Military
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On May 15, 1862, when Federal gunboats rounded a bend in the James River, they came under intense fire from Confederate soldiers and Marines along the riverbanks and from Confederate guns in the fort at Drewry’s Bluff. River obstructions made of sunken ships and stone cribs prevented the USS Galena from passing, forcing it to swing broadside in the channel to fire at the bluff. For four hours, the Galena and its crew endured relentless bombardment from Confederate gunners before retreating downriver. Of the 164 officers and men aboard, 27 were killed or wounded, while Southern forces suffered 15 casualties. The effort to take Richmond by river failed, and the U.S. Navy never again challenged the guns of Drewry’s Bluff.
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Virginia · United States
