✦ History

Part of American Civil War

Battle of Memphis

June 6, 1862 · Memphis, Tennessee

Result Union victory

Naval battle fought at Memphis on 6 June 1862; its historical importance is that it was the last time civilians with no prior military experience were permitted to command ships in combat, making it a milestone in the professionalization of the United States Navy.

On the map Contemporaries

Union

Confederacy

United States
Confederate States of America
Charles Henry Davis Flag Officer, Commander of the Union ironclad flotilla Charles Ellet Jr. Colonel, Creator and commander of the United States Ram Fleet; mortally wounded
James Edward Montgomery Commander, Confederate River Defense Fleet, Commanded the Confederate River Defense Fleet at the Battle of Memphis

Strength and losses

Killed
1
Casualties
c. 100
Captured
c. 150
Ships
8
Ships lost
7

Units

Mississippi River Squadron Davis's gunboats; with Ellet's Ram Fleet, destroyed the River Defense Fleet Charles Henry Davis Flag officer · 1862
River Defense Fleet Montgomery's fleet of converted river steamers James Edward Montgomery Captain · 1862 CSS General Sumter Fought as a Confederate ram at Memphis; captured there CSS Little Rebel Colonel Lovell General Beauregard General Earl Van Dorn General M. Jeff Thompson Laurent Millaudon The CSS General Sterling Price under her builder's name; sunk at Memphis, later raised as the USS General Price
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USS General Bragg Fought as a Confederate ram at Memphis; captured and taken into Union service as the USS General Bragg

Related events 1 degree away • 2 degrees away

 
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