Battle of Calcasieu Pass facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Calcasieu Pass |
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| Part of the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 United States (Union) |
 CSA (Confederacy) |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Lt. Benjamin Loring Lt. C. W. Lamson |
Col. W. H. Griffin | ||||||
The Battle of Calcasieu Pass was a small but important fight during the American Civil War. It happened on May 6, 1864, near the mouth of the Calcasieu River in Louisiana. In this battle, Confederate soldiers led by Colonel W. H. Griffin faced off against Union Lieutenants Benjamin Loring and C. W. Lamson. The Confederates won, capturing two Union gunboats named Wave and Granite City. These boats were later used by the Confederates to sneak past Union blockades.
Contents
Who Fought in the Battle?
The main leaders in this battle were Lieutenant Benjamin Loring and Lieutenant C. W. Lamson for the Union side. They commanded the Union ships. On the Confederate side, Colonel W. H. Griffin led the soldiers.
Union Ships Involved
The Union forces used two naval ships in this battle: the U.S.S. Wave and the U.S.S. Granite City.
- The U.S.S. Wave was not very effective in the fight. It was captured early by the Confederates. Later, it was turned into a Confederate cargo ship.
- The U.S.S. Granite City had an interesting history. It was first a Confederate ship used to run blockades. But in 1863, a Union ship, the U.S.S. Tioga, captured it. So, at Calcasieu Pass, it was a Union ship. After this battle, it was back in Confederate hands.
Confederate Forces
The Confederate forces in this battle were made up of five groups, called battalions.
- Creuzbauer's Battery, 5th Texas Artillery: All the soldiers in this group were born in Germany. They had moved to the U.S. during the Civil War.
- Griffin’s Battalion: This group was led by Colonel William Henry Griffin, who was the overall Confederate commander.
- Spaight’s Battalion: Lieutenant Colonel Ashley W. Spaight led this battalion.
- Daly’s Battalion: This was the only cavalry unit in the battle. Cavalry means soldiers who fight on horseback.
Captain Joseph A. Brickhouse, a Confederate soldier, later spoke about the battle. He said his forces were not well-prepared. They had only four small cannons and less than 300 foot soldiers. Yet, they attacked the two Union gunboats and captured them quickly. He described the fight as lasting less than two hours and 40 minutes.
How the Battle Unfolded
The U.S.S. Wave and the U.S.S. Granite City were ordered to go to Calcasieu Pass. When they arrived, they immediately fired at an old, empty Confederate fort. The gunboats were also carrying money. Their mission was to buy cattle from local farmers in the South.
However, the U.S.S. Granite City ended up stealing cattle and horses from several farms. This made the local Confederate forces angry and ready to attack. The Confederates moved quietly into position. They planned a surprise night attack on the Union ships.
When the Union sailors went to sleep, they left less experienced soldiers in charge of the guns. The Confederates saw this as their chance. They moved their cannons closer, setting them up about 1,000 yards from the gunboats. Meanwhile, their cavalry and foot soldiers moved forward.
Many cannon shells hit and went through the sides of the Union gunboats. As the cavalry and foot soldiers advanced, the artillery kept firing. This constant attack finished off the Union vessels.
Aftermath and Casualties
Two days later, on May 8, a Union supply ship named Ella Morse arrived. The crew of the Ella Morse did not know about the battle or that the Union ships had been captured. They sailed right up to where the other ships were supposed to be.
When they realized that Confederates were now manning the guns on the captured ships, it was too late. The Confederates fired on the Ella Morse and sank it.
The Union forces suffered heavy losses in this battle. They lost the Ella Morse, the U.S.S. Granite City, and the U.S.S. Wave. Another Union ship, the U.S.S. New London, was also lost, though the text does not explain how. The Confederates, on the other hand, lost only a few men from each of their battalions. This battle was a clear Confederate victory.
