The Avenging Fire of the Gunboat

The Avenging Fire of the Gunboat (HM21F9)

Location: Helena-West Helena, AR 72342 Phillips County
Country: United States of America
Buy United States of America flags at Flagstore.com!

N 34° 31.571', W 90° 35.798'

  • 0 likes
  • 0 check ins
  • 0 favorites
  • 265 views
Inscription
The gunboat U.S.S. Tyler gave the Union defenders a decided advantage in the
Battle of Helena. Her captain could move the gunboat and its heavy artillery
where it was needed most, and that is exactly what he did.

Pritchett Exploits the Tyler's Impressive Firepower
The U.S.S. Tyler arrived in Helena on July 2, 1863. When the battle
opened along the lower Little Rock Road south of Battery C two days
later, the Tyler's big guns silenced the Confederate artillery firing on
the Union troops east of Battery D.

As the battle raged, Lieutenant Commander James M. Pritchett moved the Tyler up and down the Mississippi, to wherever she could be most useful. When the Confederates captured Battery C, the gunboat turned her impressive firepower on the gray-clad soldiers on the ridge. When the Confederates ran down
Graveyard Hill to attack Fort Curtis, Pritchett redirected the Tyler's fire.

The Tyler's Fire is Awful in its Effect
A Union naval officer recalled the gruesome result. "The slaughter of the
enemy at times was terrible, and all unite in describing the horrors of that
hillside, and the ravines after the battle, as baffling description, the killed
literally torn to pieces by shell, and the
avenging fire of the gunboat..."

When the Confederates attacking Fort Curtis fell back, the Tyler again
turned her guns on Battery C. The Confederate offensive broke and the
Union troops regained the battery in no small part due to the Tyler's
support. The Secretary of the Navy, Gideon Wells, later presented a
commendation to Lieutenant Commander Pritchett for his actions during
the Battle of Helena.

[Inset quote]
"The slaughter of the enemy at times was terrible, and
all unite in describing the horrors of that hillside, and
the ravines after the battle, as baffling description..."

[Photo caption]
Lieutenant Commander James M. Pritchett
Details
HM NumberHM21F9
Tags
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Monday, September 4th, 2017 at 10:01pm PDT -07:00
Pictures
Sorry, but we don't have a picture of this historical marker yet. If you have a picture, please share it with us. It's simple to do. 1) Become a member. 2) Adopt this historical marker listing. 3) Upload the picture.
Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)15S E 720591 N 3823123
Decimal Degrees34.52618333, -90.59663333
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 34° 31.571', W 90° 35.798'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds34° 31' 34.26" N, 90° 35' 47.88" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)870
Closest Postal AddressAt or near 1201-1299 Yorkshire Dr, Helena-West Helena AR 72342, US
Alternative Maps Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap

Is this marker missing? Are the coordinates wrong? Do you have additional information that you would like to share with us? If so, check in.

Check Ins  check in   |    all

Have you seen this marker? If so, check in and tell us about it.

Comments 0 comments

Maintenance Issues
  1. Is this marker part of a series?
  2. What historical period does the marker represent?
  3. What historical place does the marker represent?
  4. What type of marker is it?
  5. What class is the marker?
  6. What style is the marker?
  7. Does the marker have a number?
  8. What year was the marker erected?
  9. Who or what organization placed the marker?
  10. This marker needs at least one picture.
  11. Can this marker be seen from the road?
  12. Is the marker in the median?