May 15, 1862

May 15, 1862: Eastern Theater, Peninsula Campaign - THE BATTLE OF DREWRY’S BLUFF, Virginia. (Naval action) After the scuttling of the CSS Virginia, the heavy guns and naval gunners from that ship are transferred to Fort Darling at Drewry’s Bluff on the James River, a place where the river narrows and makes a dog-leg turn. Nearer the waterline, trenches and rifle pits are built to hold sharpshooters. Anchored at the crook in the bend was the CSS Patrick Henry, armed with heavy guns. These defenses have been also bolstered by Brig. Gen. William Mahone and his army brigade, plus a large contingent of C.S. Marines. The fortifications are all commanded by CSN officer Commander Ebenezer Ferrand. On this date, a Federal flotilla under the command of Commander John Rodgers steams up the James River to bombard the shore defenses at a narrow bend topped by Fort Darling and other fortifications on the bluffs, in order to open the way to Richmond. Included in the Federal flotilla were the USS Galena, Monitor, Naugatuck, Aroostook, and Port Royal, the latter three being wooden vessels. The Galena drops anchor in an exposed position and begins pounding the Rebel positions with her guns. 

USS Galena, somewhat battered after the battle.

The Monitor attempts to assist, but finds that she cannot elevate her guns high enough to hit the Confederate gun emplacements on the bluff, so she drops downstream and fires from long range. Rodgers soon discovers that the Galena’s armor is not shot-proof from the plunging fire of the Confederate guns. The Patrick Henry sends an 8-inch shot through Galena’s bow, and shots from above pierce the armor and cause many casualties under decks. During the fighting, U.S. Marines on the ships keep up a steady fire on the sharpshooters ashore. 

U.S. Marines on the Galena firing on Rebel sharpshooters on shore.

However—Galena is hit 44 times, and 18 of those pierce her hull. The badly battered Union Navy drops downstream in defeat.

Confederate Victory.

Confederate gun emplacement at Drewry's Bluff

—John Beauchamp Jones of the C.S. War Department in Richmond notes the battle in his journal:
Our marksmen will keep up an incessant fire into the port-holes of the gun-boats; and if it be at all practicable, we will board them. So hope is by no means extinct. But it is apprehended, if the enemy get within shelling distance of the city, there will be an attack along our lines by McClellan. We must beat him there, as we could never save our guns, stores, etc. retreating across the river. And we will beat him, for we have 80,000 men, and more are coming.

Joyful tidings! the gun-boats have been repulsed! A heavy shot from one of our batteries ranged through the Galena from stem to stern, making frightful slaughter, and disabling the ship; and the whole fleet turned about and steamed down the river! We have not lost a dozen men. We breathe freely; and the government will lose no time in completing the obstructions and strengthening the batteries.
　
—The continued insults and abuse of Federal officers and troops by the women of New Orleans culminate in a lady dumping the contents of her chamber pot on the head of Admiral Farragut as he walked by. In response, Gen. Butler issues the infamous "woman order":

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF, No. 28.
New Orleans, May 15, 1862.
As the officers and soldiers of the United States have been subject to repeated insults from the woman (calling themselves ladies) of New Orleans in return for the most scrupulous non-interference and courtesy on our part, it is ordered that hereafter when any female shall by word, gesture, or movement insult or show contempt for any officer or soldier of the United States she shall be regarded and held liable to be treated as a woman of the town plying her avocation.
By command of Major-General Butler:

—Kate S. Carney, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, in her diary gives some brief vignettes of life in Union-occupied Tennessee, including this one:
Three Yanks were passing by trying to get some flowers from over the fence, when Ma went out and gave them some & they came in the house, & Pa treated them. Bettie & I were upstairs in the hall, and was much amused at what they had to say, as we could hear their conversation from below. Two of the scamps came again tonight to call on Pa.

—Surgeon Alfred L. Castleman, with the Army of the Potomac on the James Peninsula, writes in his journal about the soldiers’ impatience at the delay’s in McClellans’ campaign:
15th.—A raw unpleasant day. Hard rain, with east wind. We do not march, and in consequence of the heavy rain we may be compelled to remain here several days. The enemy is in force on the Chickahominy, and the two armies are gathering their hosts within ten or fifteen miles of each other, probably for a final struggle. The crisis approaches, and how the army pants for the time when they are to try conclusions! It was much worn out by the long delay at Camp Griffin. The detention at Warwick Creek was by no means refreshing, and now they naturally feel that every day’s delay is irksome.

—George Templeton Strong, a New York lawyer and a governing member of the U.S. Sanitary Commission, while on a visit to Washington, records in his journal some of his frustrations at the political delays in effecting true medical reform in the Army:

After dinner came in [Dr. Samuel] Bellows fresh from a row with the Secretary of War about appointments under the Medical Reform Bill, in which Stanton was petulant and insolent and then emollient and apologetic. Bellows thinks he has some cerebral disease.