Capture of Island No. 10

General John Pope, after taking New Madrid, was determined to take Island 10, the only Confederate strong-hold left on that part of the Mississippi River. However, Pope's army was on the western side of the river and he needed protection for his troop transports so he could cross to the eastern side and so be able to attack Island 10.

Commodore Andrew Foote, meanwhile, had his fleet of ironclads and mortar rafts moored on the upstream side of the island, from whence he continued to lob shells at the Confederate stronghold. Foote was reluctant to try to run his ships by the heavily gunned Confederate position in order to provide Foote with the protection he needed. Finally, Captain Walke volunteered to try to run the gauntlet at night in his ship the Carondelet, which he did on April 4th; a second iron clad followed two night later and Pope had his protection to ferry his troops to the opposite shore. Almost immediately, the Confederates on Island 10 surrendered, leading to the capture of thousands of soldiers and much ordnance and ammunition. This gave the Union control of the Mississippi as far south as Memphis. This Federal victory also made John Pope a new hero in the North.

"Bombardment of Island 'Number Ten' in the Mississippi River." New York: Currier & Ives, 1862. 8 x 12 1/2. Lithograph. Original hand color. A few repaired tears in wide margins. C:598.

A dramatic and colorful image of Foote's fleet of ironclads and mortar rafts bombarding Island No. 10 from upstream. This patriotic print would have stirred the hearts of those in the north, graphically demonstrating the superior firepower of their navy. $600

J. Hamilton. "The 'Carondelet' Running the Gauntlet at Island No. 10." From Samuel M. Schmucker's The History of the Civil War in the United States. Philadelphia: Jones Bros. & Co. and Chicago: Zeigler, McCurdy & Co, 1865. Mezzotint by Samuel Sartain. On sheet 6 1/2 x 9 3/4.

An unusual and dramatic image of the Carondelet steaming past the Confederate position on Island No. 10 in the middle of the night, during a thunderstorm. $125

C. Parsons. "Bombardment of Island No. 10. Gun and Mortar Boats on the Mississippi. Engaging the Forts & Batteries on the Island & Mainland." From The Great Rebellion. Connecticut: Hurlburt, Williams, & Co., 1862. 4 1/4 x 7 3/8. Steel engraving.

A view of Foote's bombardment of Island No. 10, clearly showing the ironclads and mortar rafts. The image is very similar to a Currier & Ives print of the same scene (cf. above), so it is likely either Parsons copied from the lithograph or vice versa. $75

Prints from Harper's Weekly

"Birds-Eye View of the Attack on the Rebel Batteries On and Near Island Number Ten, By Commodore Foote's Flotilla." From Harper's Weekly. New York, April 5, 1862. 9 x 13 3/4. $45
Alexander Simplot. "Bombardment of Island Number Ten by the Mortar Fleet, March 16, 1862." From Harper's Weekly. New York, April 5, 1862. 9 x 13 3/4. $40
"Birds-Eye View of the Course of the Mississippi, and the Seat of War in Tennessee and the Vicinity." From Harper's Weekly. New York, April 5, 1862. 9 1/8 x 13 3/4. $40
"Major-General Pope," "Commodore Foote," Alexander Simplot. "The Gun-Boat 'Carondelet' Running the Rebel Batteries at Island No.10," and Alexander Simplot. "Spiking the Guns in the Upper Rebel Battery at Island No. 10." From Harper's Weekly. New York, April 26, 1862. Full page, 14 1/4 x 9 1/2. $40
Alexander Simplot. "View of the Steamers Sunk By the Rebels Between Island Number Ten and New Madrid" and "Island Number Ten After the Surrender." From Harper's Weekly. New York, May 3, 1862. 9 x 13 3/4. $35

Rebel Fortifications on Mississippi River at Island No. 10 and New Madrid / Rebel Position at Centreville, March 14th, 1862 plus 8 smaller maps. From the U.S. War Department's Atlas to Accompany the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Washington: Gov't. Printing Office, 1891-95. Lithographed map, with some highlight color. Double folio size. NB: The maps from this atlas are printed on brittle paper, so there may be short tears in this map.

Richard Stephenson has written, "This is the most detailed atlas yet published on the Civil War. It consists of reproductions of maps compiled by both Union and Confederate soldiers." [Stephenson, Civil War Maps, p 99.] The maps show many of the events of the Civil War with great detail, including topography, troop placements and movements, and other information of interest. These are the best near contemporary maps available of many of these battles, sieges, and other events of this conflict. $75
Go to page with other maps from this atlas

Place Order

Return to April 1862

Go to listing of more prints related to the events of 1862.

Spacer Spacer Spacer

For more information call, write, fax or e-mail to:

The Philadelphia Print Shop, Ltd.
8441 Germantown Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19118 USA
(215) 242-4750 [Phone]
(215) 242-6977 [Fax]
PhilaPrint@PhilaPrintShop.com