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Casualty Reports

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Casualty Reports

These are the two casualty reports turned in by Lt. I. N. Brown, Commander of the Arkansas, after the battles of July 15th and 22nd at Vicksburg. They are taken from the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies, Series I, Vol. 19, pgs. 67-70.

On July 15, there were three separate battles between the Arkansas and the fleet -- one in the Yazoo River, one in the Mississippi, and one in the evening while the Arkansas was tied up at the Vicksburg dock.

On July 22, the Arkansas was fired upon while at the dock by passing ships of Farragut's fleet returning in defeat from Davis' fleet north of Vicksburg to join their own fleet south of Vicksburg and thus on to New Orleans.

C.S.S. Arkansas,
At Vicksburg, Miss., July 16, 1862.

[To Flag Officer Wm F. Lynch]

Sir: I have the sad duty to-day to furnish you with a report of the names of the brave men who fell killed and wounded in our three actions of yesterday with the enemy's fleet on the Mississippi River to wit:

Killed.--William Perry, captain of forecastle; Charles Lewis, ordinary seaman; Henry Dunn, ordinary seaman; Private John Kane, Pinkney's Louisiana Volunteers; Private Charles Madden, Clinch's Battalion Artillery; Private Henry Shields Twenty-eight Louisiana Volunteers, Company E; Private Antonio Florez, Twenty-eighth Louisiana Volunteers, Company G; Private Danl. Sullivan, Twenty-eighth Louisiana Volunteers, Company A; Private A. J. Blankenship, Missouri Volunteers Company D; Private Stephen Murton, Missouri Volunteers; Edward Cusick, fireman; and William Gilmore Pilot, from Jonesville, Ky. These two last named fell in the action with the enemy's fleet as they passed us at Vicksburg after the morning conflicts.

The following-named men and officers were wounded to wit:

John Kelly, seaman; James Anderson, Cockswain; John Pledge, ordinary seaman; Patrick Norton, landsman; Nicholas Davis, seaman; Peter Caulfield, coal heaver; William Alexander, private, from Clinch's Battalion, Louisiana Volunteers; Edward Long, ordinary seaman; Thomas Lynch, sergeant, fro Clinch's Battalion, Louisiana Volunteers; John Sullivan, private, from Clinch's Battalion, Louisiana Volunteers; Bernard Martinez, private, Twenty-eight Louisiana Volunteers Company E; Feliz Thomure, private, Missouri Volunteers, Company B, lost a leg--since dead; John Snider, private, Missouri Volunteers, Company; lost an arm--since dead; C D Pal [Paul], corporal, Missouri Volunteers, Company B; Berry Watson, private, Missouri Volunteers, Company B; Thomas Senere [Sevier], private, Missouri Volunteers, Company C; Second Assistant Engineer Covert, slightly in face; Master's Mate Wilson, stunned and slightly contused; Midshipman Tyler, slightly stunned; Pilot Hodges, mortally in head; Mr. Pilot Shacklett, slightly in head; Lieutenant George W Gift, C S Navy, arm and shoulder; Third Assistant Engineer Jackson, slightly bruised.

Recapitulation.--Killed, 12; badly wounded, 3; wounded, 15. Total, 30.

Very respectfully,

I. N. Brown,
Lieutenant, Commanding Arkansas.

Flag-Officer Wm. F. Lynch,

Commanding, etc., Mississippi and Yazoo Rivers.

Brown reported his crew losses and injuries to William Francis Lynch, his superior and Flag-Officer.

Photo from Naval Historical Center, Photographic Section Collection, #NH66679.

C.S. Gunboat Arkansas,
Vicksburg, July 23, 1862.

Sir: I beg leave herewith to send a list of names of the killed and wounded of the detachment who so nobly volunteered from the forces of your command on Jun __ last to aid in making up a crew for this vessel, to wit:

Killed.--John Kane, private, Pinkney's Battalion Louisiana Volunteers; Charles Madden, private, Clinch's Battalion Louisiana Artillery; Henry Shields, Company E, Antonio Florez, Company G, and Daniel Sullivan, Company A, Twenty-eighth Louisiana Volunteers Total killed, 5.

Wounded.--William Alexander, private, Clinch's Battalion Louisiana Artillery; John Sullivan, private, Clinch's Battalion Louisiana Artillery; Thomas Lynch, sergeant, Clinch's Battalion Louisiana Artillery; Bernard Martinez, private, Twenty-eighth Louisiana Volunteers. Total wounded, 4.
Total killed and wounded, 9.

I regret the loss or these men to the vessel and to their country. They fought well.
Very respectfully,

I. N. Brown,
Commander, C.S. Navy

Brigadier-General M. L. Smith,
Commanding at Vicksburg.

The above report was directed to Maj-General Martin Luther Smith, who was in charge of the defenses of Vicksburg after the fall of New Orleans. In the summer of 1862, he was responsible for the 3rd District in the Dept. of South Mississippi and Eastern Louisiana. It was he who responded to Farragut and Davis that the people of Vicksburg had no intention of surrendering to their threats of bombing.

Photo from Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2018668294/

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