With the Cairo at Plum Point Bend

 The naval battle at Plum Point Bend along the Mississippi River north of Memphis, Tennessee marked the first time the Union and Confederate fleets clashed on the western rivers. Fought on May 10, 1862, the eight cottonclad rams of the Confederate River Defense Fleet under Captain James Montgomery struck a surprise blow early that morning, knocking out two Federal gunboats before coming under heavy fire and retreating to the protection of Fort Pillow.

          Among those who participated in the fight at Plum Point Bend was Assistant Engineer James Wilkin of the ill-fated U.S.S. Cairo. In this letter to the editor of the Steubenville Weekly Herald, Wilkin describes the action in detail and makes a point that more vessels than just the Cincinnati participated in the engagement.

 

This fanciful Currier & Ives print depicting the Battle of Plum Point Bend shows the Cairo front and center of the Federal counterattack on the River Defense Fleet. The truth was the Confederates caught the Union Navy napping that morning and managed to nearly sink both the Cincinnati and Mound City with their swift rams. Prompt action by the gunboat crews got both wounded gunboats into shallow water where they were later repaired and returned to action. The path of the Mississippi River has changed since the battle but the section of the river where the engagement was fought is now part of a lake at Fort Pillow State Park north of Memphis. 

U.S. gunboat Cairo, off Fort Pillow, Mississippi River

May 16, 1862

          In looking over the different accounts of the recent engagement between our fleet and the Rebel gunboats (it being the first naval engagement that has taken place on the upper Mississippi), I have been amused by the one-sided view taken by the different correspondents. Particularly that published in the Cincinnati Commercial of the 13th instant from which it would appear the gunboat Cincinnati was the only one engaged in the fight. On the contrary, the whole fleet that was here at the time was actually engaged for 7 hours and 20 minutes. One of the mortars that had been shelling Fort Pillow from above Craighead Point was guarded by the various gunboats alternately. The Cincinnati was guarding at the time the battle commenced.

          On Saturday morning the 10th at about 7:20 a.m. we were called to quarters. The enemy boats at that time were just rounding the point. Their battering rams steamed directly for the guard and mortar boats, one [the General Sumter] running her sharp beak into the Cincinnati and trying to board her, they having grappled on to her. There was great excitement at this moment. The Mound City steamed to the rescue but she was soon served the same way [struck by the General Earl Van Dorn] but not as severely. Both were soon hauled out of action; the crews of both boats fought bravely, giving broadside after broadside which completely riddled the Rebels.

A period map showing the Battle of Plum Point Bend fought on Saturday, May 10, 1862. The Cincinnati was guarding Mortar Boat No. 16 which was engaged with dropping shells into Fort Pillow (also called Fort Wright) that morning when the Confederate rams rounded the bend and charged into the Union vessels. Not having steam up, the Cincinnati and other gunboats were slow to respond and the rams caused much damage before the rest of the fleet sailed from three miles upriver and opened fire. The Confederate vessels, lightly armed, beat a quick retreat downriver. 


          At this time, the action became general throughout the whole fleet on both sides. The Benton, Carondelet, Cairo, and the rest of our fleet coming into close action, the shot and shell ploughing up the water all around. The shot that passed over the deck flew with a whiz-whiz. A thick cloud of smoke spread over the scene which made it dangerous for our gunners on account of the closeness of the fleets and for half an hour, the din was terrible.

          The mortar boats were engaged and one of their huge shells was sent to burst on the stern of one of the Rebel boats, completely disabling her. She soon retired from the scene and soon after the rest beat as inglorious retreat to the shelter of Fort Pillow. They had five gunboats, larger and faster than ours, with heavy guns, besides two powerful battering rams, which did good execution for a time. But they were shattered by our well-aimed shots and shells from the heavy guns. Two of them appeared to be in sinking condition and one was on fire. The crew were seen to throw overboard bales of cotton.

Our flag was victorious again and we were left masters of the scene of action under the guns of the fort. Not a breath of air ruffled the bosom of the muddy Mississippi. They come peeping around the point now and then in hopes of catching the turtles asleep, but we are ready at all times to come to close quarters at their pleasure. The crews are anxious for another brush with the enemy.

“I think the Rebels are fully satisfied with their parts of the fun and will be careful in the future in their bold pushes.” Paymaster Alfred Phelps, U.S.S. Conestoga 

I suppose it is one of the most brilliant actions of the war. In less time than it takes me to pen this, from the first alarm every one of us was steaming down for the point off which the battle was fought. The men at the guns acted coolly and bravely. I have no doubt that had the enemy shown any of the boasted chivalry by standing their ground, the slaughter would have been immense as our men were in good spirits at the chance of a fight and would have conquered or died at their posts to a man.

Another depiction of the Naval Battle of Plum Point Bend. Ultimately, the engagement, other than giving the Union navy a sharp rap on the nose, was inconclusive. With the abandonment of Corinth, Mississippi at the end of May 1862, Fort Pillow and Memphis became untenable. The River Defense Fleet tried one last time to battle the Union navy on June 6, 1862 with disastrous results, nearly the entire Confederate fleet being sunk or captured. By early July, Federal vessels plied the Mississippi everywhere except at Vicksburg. 

There are many conjectures as to why our fleet doesn’t take the fort and proceed on to Memphis. We are waiting for the most part on the great battle of Corinth. Our land force is not large at present; so, we have to wait for the coming events. Our fleet will soon be reinforced by more gunboats and battering rams which are on their way down for the next contest. From deserters, we learn that the fort is well-manned and the gunboats make it quite a formidable undertaking. The Mound City and Cincinnati are repairing at Cairo. I will give you an inkling of the next which takes place.

 

The Cairo and the other gunboats of the Federal fleet would meet the Confederate River Defense Fleet one more time during the naval battle of Memphis on June 6, 1862, a complete Federal victory which opened the Mississippi as far south as Vicksburg. To learn more of that engagement, click here to read “Captured Flags at the Naval Battle of Memphis.” As for the Cairo, it would not survive the year, striking a torpedo in the Yazoo River as recounted in “Losing the Cairo: A Yankee Pilot Recalls the Yazoo Disaster.”

 

Source:

Letter from Assistant Engineer James Wilkin, U.S.S. Cairo, Steubenville Weekly Herald (Ohio), May 28, 1862, pg. 1

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