USS Sumter (1863) - Serving The Confederacy As CSS General Sumter

Serving The Confederacy As CSS General Sumter

Renamed General Sumter, the ram proceeded to Fort Pillow, Tennessee, on 17 April to be armed.

On 10 May, defending the main avenue to Memphis, Tennessee, Montgomery's fleet of eight attacked the Federal ironclads. In this action at Plum Point Bend, 4 miles above Fort Pillow, General Sumter, Raphael Semmes in command, steamed within 20 yards of Mortar Boat No. 16, whose projectiles were threatening the fort, and fired everything she had, including a rifle volley; two 32-pound shot pierced the iron blinds of the Union floating battery.

Then CSS General Sterling Price and General Sumter cooperated in a well executed coordinated attack, one after the other, ramming USS Cincinnati at full speed so that she lost her rudder and much of her stern; Cincinnati (which Montgomery reported as Carondelet had to be run ashore to avoid sinking. Next, General Sumter rammed and damaged USS Mound City, but was damaged by artillery fire herself. Thus, the Southern rams held off the Federal flotilla until the fort was successfully evacuated on 1 June. They then retired to Memphis to refuel.

Quickly following up the capture of Ft. Pillow, Union Flag Officer Charles H. Davis appeared off Memphis in force on 6 June. Montgomery, cornered without coal enough to retreat to Vicksburg, Mississippi, yet unwilling to scuttle his fleet, fought it out desperately in the Battle of Memphis. General Sumter rammed and seriously damaged USS Queen of the West, but eventually most of the Confederate vessels were destroyed or surrendered.