▁not ▁integrated ▁into ▁the ▁cre ws , ▁but ▁remained ▁subject ▁to ▁the ▁orders ▁of ▁their ▁army ▁officers . ▁ ▁Cot ton cl ad ▁River ▁Def ense ▁Fle et ▁ ▁Battle ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁the ▁federal ▁victory ▁at ▁Cor inth , ▁the ▁rail ro ads ▁that ▁linked ▁M emph is ▁with ▁the ▁eastern ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Confeder acy ▁had ▁been ▁cut , ▁sever ely ▁reducing ▁the ▁strateg ic ▁importance ▁of ▁the ▁city . ▁Therefore , ▁in ▁early ▁June ▁ 1 8 6 2 , ▁M emph is ▁and ▁its ▁nearby ▁for ts ▁were ▁abandoned ▁by ▁the ▁re bel ▁army . ▁Most ▁of ▁the ▁g arrison ▁were ▁sent ▁to ▁join ▁units ▁elsewhere , ▁including ▁V icks burg ▁and ▁only ▁a ▁small ▁rear ▁guard ▁was ▁left ▁to ▁make ▁a ▁token ▁resistance . ▁The ▁River ▁Def ense ▁Fle et ▁was ▁also ▁to ▁have ▁retre ated ▁to ▁V icks burg , ▁but ▁it ▁could ▁not ▁get ▁enough ▁coal ▁in ▁M emph is . ▁Unable ▁to ▁fle e ▁when ▁the ▁federal ▁fleet ▁appeared ▁on ▁June ▁ 6 , ▁Mont gom ery ▁and ▁his ▁capt ains ▁had ▁to ▁decide ▁whether ▁to ▁fight , ▁or ▁sc utt le ▁their ▁boats . ▁They ▁chose ▁to ▁fight , ▁ste aming ▁out ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁morning ▁to ▁meet ▁the ▁adv ancing ▁fl ot illa ▁and ▁the ▁r ams ▁trailing ▁behind ▁it , ▁with ▁M emph is ▁citizens ▁che ering ▁them ▁on . ▁ ▁The ▁battle ▁started ▁with ▁an ▁exchange ▁of ▁gun fire ▁at ▁long ▁range , ▁the ▁federal ▁gun bo ats ▁setting