Under pressure from Washington DC in 1863, Rear Admiral Du Pont reluctantly commanded seven moniters, along with the ironclads New Ironsides and Keokuk, into the Charleston harbor. On April15th Du Pont held the opinion that such an expedition should be a joint army and navy assault. His opinion at that time was ignored. After only two hours, the Confederate guns on forts Sumter and Moultrie, forced the Union fleet to withdraw.