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Battle of Fort McAllister (1863)

Naval Attacks on Fort McAllister
Part of the American Civil War
Date January 27, 1863 (1863-01-27) – March 3, 1863 (1863-03-03)
Location Bryan County, Georgia
Result Confederate victory
Belligerents
United States United States (Union) Confederate States of America CSA (Confederacy)
Commanders and leaders
Capt. Percival Drayton
Cdr. John L. Worden
Maj. John B. Gallie 
George Wayne Anderson
Units involved
U.S.S. Montauk
U.S.S. Patapsco
U.S.S. Passaic
U.S.S. Nahant
Fort McAllister Garrison-
Emmett Rifles
Georgia Sharpshooters
Republican Blues
Chatham Artillery
Casualties and losses
unknown unknown

The First Battle of Fort McAllister was a series of naval attacks that took place from January 27 to March 3, 1863, in Bryan County, Georgia, during the American Civil War. The commander of the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron Rear Adm. Samuel F. Du Pont decided to test operation of new monitors against Fort McAllister before conducting a major naval operation against Charleston, South Carolina.

Fort McAllister was a small earthen fort located along Genesis Point and armed with several heavy cannon to defend the Great Ogeechee River approach south of Savannah, Georgia. It was expanded repeatedly by adding more guns, traverses and bombproofs. Obstructions and eventually torpedoes (mines) completed the riverine defenses.

In July 1862 the blockade runner Nashville ran up the river to escape blockaders, and would remain trapped. Learning that the Nashville was lying near the fort, Adm. Du Pont ordered Commander Charles Steedman to make a "reconnaissance in force" and to destroy the fort if possible. At this time the garrison was commanded by Capt. Alfred L. Hartridge of Co. A., 1st Georgia Volunteer Infantry, the "DeKalb Riflemen." The main battery consisted of five 32-pounder and one 42-pounder smoothbore. On July 29, Steedman led the wooden gunboats USS Paul Jones, Unadilla, Huron and Madgie against the work in a 90-minute long-range exchange. Steedman found that approaching the fort would cause unacceptable losses and withdrew.


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