Drewry's Bluff

[JPK Huson 1863]

I'd forgotten about this thread until Andy Hall brought it up. Someone recently had a question about what were obstructions- wish I'd remembered this.

This is supposed to be CSS Drury sunk as an obstruction but I can't find a. whether it is CSS Drury and b. what the rest of the story might be. Does anyone know, please?

 

[Carronade]

I'd forgotten about this thread until Andy Hall brought it up. Someone recently had a question about what were obstructions- wish I'd remembered this.

This is supposed to be CSS Drury sunk as an obstruction but I can't find a. whether it is CSS Drury and b. what the rest of the story might be. Does anyone know, please?

View attachment 322973

They must have been in a hurry if they left that nice cannon!

 

[Frederick14Va]

The CSS Drewry was actually sunk in action in Jan 1865 near an area known as Trents Reach on the James River. She took two direct hits from a 100lb Parrot Rifle that sealed her fate.

 

[USS ALASKA]

CSS DREWRY

Gbt:
t. 166;
l 106';
b. 21';
dph. 8';
dr. 5';
a. 1 6.4" r., 1 7" r.

DREWRY was a wooden gunboat with foredeck protected by an iron V-shaped shield. Classed as a tender she was attached to Flag Officer F. Forrest's squadron in the James River sometime in 1863 with Master L. Parrish, CSN, in command.

In addition to transporting troops and other routine service, she took part in several engagements along the river prior to 24 January 1865, when, in Trent's Reach, she was destroyed by two shots from a 100-pounder rifle in a battery of the 1st Connecticut Artillery. The second hit exploded her magazine as she assisted CSS RICHMOND to get afloat-all but two of her crew had reached safety before the explosion.

Taken from DANFS...

HTHs,
USS ALASKA

 

[rebelatsea]

I know I've seen another photo similar to this one of sunken obstructions at Drewry's Bluff, do I remember this one particularly?

As ever, I like putting photos together with the History involved, super learning tools although fatally intriguing enough to send you down rabbit holes of side-tracking all the heck all over the place. It's just really, really helpful. These obstacles would have been faced by the ships which steamed down to tackle Fort Darling's guns, seems amazing to see them in a quiet river.


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One of the two paddle steamers at Drewrys Bluff is the Jamestown, Sister to Patrick Henry.

 

[rebelatsea]

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Missing from Maiileferts map are two important vessels, CSS Brandywine and CSS Richmond. I believe CSS Richmond is actually just off his map downstream, but where is Brandywine?