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It was just 160 years ago today, December 12, 1862, the ironclad U.S.S. Cairo was struck by a rudimentary sea mine, ignited by Confederates hiding in the shrubs nearby on the Yazoo River in Mississippi. She sank in just 12 minutes, but thankfully, there were no casualties. This was the first time a warship was sunk by an electric mine. Though no casualties occurred, 160 years ago today, naval warfare took a giant leap forward.
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