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Line 1: {{~~portal~~short description\|Battle of the American Civil War}}▼ {{No footnotes\|date=January 2013}}▼ {{infobox military conflict▼ ▲<!-- {{No footnotes\|date=January 2013}} --> ▲{{~~infobox~~Infobox military conflict \|conflict =Battle of Albemarle Sound \|partof =the [[American Civil War]] \| image =~~[[Image:~~ USSSassacus.jpg~~\|300px]]~~ \| image_size = 300 \|caption =USS ''Sassacus'' ramming CSS ''Albemarle'' \|date =May 5, 1864 \|place =[[Albemarle Sound]], [[North Carolina]] \|coordinates = {{coord\|35\|58\|42.82\|N\|76\|32\|12.99\|W\|region:US}} \|map_type = North Carolina \|map_relief = \|~~latitude~~map_size = 300 ~~\|longitude =~~ ~~\|map_size =~~ \|map_marksize = \|map_caption = Line 20 ⟶ 21: \|status = \|combatants_header = \|combatant1 ={{flagicon\|USA\|1863~~\|23px~~}} [[United States]] \|combatant2 ={{flagicon\|CSA\|1863~~\|23px~~}} [[Confederate States]] \|commander1 ={{Flagicon\|United States Navy\|1863}} [[Melancton Smith (1810-1893)\|Melancton Smith]] \|commander2 ={{flagicon\|CSA\|naval}} [[James W. Cooke]] \|units1 = \|units2 = \|strength1 =8 [[gunboat]]s \|strength2 =1 [[ironclad]]<br/>2 ~~gunboats~~steamers \|casualties1 =31 killed or wounded \|casualties2 =57 killed or wounded Line 33 ⟶ 34: \|campaignbox ={{Campaignbox Operations against Plymouth}} }} The '''Battle of Albemarle Sound''' was an inconclusive naval battle fought in May 1864 along the coast of [[North Carolina]] during the [[American Civil War]].<ref name="NPS">{{cite web\|title=Battle Summary\|url=https://www.nps.gov/abpp/battles/nc013.htm\|publisher=National Park Service\|access-date=5 May 2016}}</ref> Three [[Confederate States\|Confederate]] warships, including an [[ironclad]], engaged eight [[Union (American Civil War)\|Union]] [[gunboat]]s. The action ended indecisively due to the sunset.<ref>{{cite web\|title=Battle of Albemarle : Sound Civil War on the North Carolina Coast\|url=http://thomaslegion.net/battleofalbemarlesound.html\|website=Thomaslegion.net\|access-date=July 19, 2016}}</ref> ==Background== Line 39 ⟶ 41: ==Battle== [[File:Engagement in Albemarle Sound map.jpg\|thumb\|left\|A map of the battle]] [[James W. Cooke]], commander of ''Albemarle'' sailed out of Plymouth in early May 1864. Steaming south toward New Bern, Cooke ran into a Union fleet at the mouth of [[Albemarle Sound]], commanded by Captain [[Melancton Smith (1810-1893)\|Melancton Smith]]. Smith with an advantage in numbers could do little damage to the single Confederate ship. Shots glanced off ''Albemarle''{{'}}s sides. The {{USS\|Sassacus\|1862\|6}} rammed ''Albemarle'' at top speed and caused some significant damage. ''Albemarle'' began taking on water but ''Sassacus'' had also sustained damage from the impact and a shot burst one of the boilers scalding the crew. The rest of the Union fleet managed to recapture a converted steamer called the [[CSS Bombshell\|CSS ''Bombshell'']]. ''Sassacus'' by now was too damaged to function and drifted down river while ''Albemarle'' was also damaged enough not to continue the fight and made its way back to Plymouth. [[James W. Cooke]], commander of ''Albemarle'' sailed out of Plymouth in early May 1864, along with the captured steamer [[CSS Bombshell\|CSS ''Bombshell'']] and the transport [[CSS Cotton Plant\|CSS ''Cotton Plant'']]. Steaming south toward New Bern, Cooke ran into a Union fleet at the mouth of [[Albemarle Sound]], commanded by Captain [[Melancton Smith (1810-1893)\|Melancton Smith]]. This fleet consisted of the double-ender gunboats [[USS Mattabesett (1863)\|USS ''Mattabasett'']], [[USS Sassacus (1862)\|USS ''Sassacus'']], [[USS Wyalusing (1863)\|USS ''Wyalusing'']] and [[USS Miami (1861)\|USS ''Miami'']], the converted ferryboat [[USS Commodore Hull (1862)\|USS ''Commodore Hull'']], [[USS Ceres (1856)\|USS ''Ceres'']], [[USS Whitehead\|USS ''Whitehead'']] and [[USS Isaac N. Seymour\|USS ''Isaac N. Seymour'']].<ref name="Tucker">{{Cite book\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q4mwAtj2r3UC&q=battle+of+albemarle+sound&pg=PA20\|title=The Civil War Naval Encyclopedia\|last1=Tucker\|first1=Spencer\|last2=Pierpaoli\|first2=Paul G.\|last3=White\|first3=William E.\|date=2011\|publisher=ABC-CLIO\|isbn=9781598843385\|pages=21–22\|language=en}}</ref> When the Confederate ships were spotted, ''Mattabasett'', ''Sassucus'', ''Whitehead'' and ''Wyalusing'' immediately formed a line of battle supported by ''Miami'', ''Commodore Hull'' and ''Ceres''. ''Albemarle'' opened fire first, wounding six men working one of ''Mattabesett''{{'}}s two 100-pounder [[Parrott rifle]]s. ''Mattabesset'', ''Whitehead'' and ''Wyalusing'' opened fire almost simultaneously. ''Albemarle'' then attempted to ram ''Mattabesett'', but the [[sidewheeler]] managed to round the ironclad's armored bow. She was closely followed by ''Sassacus'', which then fired a broadside of solid {{convert\|9\|in\|mm\|0\|abbr=on}} and 100-pound shot, all of which bounced off ''Albemarle''{{'}}s casemate armor. However, ''Bombshell'', being a softer target, was hulled by each heavy shot from ''Sassucus''{{'}}s broadside and surrendered.<ref name="OR-Serial-068-Page-0651">{{cite web\|url=https://ehistory.osu.edu/books/official-records/068/0651\|title=Report of Actg Rear Admiral S P Lee\|publisher=Ohio State University\|access-date=5 May 2016}}</ref> ''Cotton Plant'' withdrew back up the Roanoke, and ''Albemarle'' continued the fight alone.<ref name="Tucker" /> Smith, despite an advantage in numbers, could do little damage to the single Confederate ship. Shots glanced off ''Albemarle''{{'}}s sides. [[Lieutenant Commander]] [[Francis Asbury Roe]] of ''Sassucus'', seeing ''Albemarle'' at a range of about {{convert\|400\|yd\|m}}, decided to ram. The Union ship struck the Confederate ironclad full and square, broadside-on, shattering the timbers of her own bow, twisting off her own bronze ram in the process, and jamming both ships together. With ''Sassucus''{{'}}s hull almost touching the end of the ram's Brooke rifle, ''Albemarle''{{'}}s gun crew quickly fired two point-blank rifled shells, one of them puncturing ''Sassucus''{{'}}s boilers; though live steam was roaring through the ship, she was able to break away and drift out of range. ''Sassacus'' by now was too damaged to function and drifted down river. ''Miami'' first tried to use her [[spar torpedo]] and then to tangle the Confederate ram{{'}}s screw propellers and rudder with a [[seine net]], but neither ploy succeeded. ''Mattabasett'' and ''Wyalusing'' continued to engage the ram for three hours, until the action was halted by darkness.<ref name="Tucker" /> More than 500 shells were fired at ''Albemarle'' during the battle; with visible battle damage to her [[smokestack]] and other areas on the ironclad, she steamed back up the Roanoke. The ''Commodore Hull'' and ''Ceres'' moved to the river's mouth to try and keep the ''Albemarle'' from re-entering the sound.<ref name="Tucker" /> ==Aftermath== [[File:Albemarle_Sound_Battlefield_North_Carolina.jpg\|310px\|thumb\|right\|Map of Albemarle Sound Battlefield core and study areas by the [[American Battlefield Protection Program]].]] The battle itself was a standoff, but the events that followed had more decisive results. ''Albemarle'' had held its own against greater numbers but the damages caused the during the battle had forced the ship into port for the next several months, ~~prevented~~preventing it from being used in General Hoke's planned assault on New Bern. Hoke went ahead with his campaign even without ''Albemarle''. He achieved nothing before being recalled to Virginia to help defend [[Petersburg, Virginia\|Petersburg]] and [[Richmond, Virginia\|Richmond]]. The events in October had a greater impact on the situation when [[William B. Cushing]] led a naval raid and detonated a torpedo beneath the ''Albermarle''<nowiki/>'s hull. The removal of Hoke's force and the destruction of ''Albemarle'' allowed both [[Plymouth, North Carolina\|Plymouth]] and [[Washington, North Carolina]], to fall back into Union hands. ==Order of battle== ===Union Navy=== Captain Melancton Smith<ref name="SLNC">{{cite web\|title=Edenton: Battle of Albemarle Sound\|url=http://digital.ncdcr.gov/cdm/ref/collection/p15012coll8/id/10988\|publisher=State Library of North Carolina\|access-date=5 May 2016}}</ref><ref name="Tucker" /> ~~Captain Melancton Smith~~ <!-- {{USS\|Syracuse}} --> {{USS\|Commodore Hull}} {{USS\|Ceres\|1856\|6}} Line 55 ⟶ 63: {{USS\|Mattabesett\|1864\|6}} - flagship {{USS\|Whitehead\|1861\|6}} {{USS\|Isaac N. Seymour}} Ida May (transport) ===Confederate Mosquito Fleet=== Commander James W. Cooke<ref name="SLNC" /> [[CSS Albemarle\|CSS ''Albemarle'']] [[CSS Bombshell\|CSS ''Bombshell'']] Line 65 ⟶ 75: {{reflist}} ==~~References~~External links== [http://digital.ncdcr.gov/cdm/ref/collection/p15012coll8/id/10988 North Carolina Marker - Edenton - Battle of Albemarle Sound] ▲{{portal\|American Civil War}} * [http://www.nps.gov/hps/abpp/battles/nc013.htm National Park Service battle description]▼ Chaitin, Peter M., editor, ''The Coastal War: Chesapeake to the Rio Grande'' (1984)▼ <!-- Dead link [http://www.fortunecity.com/victorian/pottery/1080/albemarle_sound_%20nc_%205may64.htm Albemarle Sound Order of Battle] -->▼ ▲[http://www.nps.gov/hps/abpp/battles/nc013.htm National Park Service battle description] ▲[http://www.fortunecity.com/victorian/pottery/1080/albemarle_sound_%20nc_%205may64.htm Albemarle Sound Order of Battle] ==Further reading== ▲* Chaitin, Peter M., editor, ''The Coastal War: Chesapeake to the Rio Grande'' (1984) {{portal\|American Civil War}} {{North Carolina in the Civil War}} <!-- {{coord\|35\|58\|42.82\|N\|76\|32\|12.99\|W\|region:US\|display=title}} --> {{authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Albemarle Sound, Battle Of}}▼ ▲{{DEFAULTSORT:Albemarle Sound, Battle Of}} [[Category:Battles of the Operations against Plymouth of the American Civil War\|Albermarle Sound]] [[Category:Naval battles of the American Civil War]] [[Category:Battles of the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War]] [[Category:Inconclusive battles of the American Civil War]] [[Category:~~North~~Battles ~~Carolina in~~of the American Civil War in North Carolina]] [[Category:Dare County, North Carolina]] [[Category:Conflicts in 1864]] [[Category:1864 in North Carolina]] [[Category:Riverine warfare]] [[Category:May 1864 events]]