Taking On The Blockading Ships

With the help of a thick fog, on January 31^st 1863 two Confederate ironclads the CSS Chicora and CSS Palmetto State made an attack on the Union blockading ships in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina.

On January 31^st 1863, in a thick predawn fog, the CSS Chicora and CSS Palmetto State; both ironclads, attacked the blockading force of unarmored Union ships stationed just outside of Charleston Harbor.  Using her ram and guns the Palmetto made the USS Mercedita surrender and disabled the USS Keystone State.  While this was going on the Chicora took on the other Unions ships with long range artillery.

Following this duel the two Confederate ships laid anchor safely back in the Charleston Harbor.