Clarendon AR: Where We've Been: USS Queen City Sinking

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Brig. Gen. Joseph O. Shelby began his operations against Federal navigation on White River on June 24, 1864 with the capture and sinking of the tinclad USS Queen City, Federal gunboat No. 26, while anchored in mid-stream in the White River at Clarendon, Arkansas. This was followed by a battle with the gunboats Tyler, Fawn, and Naumkeag.

Supplies for Maj. Gen. Frederick Steele's Federal Army were brought up White River to DeValls Bluff, about 30 miles by river above Clarendon, and were shipped from there to Little Rock by railroad.

Clarendon was selected as the blockade point because of its easy accessibility. The town was virtually deserted with only a few families, mostly women and children, remaining.

The Queen City had arrived at Clarendon on May 28, 1864, with orders to guard the town and the river. She was to protect Federal transports in the navigation of White River. The boat was built and commissioned at Cincinatti, Ohio, in 1863. She weighed 212 tons and was propelled by two high pressure steam engines coupled to side paddle wheels. Her armament included a battery of nine heavy guns of which four were 32 pound parrot rifles, four were 24 pound howitzers and one a 12 pounder (per Shelby's report).

Shelby left his camp on the 19th and began a difficult march toward Clarendon, through the overflowed bottoms of Cache River and Bayou DeView. He camped within 2 miles of Clarendon, sending out pickets, until the 23rd when he moved his whole command into town and took position on the riverbank about 100 yards from the Queen City and waited in silent suspense until daylight. At about 4 a.m. on June 24, he opened fire on the boat with his four artillery pieces and small arms. The first or second round disabled the starboard engine, and another shell passed through the steam pipe of the port engine. Within 20 minutes the boat was riddled with shell and rifle balls. Capt. Michael Hickey, commander of the Queen City, had no choice but to surrender. He told his men they could choose between surrendering with the boat and swimming to the opposite bank. He reported 1 killed, 9 wounded and about 25 captured. The Tyler later picked up about 31 who had escaped. (Gen. Shelby stated their crew numbered about 65).

After Shelby and his men worked to tow the boat to the bank, he removed everything he could, including one 24 pound howitzer and one 12 pounder as well as some small arms, ammunition and commissary supplies, and according to Union reports the paymaster's stores. Upon hearing the approach of gunboats from the direction of DeValls Bluff, he then set fire to the boat and cut her adrift. When the fire burned down to the magazine, there was an explosion. In a short time three more gunboats, the Tyler, Naumkeag and Fawn arrived. A battle followed, which, according to Lt. Bache, who headed the fleet of boats, lasted about 45 minutes. Shelby said the fighting was twice that long, before he retreated, leaving behind most of the things he had taken from the Queen City. Bache succeeded in raising 3 of the guns from the sunken boat, which sank a short distance below Clarendon. On the morning of the 25th, the Fawn and the Naumkeag again shelled the confederates in their breastworks on the river bank. The trees along the river bank for about a mile were damaged by the shrapnel and canister from the Federal guns. Shelby reported that "the enemy, with their usual spirit of vandalism, took revenge for the loss of their boat by burning all the public and private buildings in Clarendon which were not protected by my sharpshooters." The gunboats continued to patrol the river until dark. From rifle pits and breastworks Shelby's men tried to defend, but were greatly outnumbered. When Gen. Carr arrived with a force of about 4,000 men on transports, escorted by the Tyler, they landed and drove Shelby's forces out of town, with the shells from the gunboats as cover. The Federal forces pursued Shelby's brigade by way of the Military Road for about 30 miles. Gen. Carr reported finding a 24 pound howtzer abandoned in the woods about 7 miles from Clarendon.

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