Editing CSS Arkansas (section)

===Under the Vicksburg bluffs===
[[File:GunboatArkansasIllustrNewYorkTribune07311862.jpg|thumb|upright=1.0|''Arkansas'', as the vessel appeared to readers of the [[New York Tribune]], July 31, 1862]]

Three days after the fight, ''Arkansas'' had been repaired to a more mobile position again, and began posing a threat to the Union fleets, which were forced to keep steam pressure up so they could move if need be. At one point, the vessel attempted to threaten the Union's mortar ships, but its engines failed before it entered range of the Union position; ''Arkansas'' returned to its starting position.{{sfn|Gosnell|1949|pp=127{{en dash}}128}} The reduced crew still caused problems, as there were only enough men onboard to man three cannons at a time.{{sfn|Marcello|2016}}  After a conversation, Farragut and Davis decided to attack ''Arkansas'' at her position at Vicksburg.{{sfn|Miller|2019|p=162}}  The attack fell on July 22, and was conducted by {{USS|Essex|1856|2}}, ''Queen of the West'', and {{USS|Sumter|1863|2}}.{{sfn|Marcello|2016}} ''Essex'' was the largest ironclad the Union had available, and ''Queen of the West'' was the strongest ram.{{sfn|Miller|2019|p=162}}

''Arkansas'' was not prepared for a battle. The ship's engine was disabled, and the understrength crew was reduced even further with a number of men in hospitals at the time. Brown had only part of his officer corps and 28 crewmen present; only two cannons could be manned with the available crew.{{sfn|Miller|2019|p=162}} The Union vessels did not coordinate well. ''Essex'' tried to ram ''Arkansas'', but the Confederate vessel maneuvered out of the way, while its opponent missed and temporarily ran aground.{{sfn|Marcello|2016}} A close-range duel between the two ships followed, in which ''Essex'' suffered little damage, but a shot penetrated ''Arkansas'', inflicting casualties.<ref name="Barnhart" />{{efn|The number of casualties caused by this single shot varies among sources.  Donald Barnhart, writing for the [[Civil War Times|''Civil War Times Illustrated'']], stated that seven men were killed by the shot.<ref name="Barnhart" /> The ''[[Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships]]'' says six were killed and six wounded,{{sfn|Marcello|2016}} while [[Donald L. Miller]] gives a total figure of 14 casualties.{{sfn|Miller|2019|p=162}} George W. Gift, one of the ship's officers, wrote that seven men were killed and six wounded.{{sfn|Gosnell|1949|p=129}}}} That single shot also damaged ''Arkansas''{{'}}s [[superstructure]]. ''Queen of the West'' rammed the Confederate vessel, but caused no major damage; it also ran aground. Once the two Union ships freed themselves, ''Essex'' continued downriver from Vicksburg, while ''Queen of the West'' returned to the north of the city.{{sfn|Miller|2019|p=162}} A parting shot from ''Arkansas'' hit ''Queen of the West'' in the stern during the retreat; the shot had skipped off the water several times before striking the ship.{{sfn|Gosnell|1949|p=130}}

After the attack against ''Arkansas'', Farragut decided that remaining in position near Vicksburg was no longer tenable. The expected seasonal drop in river level threatened to strand his ships on the Mississippi, a third of his sailors were sick, and the Navy was unlikely to receive needed help from the Army. The threat caused by the presence of ''Arkansas'' did not help the matter.{{sfn|Marcello|2016}} On July 23, orders from [[United States Secretary of the Navy]] [[Gideon Welles]] permitted Farragut to abandon the position and leave for the Gulf of Mexico. The next day, Farragut's ships began the movement downriver, leaving Davis behind to continue bombarding the Confederates. However, Davis, on his own initiative, ordered a withdrawal to [[Helena, Arkansas]], on July 28. His crews had been decimated by disease, and he risked not having enough men to continue to operate his ships if he did not withdraw.{{Sfn|Miller|2019|pp=163{{en dash}}164}}