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Queen of the West
Civil War Encyclopedia >> Ships of the Civil War
| June 6, 1862 | Following a naval battle where Union rams and gunboats easily defeated a makeshift Confederate navy, Federal forces occupy Memphis | Tennessee |
| February 3, 1863 | Union ram Queen of the West sails past Vicksburg to disrupt Confederate shipping. After being hit 12 time by artillery, she rams the Confederate ship City of Vicksburg. | Mississippi |
| February 12, 1863 | Federal ships including the Queen of the West take more than $2 million in cargo in a single day on the Mississippi, Red, and White Rivers and the clipper ship Jacob Bell in the Caribbean | |
| February 14, 1863 | Queen of the West runs aground on the Red River. It is abandoned. | Louisiana |
| April 14, 1863 | Union gunners destroy the Queen of the West | Louisiana |
Queen of the West
Queen of the West, a 406-ton side-wheel towboat (built 1854, Cincinnati, Ohio) was converted to a federal ram in 1862 for Colonel Charles Rivers Ellet's U.S. Ram Fleet. As Ellet's flagship, she played a prominent role in the battle of Memphis, which largely cleared the Mississippi of Confederate naval forces.
On July 15, 1862, the Queen joined two boats from Admiral David Farragut's fleet, the USS Carondelet and USS Tyler and engaged the Confederate ironclad CSS Arkansas on the Yazoo River. The Arkansas sailed downstream to the Mississippi in spite of heavy damaged and found refuge at Vicksburg.
A week later Queen of the West and Essex attacked Arkansas in spite of the Rebel shore batteries at Vicksburg. The Essex steamed through a hail of shell past the guns to joined Farragut’s ships below Vicksburg, and the Queen rammed Arkansas before rejoining her flotilla above the river fortress.
During the rest of 1862 and into 1863, she was involved in operations around Vicksburg, Mississippi, including an expedition up the Yazoo river in November and December. On 2 February 1863, Queen of the West attacked the Confederate steamer City of Vicksburg under the guns of the Vicksburg fortress. Though damaged, she then moved down the river. For nearly two weeks, she operated independently on the Mississippi and its tributaries, where she captured four Confederate steamers. On February 14 at Fort de Russy, Queen of the West ran aground near an enemy shore battery and was captured. Raised and repaired, she became the Confederate warship Queen of the West.
On February 24, 1862, she joined CSS Webb in forcing aground and capturing the Federal ironclad USS Indianola near the mouth of the Red River. Queen of the West was later sent to the Atchafalaya River area of Louisiana. On 14 April 1863, while in Grand Lake, she was attacked by three U.S. Navy gunboats. Hit by a shell fired at long range, Queen of the West was set afire and destroyed.
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On July 15, 1862, the Queen joined two boats from Admiral David Farragut's fleet, the USS Carondelet and USS Tyler and engaged the Confederate ironclad CSS Arkansas on the Yazoo River. The Arkansas sailed downstream to the Mississippi in spite of heavy damaged and found refuge at Vicksburg.
A week later Queen of the West and Essex attacked Arkansas in spite of the Rebel shore batteries at Vicksburg. The Essex steamed through a hail of shell past the guns to joined Farragut’s ships below Vicksburg, and the Queen rammed Arkansas before rejoining her flotilla above the river fortress.
During the rest of 1862 and into 1863, she was involved in operations around Vicksburg, Mississippi, including an expedition up the Yazoo river in November and December. On 2 February 1863, Queen of the West attacked the Confederate steamer City of Vicksburg under the guns of the Vicksburg fortress. Though damaged, she then moved down the river. For nearly two weeks, she operated independently on the Mississippi and its tributaries, where she captured four Confederate steamers. On February 14 at Fort de Russy, Queen of the West ran aground near an enemy shore battery and was captured. Raised and repaired, she became the Confederate warship Queen of the West.
On February 24, 1862, she joined CSS Webb in forcing aground and capturing the Federal ironclad USS Indianola near the mouth of the Red River. Queen of the West was later sent to the Atchafalaya River area of Louisiana. On 14 April 1863, while in Grand Lake, she was attacked by three U.S. Navy gunboats. Hit by a shell fired at long range, Queen of the West was set afire and destroyed.
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Civil War Encyclopedia >> Ships of the Civil War
Queen of the West was last changed on - October 15, 2006
Queen of the West was added on - October 14, 2006
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