Richmond Ironclads at Trent's Reach
Detail from
Harper’s Illustrated, Feb. 11, 1865, Vol. IX, No. 424:81
CSS Fredericksburg Pushes Through
Reporting back to the flagship Virginia II, the Scorpion was given two boats of sailors to cut through the chains on the floating spar. She also received orders for the Fredericksburg to force past immediately. The Scorpion returned to the obstructions and the ironclad shoved past before Read's men finished hacking through the chains.
It was about 1:30 a.m. It had taken three hours to open Trent's Reach, but even on a falling tide, the C.S. Navy appeared to have adequate river depth. The Scorpion went back to the flagship to get a lantern to mark the gap. The gunboat Hampton followed the ironclad Fredericksburg, and the two ships steamed downriver towards the Onondaga and City Point.
CSS Fredericksburg Pushes Through
Reporting back to the flagship Virginia II, the Scorpion was given two boats of sailors to cut through the chains on the floating spar. She also received orders for the Fredericksburg to force past immediately. The Scorpion returned to the obstructions and the ironclad shoved past before Read's men finished hacking through the chains.
It was about 1:30 a.m. It had taken three hours to open Trent's Reach, but even on a falling tide, the C.S. Navy appeared to have adequate river depth. The Scorpion went back to the flagship to get a lantern to mark the gap. The gunboat Hampton followed the ironclad Fredericksburg, and the two ships steamed downriver towards the Onondaga and City Point.