ENCYCLOPEDIA OF CIVIL WAR BATTLES 139 - Arkansas, CSS Above, Confederate naval Lt. Isaac Newton Brown, who directed the completion of the Rebel ironclad Arkansas, at right, one of the most powerful warships on the Mississippi. Brown knew, however, that he had the element of surprise ram the Federal vessel, the Lancaster’s boiler blew up as the in his favor, and as the Arkansas began to pass the sleeping result of a direct hit from Brown’s gunners and, as Brown re- Union warships, Brown ordered every one of his guns to be- called, “his steam went into the air and his crew into the river.” gin firing as rapidly as possible “to every point of the circum- Finally, the Arkansas cleared the Federal fleet and, dam- ference without fear of hitting a friend or missing an enemy.” aged, sailed for the protection of Vicksburg and its long-range The broadsides and salvos delivered by the Arkansas crashed batteries. Brown’s heroic David-and-Goliath battle had thrilled into almost every one of the 30 Federal ships that wallowed at thousands of Vicksburg residents who had watched the Ar- anchor and were stationary targets. Their terrified crews ran to kansas take on the Federal fleet from the high bluffs of the guns that could not be properly trained on the Confederate town. They cheered the extraordinary exploit of the Arkansas ram; when they did give return fire, many of their shells crossed and ran to the dock where it berthed to further hurrah the crew. the river to strike their own ships. When the Arkansas berthed at the Vicksburg docks, how- Chaos reigned on the river. Adm. Farragut, sleeping late ever, spectators shrank from the horrific sight of the battered that morning, was rocked from his berth when a shell crashed ship. Its deckhouse was badly damaged and its decks ran red onto his flagship, the Hartford. He sprang forth in his night- with the blood of its crew. One could not take a step along shirt to the deck to stare open-mouthed at the incredible sight the vessel’s planking without stepping on shattered human of a single Confederate warship sailing boldly through his bones, brains and blood. Twelve of Brown’s men had been entire fleet, spitting shells from every one of its 10 guns, fir- killed and 18 more wounded. Aboard the Union ships there ing in such rapidity that there seemed to be a constant belch- was greater carnage, with almost every ship having sustained ing of flame from the mouths of its cannons, which jutted damage. Farragut had had 17 men killed and another 42 defiantly from their embrasures. The forest of masts jutting wounded. from the Federal ships were being smashed and set ablaze. Farragut’s startled captains reported that the Arkansas had Then the combined gunfire from the Federal ships began struck every wooden ship one or more times in its rampage to strike the Arkansas. Said Brown: “The shock of the mis- through their ranks. This speedy, deadly ram suddenly be- siles striking our sides was literally continuous.” He had, how- came a more important object to Farragut than Vicksburg it- ever, built his ship well. Almost every Union shell ricocheted self. It had defiantly taken on his powerful fleet, damaged and off the sloping iron-plated sides of the Arkansas without in- humiliated it, and survived to boast of the deed. The volatile flicting any damage. As the ram made its way through the admiral was livid with anger as he surveyed the considerable fleet, additional Federal shells began to take their toll on the damage to his own flagship and received the reports of the Arkansas. Its smokestack was riddled with shrapnel, the pilot- widespread carnage wreaked upon his other vessels. “Dam- house was again struck, and some armor-piercing shells pen- nable neglect or worse!” he shouted to aides, pointing out etrated the ship, causing serious damage and casualties. that his fleet should never have been taken unawares. At one point, Brown thought he saw an opportunity to use Embarrassed, he reported the surprise attack in detail “with his vessel as a ram, aiming the prow of his ship toward a single deep mortification” to Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy. Union warship, the Lancaster, which was moving slowly under It was obvious that his own self-esteem had been shattered by steam and firing upon her. The Arkansas’ forward guns blasted the attack, as well as the prestige of his previously much- the Lancaster as it approached, but just before Brown could vaunted fleet. Welles was deeply dissatisfied with Farragut Arkansas, CSS - 140 ENCYCLOPEDIA OF CIVIL WAR BATTLES The bold Arkansas steaming straight through Adm. Farragut’s fleet (the flagship Hartford is at right) above Vicksburg, Miss., July 15, 1862, firing its guns in all directions, “without fear of hitting a friend or missing an enemy,” according to its courageous captain, Lt. Isaac N. Brown. and his captains, believing that the successful assault by the the Union gunners could not distinguish the vessel from the Arkansas was “the most disruptable naval affair of the war.” earthen sides of the cliffs. Humiliation was further heaped upon Welles, Farragut As the Federal fleet sailed past Vicksburg at sunset, most and Federal seamanship in general by a gloating Confederate of the shells fired by the Union vessels struck the cliffs or did press that reveled in the fact that one lone Southern warship little damage to the Arkansas, which fired back at the Union disrupted and damaged the most powerful fleet on the Missis- war vessels. Worse for Farragut, the powerful Vicksburg bat- sippi. The uncommon valor of Brown and his men was her- teries of long-range guns and mortars, as well as small Rebel alded throughout the South, and overnight the Arkansas be- mortar barges and gunboats anchored near the Arkansas, loosed came a symbol of the invincible spirit of Southern fighting a cannonade against the Federal ships that proved devastat- men and the noble cause they served. Even in the North, the ing. Several of Farragut’s vessels were struck, and the Federal Arkansas was lionized. One Union correspondent saluted the gunboat Winona was so severely damaged by Confederate valiant ram: “Think of her—with twelve guns [she only had gunfire that it had to be run aground on the shore opposite ten] running the blockade of fourteen or fifteen vessels of war Vicksburg to prevent it from sinking. and several armed rams, with more than two hundred guns! Brown and his men fired their guns from the one side of Was it not delightfully, refreshingly daring?” This recogni- the ship exposed to the river and marveled at Farragut’s pass- tion of enemy valor, more than anything, caused Farragut to ing flotilla. George W. Gift, one of Brown’s officers, stated seethe with vengeance. that “the great ships with their towering spars came sweeping, The normally easygoing Welles was himself full of in- pouring out broadside after broadside, whilst the batteries dignation and anger and wired specific instructions to from the hills, the mortars from above and below and the Farragut: “It is an absolute necessity that the neglect or appar- ironclads kept the air alive with hurtling missiles and the ent neglect of the squadron should be wiped out by the de- darkness lighted up by burning fuses and bursting shells.” struction of the Arkansas.” For his pains, Farragut received nothing but bad news. His Farragut wasted no time in attempting to remove the stain fleet had failed to seriously damage the Arkansas, and in the from his fleet’s honor. He ordered all 30 vessels to get under- attack he had lost five more men killed and nine wounded. way and he sailed them in line down the Mississippi late that Still, the Federal naval officers were not through with the Rebel day, every ship ordered to concentrate its fire on the Arkan- warship that vexed them. Flag Officer Davis ordered Commdr. sas, which was berthed close to the red clay cliffs of the city. David Dixon Porter to sail the Essex, the most powerful Union This proved to be a difficult and hazardous task in that the ironclad on the Mississippi, back to Vicksburg on July 22, 1862, Confederate ram’s sides were as red (from the rust of the iron with instructions to “sink that damned ram.” The now fully that covered its hide) as the red clay cliffs of Vicksburg, and armed Queen of the West accompanied the Essex on its mission. ENCYCLOPEDIA OF CIVIL WAR BATTLES 141 - Arkansas, CSS ABOVE, inside the Arkansas—its gunners shown here firing all of its guns as the ironclad sailed through Farragut’s fleet— temperatures rose to 130 degrees and men collapsed from the heat; BELOW, the Arkansas, center, is attacked by Federal gunboats as it hugs the shores of Vicksburg. The Federal gunboat Winona is shown burning at left after receiving a broadside from the Arkansas. Arkansas, CSS - 142 ENCYCLOPEDIA OF CIVIL WAR BATTLES Following its triumphs at Vicksburg, the Arkansas is shown sailing south to aid Gen. Breckinridge’s attack on Baton Rouge, La.; it was to be the Rebel ironclad’s last and fatal voyage. Both ships arrived and went straight for the Arkansas, of sick Union troops commanded by Gen. Thomas Williams. which was also under steam. At first Brown showed his star- These soldiers had been stricken en masse by malaria after board side to the Union ships, but as they closed in for the they had abortively tried to cut a canal through the swamps, kill, Brown cleverly ordered the Arkansas to swing about so one that would allow Federal traffic to bypass Vicksburg.