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USS ''Cairo'' was one of the first ironclad warships in America, built for the Union Navy at the beginning of the civil war. ''Cairo'' was the lead ship of the City-class gunboats, and named for Cairo, Illinois. In June 1862, she captured the Confederate garrison of Fort Pillow on the Mississippi, enabling Union forces to occupy Memphis. As part of the Yazoo Pass Expedition, she was sunk on 12 December 1862 while clearing mines for the attack on Haines Bluff, the first ship ever to be sunk by a mine remotely detonated by hand. The hulk of the ''Cairo'' can be viewed at Vicksburg National Military Park, together with a museum of its weapons and naval stores. ==Service in the American Civil War== ''Cairo'' was built in 1861 by James Eads and Co., Mound City, Illinois, under contract to the United States Department of War. She was commissioned as part of the Union Army's Western Gunboat Flotilla,〔The Western Gunboat Flotilla was a unique "joint service" organization. The gunboats were built using funds from the War Department, were manned by Navy personnel, and were under the ultimate command of the U.S. Army theater commander.〕 U.S. Navy Lieutenant James M. Prichett in command. ''Cairo'' served with the Army's Western Gunboat Flotilla, commanded by Flag Officer Andrew Hull Foote, on the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers and their tributaries until transferred to the Navy 1 October 1862 with the other river gunboats. Active in the occupation of Clarksville, Tennessee, 17 February 1862, and of Nashville, Tennessee, 25 February, ''Cairo'' stood down the river 12 April escorting bomb vessels to begin the lengthy operations against Fort Pillow. An engagement with Confederate gunboats at Plum Point Bend on 11 May marked a series of blockading and bombardment activities which culminated in the abandonment of the Fort by its defenders on 4 June. Two days later, 6 June 1862, ''Cairo'' joined in the triumph of seven Union ships and a tug over eight Confederate gunboats off Memphis, Tennessee, an action in which five of the opposing gunboats were sunk or run ashore, two seriously damaged, and only one managed to escape. That night Union forces occupied the city. ''Cairo'' returned to patrol on the Mississippi until 21 November when she joined the Yazoo Pass Expedition. On 12 December 1862, while clearing mines from the river preparatory to the attack on Haines Bluff, Mississippi, ''Cairo'' struck a "torpedo" (naval mine) detonated by volunteers hidden behind the river bank and sank in 12 minutes; there were no casualties.〔(Gunboats on the Mississippi )〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「USS Cairo」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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