The Confederate government converted fourteen commercial river steamers into lightly-armed rams during 1862, eight of which (General Price, Beauregard, Colonel Lovell, Little Rebel, Jeff Thompson, Sumter, Bragg, and Van Dorn) were operating in the vicinity of Memphis under the command of Captain James Montgomery.

In April 1862, Federal river forces began shelling Fort Pillow, using moored mortar boats protected by ironclad steamers.  On May 10, the Confederate rams approached the ironclad Cincinnati, which was moored for the protection of a nearby mortar boat.  The Bragg, then the General Price, followed by the Sumter, all rammed the Cincinnati, which would have sunk had not the crew maneuvered her to shallow water where she could rest on the river bottom.

At this point, another Federal ironclad, the Mound City, arrived to help.  Van Dorn rammed the Mound City, causing the latter to begin sinking as well, until she was saved by moving to shallow water.

However, the remaining, and more powerful, Federal ironclads began to arrive, so the Confederate rams quickly returned to the relative safety of their home port at Memphis.

  Military Actions

Last update:  October 22, 2001