WI a Union major defeat in Charleston Bay 1863

[David S Poepoe]

I'm just in the final pages of Howard Fuller's Clad in Iron - The American Civil War and the Challenge of British Naval Power which has proven an interesting read. Much of the work deals with the construction of the Union monitors and their impact upon British naval ideas up to and immediately following the Battle of Hampton Roads.

There is a very good chapter on the Du Pont's attack on Charleston. I've been wondering what would be the repercussions if the monitors had forged on into the bay and eventually became caught there. At their best they have a speed equal to the incoming and outgoing tides and not enough ammunition to even begin to batter Charleston to submission.

Its likely that Du Pont's wooden ships would have risked the gauntlet, but the monitors also took damage. USS Keokuk eventually sank from extensive damage without even entering the bay. Granted the monitors received much of their pounding when they clumped together and virtually came to a stop.

Would the reprecussions of the loss of seven monitors (either by damage, surrender or scuttling) cost Secretary of the Navy Welles his position and Ericsson his standing with the US Navy?

 

[LightInfa]

If the monitors penetrate that far, I assume they'll have to fight the Chicora and Palmetto State as well. I'm not exactly sure if that will change the circumstances of your scenario, although depending on how much ammunition the monitors have left, they may be able to significantly damage those ironclads (although that means that they probably won't be able to do anything to Charleston then).

 

[Douglas]

I think it's very unlikely that all of the monitors get sunk. Keokuk was an inferior design, which is why she ended up going down. The defeat might cause Welles to get sacked, though he didn't in OTL because everyone realized just how ineffective the monitors were for offensive work. Presumably the same lesson will be learned here, just with a lot more emphasis.

If for some reason all of the monitors do get sunk, that leads to some moderately interesting results, as those ships obviously can't participate in actions they did during the rest of the war in OTL. A few more blockade runners will get through, but in addition:

Weehawken, and, indeed, all of the ironclads present at the bombardment that reduced Fort Sumter a few weeks after Charleston won't exist to carry out that operation. Less work required for Ft. Sumter's historical restoration, perhaps.

Passaic won't survive the war, and the US needs to recommission a different monitor or detach a more valuable unit to guard Key West during the Spanish-American War.

Montauk is the same as Passaic, except her replacement will guard Portland, ME.

Patapsco won't be able to cover Wilmington in 1864 and 1865, and won't get to strike a mine near Charleston. Not too much difference here.

Catskill will, like two other above, require a replacement to guard against a possible Spanish foray against New England.

Nantucket won't be there to guard Port Royal, SC against a Spanish descent, and will require replacement.

Nahant won't be able to guard New York City, and, again, will require a replacement.

* * *

In sum, more blockade runners will get through, perhaps changing a few ACW battles in slight ways that would be hard to recognize. The interesting effects, IMO, are when the Spanish-American War begins (assuming it isn't butterflied too badly), as the US will be required to pull front-line units away from Cuba to defend its ports to the satisfaction of local politicians.

 

[David S Poepoe]

I left out the Chicora and Palmetto State, because they had not done much damage when they attacked Du Pont's forces before the assault. They could serve better as rams should they attack any disabled monitors. This could be a 'Battle of Mobile Bay' in reverse.

 

[Blair152]

I'm just in the final pages of Howard Fuller's Clad in Iron - The American Civil War and the Challenge of British Naval Power which has proven an interesting read. Much of the work deals with the construction of the Union monitors and their impact upon British naval ideas up to and immediately following the Battle of Hampton Roads.

There is a very good chapter on the Du Pont's attack on Charleston. I've been wondering what would be the repercussions if the monitors had forged on into the bay and eventually became caught there. At their best they have a speed equal to the incoming and outgoing tides and not enough ammunition to even begin to batter Charleston to submission.

Its likely that Du Pont's wooden ships would have risked the gauntlet, but the monitors also took damage. USS Keokuk eventually sank from extensive damage without even entering the bay. Granted the monitors received much of their pounding when they clumped together and virtually came to a stop.

Would the reprecussions of the loss of seven monitors (either by damage, surrender or scuttling) cost Secretary of the Navy Welles his position and Ericsson his standing with the US Navy?

Frankly, I don't know. I'm not a Civil War buff. However, if you want another book on the subject, you can read James L. Nelson's Age of Iron.

 

[David S Poepoe]

I'm of the opinion that the defeat at Charleston, would not just cost Welles his cabinet post, but also may cut short the entire monitor program. There would also be a loss of morale national since the monitors were believed to be the great check to British seapower.

Ericsson may find himself entirely on the defensive or even tossed out. The professional naval engineers, such as Isherwood, may be finally allowed to build the type of ship that they felt was right. The USS New Ironsides was probably the most successful ironclad that saw service during the Civil War, so its possible that we may see more of them.

There are greater repercussions than what Douglas is suggesting. I will ignore the likelihood of a successful secession, but will consider that the loss of the monitors (to any number of events in Charleston Bay) would embolden - to a degree - British intervention, but that would still be too slight to consider it probable.

 

[robertp6165]

I think the most interesting part of this scenario is the possibility that the Confederates might capture some of the monitors...assuming they get trapped in the harbor and can't get back out. If that happens, in all likelihood the blockade of Charleston will be broken, and will stay broken right down to the end of the war, or until Sherman takes Charleston from the landward side in 1865 as per OTL. The South now has an open port through which it can bring in supplies at will, which could have all sorts of repercussions.