" As the Cairo reached a point seven miles north of Vicksburg the flotilla came under fire and Selfridge ordered the guns to ready. As the gunboat turned towards shore disaster struck. Cairo was rocked by two explosions in quick succession which tore gaping holes in the ship's hull. Within twelve minutes the ironclad sank into six fathoms (36 feet) of water without any loss of life.Cairo became the first ship in history to be sunk by an electrically detonated torpedo"
"As the Cairo reached a point seven miles north of Vicksburg the flotilla came under fire and Selfridge ordered the guns to ready. As the gunboat turned towards shore disaster struck. Cairo was rocked by two explosions in quick succession which tore gaping holes in the ship's hull. Within twelve minutes the ironclad sank into six (6) fathoms (36 feet) of water without any loss of life. Cairo became the first ship in history to be sunk by an electrically detonated torpedo." https://www.nps.gov/vick/u-s-s-cairo-gunboat.htm
USS Cairo
Source: https://www.nps.gov/vick/u-s-s-cairo-gunboat.htm
Now on display, partially reconstructed, at Vicksburg National Military Park, thanks to the efforts of everyone's favorite historian, Ed Bearrs.
That would be theUSS Cairo, On December 12, 1862, while clearing mines from the Yazoo River, preparatory to the attack on Haines Bluff, Cairo struck a "torpedo" (or naval mine) detonated by volunteers hidden behind the river bank and sank in 12 minutes. There were no casualties.
As part of the Yazoo Pass Expedition, she was sunk on 12 December 1862, while clearing mines for the attack on Haines Bluff. Cairo was the first ship ever to be sunk by a mine remotely detonated by hand.