Knowing that two wood battleships, the ironclad HMS Achilles, and two wood frigates were in Halifax; Dahlgren assigned the twin-turreted monitors USS Towanda and USS Sangamon, plus three frigates as a blockading force. The senior officer, Captain James Lawrence, became Commodore of this task force. USS Towanda became his flagship.
Admiral David Peale aboard his flagship HMS Warrior was encouraged. The trailing United States Navy fleet was several hours behind and his helmsman estimated Halifax was 100 miles due north. He had a favorable wind and should make landfall before the end of the day. He reminisced about his close call off Bermuda and lamented the loss of four ships, particularly HMS Hector. Captain Jacobson was a protégé and had once served under him as a junior lieutenant. He also wondered at HMS Hector’s fate. She was a 32 gun ironclad frigate. What could have destroyed her so quickly?
Admiral Peale had his musing was interrupted by the masthead lookout who relayed a message reported from the picket ships Enemy in Sight. The flag captain Henry Boys sent a midshipman aloft to verify the signals. The midshipman reported both picket ships were giving the same signal. Captain Boys hoisted the signal flags “Investigate” and instructed the midshipman to stay aloft to determine what type of ships. Within an hour the midshipman had confirmed three Yankee built frigates, four sloops of war and an unknown number of steam only ships, probably ironclads. Admiral Peale ordered his battleships to form a line of battle and the frigates, led by HMS Valiant to shepherd the troop ships on a northeasterly course, then loop around to sail to Halifax.
USS Quinsigamond
Admiral Dahlgren stood on the wing bridge above the amidships superstructure, and with binoculars viewed the Royal Navy Disposition with satisfaction. He turned to his Flag Captain Joshua Glynn and said: “The British Admiral seems to be dividing his fleet, forcing a showdown with us with his battleships, while sending the troop ships and escorts on a tangent to loop around the battle. Signal the frigate and sloop of war captains to intercept the secondary force. For us, sound battle stations and make full speed ahead towards their battle line.”
The two fleets closed upon each other at a combined speed of 25 knots. Dahlgren had requested notification when the fleets were 8 miles apart. Several minutes later the helmsman reported the distance. Dahlgren nodded to Captain Glynn who spoke into the speaking tube connected to the forward turret and ordered a ranging shot. One of the 10-inch rifled guns elevated 15 degrees and fired, the second gun also elevated and fired 10 seconds later.
Admiral Peale aboard his flagship HMS Warrior was the lead ship of the Royal Navy battle line consisting of the ironclad battleships HMS Prince Consort, HMS Royal Oak, HMS Caledonia, HMS Agincourt and HMS Royal Alfred. He was discussing strategy with Captain Boys when they heard a high-pitched whistling sound, then a muffled explosion when a geyser erupted two hundred yards forward. Stunned, they looked at each other in wonder, when the second shell screamed in sending a geyser 75 yards to starboard.
In a moment of clarity, Admiral Peale knew what had happened to HMS Hector. Looking at Captain Boys, he said: “The United States has developed and equipped their ships with long guns. Our Naval Office only has them in early development.”
Calling over to the Helmsman he said: “Mr. Roberts what is the distance between our fleet and the Americans.”
Checking his sextant, the helmsman replied: “Seven miles, Sir.”
Looking at Captain Boys Admiral Peale muttered: “God help us, we must close with them quickly, or face destruction.”
Admiral Dahlgren, receiving the gunnery report from the masthead lookout signaled for USS Kalamazoo, USS Passaconamy, and USS Shackamaxon to join USS Quinsigamond in a line abreast formation. The four ironclads fired their forward turrets simultaneously. Splashes from near misses erupt along the Royal Navy battle line. Being broadside battleships and out of range for their guns, Admiral Peale’s fleet can only hope to survive long enough to get close enough to join the battle.
As the range between the fleets began to close, hits were scored all along the Royal Navy battle line. Quickly battle damage began to increase, and the Royal Navy was still 3 miles from the engagement zone but was closing fast. Admiral Dahlgren ordered a change, of course, to bring his fleet to a parallel course 3 miles to the west of the Royal Navy fleet, and USS Weehawken and USS Miantonoth joined the battle line. The twin turrets of the six ironclads switched to the broadside position. The newly obsolescent 20-inch rifled Dahlgren cannons of USS Weehawken and USS Miantonoth had a maximum range of 3.5 miles and were now in range.
The Royal Navy battleships 68-pound cannons roared in a thunderous broadside. Geysers of water and impacts of cannon balls and explosive shot were felt all across the United States Navy battle line. The sloped 10 to 15-inch iron plate deflected all the impacts, then the sixteen 10 inch rifled long guns fired, followed by the eight 20 inches rifled Dahlgren cannons. The long guns shells impacted with four times the velocity of a standard cannon shell. By the second salvo, the impacts blasted through the 6-inch armor plate exploding within the Royal Navy ships. The 20-inch Dahlgren shells added to the damage.
Twenty minutes into the battle the once magnificent HMS Warrior called the Queen of the Fleet was the first to falter. After being struck more than twenty times, an explosive shell struck the middle of the main mast which toppled over the side. She was losing steam pressure from punctures in the boilers and fell out of line.
USS Miantonoth closed in for the kill. At a range of 2 hundred yards, the four gun salvo from USS Miantonoth blasted through HMS Warrior’s damaged port side, exploding within. Reloading the guns, USS Miantonoth crossed the Warrior’s stern with the turrets firing in sequence. The shells blasted through with the first two exploding amidships and the last two exploding in the forward gun deck. Fires erupted everywhere, and HMS Warrior was devastated, taking on water and was out of the fight. USS Miantonoth positioned herself for a pass down Warrior’s starboard side when Captain Boys struck her flag. Admiral Peale, who was seriously wounded, was taken below to the surgeons.
The other Royal Navy ironclad battleships HMS Prince Consort, HMS Royal Oak, HMS Caledonia, HMS Agincourt and HMS Royal Alfred were taking substantial damage. Their 6-inch armor would have been barely adequate protection against the Dahlgren cannons, but was inadequate against the 10-inch long guns, particularly when fired at close range. On the other hand, the United States Navy ironclad’s 10 – 15 inch sloped armor, deflected most of the hits by the Royal Navy Battleships. The battle soon dissolved in a ship to ship melee. The United States Navy ships closed in to take advantage of superior firepower.
A sudden rain squall descended onto the battle. Winds increased to over 30mph and seas rose with 6 to 8-foot waves. A stinging rain fell in sheets, obscuring vision to less than ¼ mile. Taking advantage of the storm, HMS Agincourt and HMS Royal Alfred attempted to break out. They tacked off to the south and were successful in making their escape.
HMS Royal Alfred
Within an hour the weather had cleared, but the warships were scattered. Individual ship captains ordered repairs and prepared to maneuver to rejoin the battle. Then a distant rumbling of cannon fire was heard. Masthead lookouts reported that HMS Agincourt and HMS Royal Alfred had reappeared over the horizon.
Both had reversed course and were under pursuit by Admiral Porter’s fleet, which was approaching on a tangential course. Admiral Porter was in the pilot house with Captain Decatur. He had a look of grim satisfaction. He had the Royal Navy fleet trapped between the hammer and the anvil. His determination was that none would escape. He looked over at Captain Decatur and said: “Stephen, you may fire when ready.”
USS Agamenticus fired ranging shots at HMS Royal Alfred with its long guns. Geysers of water spouts from near misses erupted around Royal Alfred. Soon hits from plunging shells hit HMS Royal Alfred, punching through the three-inch iron armor which was under the 12-inch wood deck planking. Exploding shells showered shrapnel across the gun deck killing or wounding scores o
f sailors in the crowded space. Royal Alfred’s captain ordered a reverse course to bring her guns into action. Royal Alfred fired a broadside, but the shells ricocheted off USS Agamenticus armor. More shells hit HMS Royal Alfred in rapid succession rupturing the boilers, which vented steam, shutting off power to the engines. As Royal Alfred slowed, four more shells hit, one hitting the magazine, which turned Royal Alfred into an exploding fireball. USS Agamenticus, at full speed, steamed through the wreckage.
USS Agamenticus next targeted HMS Agincourt, with water geysers from near misses showering Agincourt’s crew with water and metal splinters. HMS Agincourt’s Captain James Hurley, knowing he had no chance to escape ordered his helmsman to come about to close the range for a straight up fight.
At a distance of 2 miles, both ships opened fire. HMS Agincourt fired its 14 gun broadside consisting of two, 9-inch rifled muzzle loading guns and twelve, 7-inch muzzle loaders. The shells of the 9-inch guns were designed to penetrate up to eleven inches of armor and the 7-inch guns up to eight inches of armor. The designers had not taken sloped armor into consideration and much to Captain Hurley’s consternation he saw his hits ricochet off.
USS Agamenticus fired with both turrets simultaneously. The 10-inch shells tore through the 5.5-inch armor protecting HMS Agincourt and exploded between the main and lower gun decks decimating gun crews with wood splinters and metal shrapnel. Before HMS Agincourt could respond, another salvo from USS Agamenticus smashed into the fo’cs’le, dismounting two 7-inch guns, killing the crews and starting fires. Agincourt replied with a ragged broadside, however again the shells ricocheted off. The third salvo from Agamenticus struck the forward section of Agincourt’s quarter deck dismounting one of the 9-inch cannons, with the explosion blowing Captain Hurley against the bulwark. With a nine-inch wood splinter protruding from his chest, Captain Hurley’s last words were “Strike the colors” then coughing up blood he died. A nearby Marine Lieutenant hesitated with indecision, then looked around calling for the First Officer. A Midshipman pointed down to the main gun deck, and the Marine lieutenant saw the First Officer lying in a pool of blood. Agamenticus fired again, and Agincourt shuddered as explosions dismounted three more guns, slaughtering the crews and igniting more fires. Taking the responsibility upon himself, the Marine officer struck the colors.
To put a stop to the carnage, junior officers were yelling cease fire, cease fire!! With the Union Jack struck and HMS Agincourt’s guns silent, USS Agamenticus steered close alongside and sent a boarding party of sailors and Marines, led by Commander Prentiss to take control of HMS Agincourt. Dejected, as Commander Prentiss came aboard, the Marine officer surrendered his sword. Prentiss accepted the surrender, then ordered the British officer to concentrate on fighting the fires which if left unchecked would consume the ship. Prentiss handed a Stars & Stripes to a Marine sergeant and ordered him to raise it to the main top. Marines stood guard at the hatches as Prentiss’ helmsman steered Agincourt out of the battle.
The naval battle continued. USS Miantonoth, which already had a prize crew aboard HMS Warrior was ordered by Admiral Dahlgren to join the pursuit of the troop ships and their escorts. Admiral Porter observing that Admiral Dahlgren had this phase of the battle under control ordered USS Stonewall, USS Puritan, and USS Dictator to follow USS Agamenticus into the pursuit of the escaping Royal Navy ships. Even though outnumbered and cut off from escape, the captains of HMS Prince Consort, HMS Royal Oak, and HMS Caledonia fought on. The longer they kept the United States naval forces occupied, the better chance for the troop ships to reach Halifax.
Captain Louis Simms of HMS Valiant was shepherding the troop ships to Halifax. The rain squall obscured the battle, but also hopefully concealed their separation from the main fleet. Then from the main top lookout came the warning Enemy in Sight. Sims sent a Midshipman aloft to determine the number and type of ships. Minutes later the Midshipman called back: “Three frigates and four sloops of war.” Captain Simms felt relieved and said to his First Officer: “Well at least it will be an even fight and none of the Yankee frigates are ironclads.” Simms signaled two of the sloops of war and the troop ships to continue course to Halifax. He then ordered the 38 gun frigates HMS Galatea, HMS Portsmouth and the other two sloops to come about and engage the American frigates.
The lead United States Navy frigate USS Worchester mounted 44 guns including sixteen 32 pounders to a side on the lower gun deck. She also had twelve 15-inch Parrot Rifles on circular pivot tracks on the main deck, six to a side. Captain Buckhannon led his two sister ships USS Springfield and USS Natick, and four sloops of war in pursuit of the troop ships and Royal Navy escorts. His masthead lookout identified the lead Royal Navy frigate as a Hector Class ironclad, followed by two other steam frigates and two sloops of war.
Captain Buckhannon ordered his frigates in a line abreast formation and positioned the two forward Parrot Rifles, which out-ranged the Royal Navy 68-pounders aimed front as bow chasers. The six guns each fired an explosive shot in unison, with geysers of water erupting all around HMS Valiant. The next six-gun salvo registered two hits, one ricocheting off the forward armor plate and the second exploded on the side, shattering a section of the plate. A third salvo was fired, registering two hits on opposite sides of the main gun deck and plunging into the lower gun deck before exploding. Wood splinters and shrapnel from those hits knocked two guns out of action by killing the gun crews.
Buckhannon then signaled USS Springfield and USS Natick into a line of battle, with the four sloops of war on the wings to the rear, two on either side. That formation would allow the sloops to attack simultaneously or to render aid as required.
Just before engagement range, the main top look out on HMS Valiant shouted down that more United States vessels were visible on the horizon. The midshipman went back a loft with a glass, then reported the additional vessels were ironclads. Captain Simms signaled his two sloops to reverse course and defend the troop ships. He decided that HMS Valiant and the other two frigates would fight a delaying action.
USS Worchester led the US Navy line of battle. Captain Buckhannon, taking advantage of the longer range of the Parrot rifles elected to fire from a distance. The Royal Navy had originally armored their vessels with 4 ½ inches of iron plate, which was sufficient to repel the 11-inch Dahlgren cannons commonly in place on US Navy vessels. USS Worchester’s armaments on the main gun deck had an effective 12-gun broadside from the 15-inch Parrot rifles; as the port side guns could be swiveled to face starboard.
USS Worchester’s broadside thundered. Several geysers erupted at HMS Valiant’s side, three hits were deflected by the armor, but four exploded and shattered sections of Valiant’s armor plate. The 32 pounders fired at maximum elevation, hoping to hit weak spots in the armor. Most of the 32 pound balls bounced off, but four found the weakened armor and punched through showering HMS Valiant’s gun crews with splinters, wounding or killing several of the gunners.
Valiant’s broadside consisted of fourteen 7-inch rifled cannons on the lower deck and four 68-pound smooth bores on the main deck. The 68 pounders also were on pivoting mounts. Damage to USS Worchester was severe, with the crews of two of the 32 pounders decimated and one of the gun crews of the Parrot rifles killed by an exploding shell.
USS Worchester’s second broadside thundered with the explosive shells from the Parrot rifles blasting holes in the armor weakened by the first broadside. The 32-pounders fired seconds after the Parrot rifles striking damaged or missing plates. The combined effect killed or wounded a dozen more Royal Navy gun crew.
HMS Valiant’s second broadside smashed into USS Worchester, disabling two more 32 pounders, and showering the gun crews with splinters.
Both HMS Valiant and USS Worchester moved on to their second opponents. The battle continued this way for the next hour, at which time SS Worchester and HMS Valiant suffered serious damage.
USS Natick, the least damaged of the United States Navy ships was dueling with HMS Valiant, staying at a distance
where the longer range Parrot rifles allowed it to maintain an advantage.
Admiral Porter’s ironclads steamed into view. Captain Simms realizing that he could do no more and that continued resistance would only result in the deaths of more of his sailors struck his flag. The other two heavily damaged Royal Navy frigates also struck. Admiral Porter detached USS Dictator as support for the US Navy frigates, then steamed on towards Halifax.
Chapter 10
May 26, 1868 - Halifax:
The sound of cannon fire reverberated all the way to Halifax. Observers on top of the Halifax lighthouse could see the naval battle, but it was too far away for details to be evident. Captain Vansittart, using his telescope saw what looked to be troop ships and escorts escaping the fight. He had the light keeper ring the alarm bells, then rode his horse back to the anchorage.
Previously, as the senior naval officer, he had ordered all the warships to have their boilers fired up to be prepared to sally out of the harbor. The tide was beginning to ebb when HMS Achilles led the Royal Navy squadron out of Halifax Harbor. Following behind were the 74 gun wood Battleships HMS Vigilant and HMS Euphrates. The frigates included HMS Isis, HMS Emerald, and HMS Narcissus.
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