Photo #: NH 76557-KN (Color) -- Complete Caption
"Admiral Porter's Fleet Running the Rebel Blockade of
the Mississippi at Vicksburg, April 16th 1863."
Colored lithograph published by Currier & Ives, New York, 1863.
Ships depicted are (from the front to the rear, all USS except
as noted)): Benton (Flagship); Lafayette with General
Price alongside; Louisville; Mound City; Pittsburg;
Carondelet; transports Silver Wave, Forest Queen
& Henry Clay; and Tuscumbia.
Text under the print's title reads: "At half past ten P.M.
the boats left their moorings & steamed down the river, the Benton,
Admiral Porter, taking the lead -- as they approached the point
opposite the town, a terrible concentrated fire of the centre,
upper and lower batteries, both water and bluff, was directed
upon the channel, which here ran within one hundred yards of
the shore. At the same moment innumerable floats of turpentine
and other combustible materials were set ablaze. In the face
of all this fire, the boats made their way with but little loss
except the transport Henry Clay which was set on fire & sunk."
Courtesy of the U.S. Naval Academy Museum, Beverley R. Robinson
Collection.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
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