Ironclad What a Hit!

[DaveBrt]

Savannah Morning News, April 15, 1863

A Good Shot

The shot that was so fatal to the crew of the Chillicothe, in the attack upon Fort Pemberton {on the Yazoo River}, was, according to the statement of the New York Herold's correspondent, a singular one. He says the men on the boat were just loading her port gun, the charger being engaged, at the moment, in cutting the fuse of the shell which had already been placed in the muzzle of the gun, when a sixty-four pound shell from the Confederates struct directly in her half open port, throwing apart and unshipping the heavy iron port shutters, one of which was thrown overboard, and, lighting directly upon the muzzle of the gun, exploded simultaneously with the shell that was being put into the piece. The casualties of this double explosion were fourteen in all -- three killed and eleven wounded.

 

[JOHN42768]

The shot may have very well been aimed as on target, but the timing of the hit was just plain bad luck for the ships gun crew.

 

[UCVRelics]

I bet that was a mess. I would rather be lucky than good.

 

[wausaubob]

Savannah Morning News, April 15, 1863

A Good Shot

The shot that was so fatal to the crew of the Chillicothe, in the attack upon Fort Pemberton {on the Yazoo River}, was, according to the statement of the New York Herold's correspondent, a singular one. He says the men on the boat were just loading her port gun, the charger being engaged, at the moment, in cutting the fuse of the shell which had already been placed in the muzzle of the gun, when a sixty-four pound shell from the Confederates struct directly in her half open port, throwing apart and unshipping the heavy iron port shutters, one of which was thrown overboard, and, lighting directly upon the muzzle of the gun, exploded simultaneously with the shell that was being put into the piece. The casualties of this double explosion were fourteen in all -- three killed and eleven wounded.

View attachment 463306

Not unusual. The gunners at Port Hudson and Grand Gulf seemed to know what they were doing too.

 

[MarkZim]

The Confederates put a hit on the USS Essex during the Battle of Fort Henry. Dirty Bill Porter got scalded.

 

[Nathan Stuart]

The 'Chillicothe' was one of the second-generation river ironclads and at the time was untried in action.

In terms of damages impact, it probably didn't help that the boat was apparently badly designed and even more poorly constructed by corrupt or careless contractors.

 

[Albert Sailhorst]

WOW! Cool story!

 

[Pollaco]

Hard to believe there were so few casualties. Those were big shells