anti-aircraft guns and a Limbo anti-submarine mortar. She carried a Wasphelicopter. She served in the Cod War with Iceland in 1973 and collided with the IcelandicgunboatAegir. She was decommissioned in 1988 sold to Pakistan for operational use. Research Apollo
The Ataka was a Japanesegunboat of 725 tons displacement launched in 1922 as the Nakoso. The Ataka was powered by two Kanpon boilers providing a top speed of 16 knots and carried a complement of 118. She was armed with two 4.7 inch guns and two 3 inch anti-aircraft guns and was also equipped for submarine salvage work. Research Ataka
The Atami was a Japanese river gunboat of 170 tons displacement launched in 1929. The Atami was powered by two Kanpon boilers providing a top speed of 16 knots. She was armed with one 3 inch anti-aircraft gun and six machine-guns. Research Atami
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Battles of Fort Pillow
