Lancaster during action on the Yazoo River near Liverpool, Mississippi to capture or destroy three Confederate gunboats. The Confederates burned their ships; the CSS General Van Dorn, [[CSS General Polk|CSS General Polk]] and CSS Livingston, when they saw the Union forces approaching. On July 15, the Queen of the West, , and engaged the Confederate ironclad ram in the Yazoo River. The Arkansas was heavily damaged but escaped into the Mississippi River and took refuge under the Confederate batteries at Vicksburg, Mississippi. On July 22, Queen of the West and attacked Arkansas, despite the batteries at Vicksburg. The Queen of the West rammed the Arkansas but inflicted only minor damage and rejoined the Mississippi River Squadron ships above Vicksburg. The ram fleet ships also conducted activities in the Yazoo River clearing mines and engaging Confederate batteries. Mississippi Marine Brigade In November 1862, the Mississippi Marine Brigade, an amphibious raiding unit, was organized by Alfred W. Ellet and the ram fleet was incorporated as a part of the brigade. On November 5, Charles Rivers Ellet was promoted to the rank of colonel and became the third member of the Ellet family to lead the ram fleet. Ellet was only 19 years old which made him one of the youngest colonels in the Union Army. Under the two Ellet's leadership, the rams figured prominently in actions around and below Vicksburg, Mississippi, into 1863. In January 1863, the ram fleet ships participated in the Battle of Arkansas Post. In February 1863, the Queen of the West was run past the batteries of Vicksburg to support Admiral David Farragut south of the city. The Queen of the West severely damaged the CSS Vicksburg and captured four transport ships supplying Confederate forces. The Queen of the West also conducted activities on the Atchafalaya River, destroying Confederate supplies and burning three plantations. She was captured by Confederate forces on the Red River near Fort DeRussy and entered into Confederate service as the CSS Queen of the West''. The Mississippi Marine Brigade also saw action at the Battle of Richmond, Louisiana and the Battle of Goodrich's Landing. Due to poor health, Charles Rivers Ellet tendered his resignation on August 14, 1863. and command of the ram fleet went to his cousin John A. Ellet. In August 1863, the Mississippi Marine Brigade was placed under command of General Ulysses Grant. The ram fleet was disestablished in August 1864,