The CAIRO is an amazing sight to see on the grounds of the Vicksburg Battlefield. It was built in January 1862 and was sunk by a Confederate torpedo in December 1862. It took 12 mintues for it sink.

It rested there on the bottom of the Yazoo River until 1964 when it was raised. Over 6800 artifacts that had been left on board were retrieved and many of them are on display at the museum.

All the City Class ironclads looked alike so they painted different colored bands around their chimneys to identify them. The CAIRO had gray bands. The chimneys for the CAIRO were never found.