thinking that this temporary federal weakness afloat in the area was just such an opportunity, commodore john k. mitchell, csn, removed some of the obstructions; and, on the evening of 23 january, led the southern navy's james river squadron downstream and attempted to slip through the new gap in the cordon of hulks which separated them from the union warships. the davis administration joined mitchell in hoping that a confederate naval victory on james would break general grant's line of supply and communication and lift his siege of the confederate capital.