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USS Cairo Engine and Boilers
Society: ASMEMain Category: MechanicalSub Category: Water TransportationEra: 1860-1869DateCreated: 1862 National BattlefieldVicksburgState: MSZip: 39183Country: USAWebsite: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/history/landmarks/topics-m-z/water-transportation/-143-uss-cairo-engine-and-boilers-%281862%29Creator: Pook, Samuel , Eads, James

The Cairo is the sole survivor of the fleet of river gunboats built by the Union during the Civil War with the object of controlling the lower Mississippi River. Designed by Samuel Pook and built by James B. Eads, it saw limited battle and was sunk on the Yazoo River in 1862 by newly developed electronically detonated mines, becoming the first craft ever sunk by this predecessor to torpedo technology. The 175-foot ironclad vessel had 13 guns.

Image Credit: Courtesy Flickr/James Case (CC BY 2.0)Image Caption: USS Cairo Engine and BoilersEra_date_from: 1862
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USS Cairo Engine and Boilers

The Cairo is the sole survivor of the fleet of river gunboats built by the Union during the Civil War with the object of controlling the lower Mississippi River. Designed by Samuel Pook and built by James B. Eads, it saw limited battle and was sunk on the Yazoo River in 1862 by newly developed…

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