A Crew of Immigrants

Had you stepped aboard the USS Cairo during the Civil War, the conversations may have surprised you. So many languages! Stroll the decks and you might have heard French, Danish, Russian, German, and accents from Ireland, England, and the Caribbean. Nearly half of the boat's sailors were immigrants.

This group of men came from many walks of life. They were black and white. They were farmers, teachers and butchers. Most had no sailing experience. They learned their duties on the job. U.S.-born or not, these Union sailors were fighting for the survival of the country they called home.

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When Cairo went down, her crew of 158 sailors and 17 officers had no time to save their personal possessions. Thousands of items sank with the boat, and were recovered during salvage operations. . This historical marker was erected by National Park Service, Department of the Interior.. It is in Vicksburg National Military Park in Warren County Mississippi