Union River Ironclad 1861–65

Union River Ironclad 1861-65

CONTENTS

ANGUS KONSTAM I. sn e.perienced O.pre, sulhor witt! over 20 books 'n print. Formerly the Curs lor 01 Wespon. In the Ro,s' Annaurie. st the Tower 01 London, he slso se",ed s. the Chie' CUllltor of fhe Mel Fi.her Mamim. Mu.....m In Key West, Floricis. Hi. ""'m..... tlUe. 'or Osprey include N,w V,.., rd 45: UtIIon Mon/'ot' 186' sncl New V,..,... rd 49:

INTRODUCTION

3

DESIGN

4

• Bad.ground • j.lIlil" B. E,llh alHllh(' creation 01 a Riwr Irolld,lll FIOlill,l • Pook', Tllnl(',: Building Ihl' Cil\ Cb" • thl' 11£111011 .md b~rx • tltl' 'l'culld g"l'IIl'l",IUOli or [,HI,,' irollcbd~ • JU'l'ph I~ru\\ JI':oo :'>l:cund gl:lIt'r;lliOll irond,l(h • thl' 1';w,lpurt ,lIId o-..llI11

OPERATIONS • • • • •

5

llliuiuJppI RiYer Gu~'. of ,he Amerlc8n CMI W.,.

'861-65. Angu. Iwes In London, wher' he combine. s

freel.snce mu.eum eon.ult_, busHle" with ....r..r •• e hi.tori;on and writ'r.

• • • • • •

15

Roll' irolld,ld" in aClion Fon IIl'IH\ and Fon DOI1("I.;;oo (Fehrllar'. HIli:!) hl,lIl(l :'\u. 10 (~Iarch-.\pril lH6:!) Fort I~illo\\ (PlulII Puillllkncl) ,llld lilt.' ItHlll' ofM('lIlphi, (~I"\-:flllle IH6:!) the White RiH.'r Expt:ditioll (l1Il1t' llolli:!) the '1'.1100 Rher ,md \·ick.burg Ullh-,\lIglht IH6:!) thl-' ~iegl' 01 \'iLk.burg (.\pril-Juh lH63) the Red Ri\er CUIlI)aigll (\I.lrch-~I.l\ IHf.1) :-:.I~ll\ilk (Dn~lIIbc_..- IR6·1) \lobill-' (,\pril-\I.I\ IStij)

A CATALOG OF UNION RIVER IRONCLADS

22

• l'SS b\f''(

TONY BRYAN I" lre.I,ne, IIlustralor of man, yee... exper'enc:e. He Inltl,U, qualilled In EngineerinG ,nd woriled lor' number of ,.,... In Mlllt,.., Re.e,rch and Qevelopment, and ha., k. .n intere.t in mlliblry h,rdw,reannor, .msU 'lfcreft 'nd ships. Ton, h.. produced man, iIIustraflon. lor PlIrtwortls, magazine. and books, Includl~ , number of tiUe. In the New Vanguard serie•.

'mI',

• • • • •

L'SS USS LlSS USS USS

• • • • • • • •

USS USS USS USS USS USS USS USS

Cairo Carom/old

Cill/lfi,l/wll

1..olllJl'ille ,\101/1/(1 Cil, Pill~bl/l"Kh SI. to/in

UrI/loll ChiUirolhe

f(/5/porl hulial/o/a

Choctaw I"(I/(I)'el/('

• USS Tuscumbia • USS Nro~ho • USS Olage

• USS

cr..l llll

OTHER RIVER IRONCLADS •

~lil

• J\1

42

ltIkec class iena class

BIBLIOGRAPHY

43

COLOR PLATE COMMENTARY

44

INDEX

48

I

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===~_

_ - ---

New Vanguard· 56

OSPREY PUBLISHING

Union River Ironclad 1861-65

Angus Konstam . Illustrated by Tony Bryan

fr.n putM<SI>ed '" G\.ItlhI1Orog Lid All ngntl

-.. _

hom .-.y 1M .-..g lot II-.. _ _ 01 pnyat.. stL.tNSN ''1unS AAnt.I In 0' dn IlijM IMIk4I ..... el'lWfir.l Jell ''1'1Itt:) ""l JO ,'lOW ellll ·O~ 'ON pU'l1'll flUI' 'UotlleuoO 1-10" ',(jueH }.l0" lMl '111:)'111'1 IiIlll JOI MIIN elll .(q PMn

IiIseq p.!1II..... 01Iillll "IOUlllt 'OJI'I:J

'I! }.loci iii'll l'IIll pIiIl'IiIMnI UHq

••11 It 'l:~1 ul JIiI"Illl tcldll'lfl'l!" eon \HI ptKIdll.J60IOlfd '~

ssn

PI1:x>oJ!II'I"':)

A4!:) ~

lpJI'I\ III (JIIII/U.J.J/\ \)~.l ,liP

1[I,lIlU()j) UI/I/;'1I1,\ SS:> .11111'111' WI/III/l\' SSll ,ll[III,l,)\IPq .1[ll1'q "I\oIIII'l ,llil 10 ,l]Jl'lIl ,! II ,1ll11 11i'iIlOlj11V '''IIII)j [I.1ll!.! 1)(11' ,l,loqql'III111(.'rit'~ (O,PI('\ :'\t'\, \'ang:ll.ml Serie, 19: ,\linnu/Jpl NIl'" GllllOOa/i of Ih, AIlln1rtlll c",// 1\1'lr 1861-/)';). ;.

at. loul. bu.I,.....",.n .nd -nlpy.rd owner "'...... B. Ead.

11820-871

~uad.cl t~

goMm.... nl

10 eom",I$.lon hi",

to build. fk>liII. 0' Ironclad gunOoalS tor . .rvk:. on

I~

MinI..lppl RI..er. He w•• duly appointed to I~ rank 0' c.pu.ln. and bec.8m. t~ chl.f ......1 con.lructor for the W••lern ,..,.,..,. (Author. eoUec:tlonl

James B. Eads and the creation of a River Ironclad Flotilla On.\pril29. 1861.jusl as the ~Crc.·I.Il' 01 the X,I\'\ (;idt"oll Welks \\,1..' M cOll'ickring: how be~l 10 ""1 abOll1 cr(,OIling ,I MhIHW!l\\,Her n,I\'\ UII the uppcr ~Iississippi R.i\~r. 01 klll:r .lrri\t·e1 (Ill hi.. (k..llrolll Janll''i I\. Lid... a .. lIip\
One. finished, the lroncl.d' would be launched .Ideweys down the "marine w'y." or runner, leading to the MI,.i•• lppl River, Ju.t 10 the lett 01 the cameraman, {USNHCI

.lhout lhl' COlhlnu lion of .m ironclad l1nlill.1. rhl" p.lll I\t:rc joilwel 11\ '~"~II Cun.,lruetur ~.ll1l11l'l ~I. Pou\.., ,\hom Ihe '..:an Dl'jMlllllt"lll h.leI 'l'lIt \\"l'''t 11'11111 \\".ct'mlcd Ill' through tht' gUilder],. ,llId "p.lI dt'lJ.... I he (l'IIU,llh 1ll011IHCd p.tcldle\\hcd iht'll \I.t' ~o fCl'l in diameter. and Il,h IllO\llllCcI in .1 n'lllr.11 ren'" ill tilt' hull [o\\,ln" lIlt.' ,It"rll 01 Ilw \t""'I;:"I. prolc-xlcd h\.1 !JulH" ill Iht" ('I~"l.Itt'. co\t'red ill hoiler pl.tll'. rhl' hull il't'H 1\.1' \\Otl(:!eu. \\·jth.1II imwl' ,}"ill of I~ or .~}-inch plan}." (men'd h\ .1 ,}.,111 01 '1II,llkr ;!-lIIch lilllhc-·I~. I he bilg"1;:" (lul\t'1 hull) ~idt'.. Pll~c-'(Ied Irolllllw bulhllll ufllw \e~lltI tilt" w;tlerline.lI;t I.~Klqp('t' 'lIlgle. ,lIId hOIll 1111"1'(' Iht'\ ~Inp('d I),(c}., at Ihe ~"lTllt' angle lip ,md ill\\,lrcl... I;,illg" I;! kel to Ihl' top 01 thl;:" GL"f·Ill;I\I;:". I he GL't'll1.tll' i~c-'ll IOlllll;:"d .1 rc-'t..l.lllgle. \,'ilh .111 lour ,idl'" ..loping inward... II \1,\, ('()\l'n'c! \\ilh :\-ill, t',,,1t 1:\ illche" "id(' ,lIld II 1('1." long. rJww \I,'n' w wr:lhhill,d (dmt·t,lIll'dl ,It the c-'dgn tu t"ll~tlre Ilw c10:K·.. 1 po,,,iblt:' lit. TIlt' ilollltlllllllut.'d 10 Ihe }.,llIIt }.,II', \\hich droppl'd Ix'IO\\ Ihe w:ttt'r1ine 1"\1'11 lite \l,~,('r~ glln~ \\l're 1II')JIllled, \\'ltell Ihe \(":-el \\,1' lull\ .Inlled and "qllippt·d. lilt, j{llltporb rod" .1 loot .Ibu\e Ill(' I\.llerlille. Inlern.11 bulldll;:";ld.. belml tltt· \\.IIl'flilll· illlprmed IItt, 1\:ucrtig:lt, iUlI'gTil\ of ,IIc-' 10\\("1' hull 4.' &: n,lJ.:I'1l 01 the loui .. I)nllo(1.. (;omp.lll\. \nl.l/1l1Kh, Ihl' ..hip \1,1" laundll'd a lIItTI' 1\1ol1lh ,Iftl'!' \\orl.. IX·}folll. on Dt'u'lIIbc:r i, 1861. Ck,lrh l,ttl., 1l,ld rt'lailll-'t! IIUht of Ill:'> .,l..ilkd \Iorl..lorcl' lun'd 10 hlliJd till' (:it\ cia:'>., irollclalb, ll"t'd tile:" 1\10 C.lI.lI11;ll~llh ;l, .1 pair 01 hl~lIt'r-... ,lIooml IIllicil he 'In'tched the.' ftl! ~()"Iool \11dl' ,Url,I(t' 01 tht· Im\(" hllil ,lIld the J.;"undecl... Ihi, H""I·1 \\,1:'> ,II",) llIud1 t.u){er th,lIl the.' l',lllic.-, illllld,llk 1t,1\ 1Il){ .11I O\l'rall It'llgth uf ~02 le('1 ,llld all illtTt'dihlt' 72-1001 hl \l1ll. \ hO\I ami ,tern \I'''fe added, ,mel the ){Ilndt'cl.. pil't {l·d III bOll..e ,ltI illltnt'll"'" ..1('rllII hed CI1>illg, 11(,1' (;~Clll.ltl· \'~I~ \.dl ,Inlltlle.'d, ,HId 10l1l,lillrd ;1 "t'lontl lit'f luI' otl(Ollll1HX!t:lolt' ,lit' \\,1" (tllllltli"i"lll'd 011 Ft,llIll,11'\ 24, IH62, C0111111;t11def \\'il1ial11 D. POllet uf tilt' lISS I'.. n)ll1l11l'lll('d lu L"l.. and Caplain Foole thaI Ihl' ironclad \";1' 1110 ,lo\\,. Each prornplh replied, "Ye.., htll plcl1\Y fOlSllO light wilh." Lid.. 11,1" ri~II1, ,I lid ,Ill' plo\l"d ,I "llcLt">sfIl1 alld \er1>iltilc desig-Il. Tht' 1-:',,1':-' \\ ~i inches Ihick in places, in IWO or

I

"'1.

,.,"x

'0

"'I'

The c ........t. lronc:htd uss

Benton, pletured off Vlc:ksburg. T.nn._••lter lhe S40Irrender of the city In .July 1M3. Phot~.. phed from Nrge. ,"_red .10"9sk1e the city wh• .".... this waterline ..iew Ilhows the unusual be.m of the. . lroncl.d ......1•• (USNHCI

lhree 1,t\eT'i, but else\\hen.· it was reduced 10 a lllen.~ I illeh. h.l( k(.'d h\ d laver or mbbcr. TIle iron l'lll.lle 1~lln" CllfKfllw,md I.lifll)"lll' ,lItd Ihl' 1\\0 rhrr lIlonilUr" of Ill(' '\l'o,ho cia..... (Sffifllo and Omgr). ,L~ wdl .L~ tllrn' or Ille lOll I' ~Iihl,lllket' ll,I.... llU)IlilOr". nll:..e 1.1.,1 \·e....eb. art: ck,rrilwcllll :-.1('\1 \'anh'llard St.-rit" I~): ('moil ,\Ioll/I/)" /8fi/-65. Tilis llleallt 111,11 (II lll\.· IH iIIJllt:J.\d~ tk,criht'd in flli~ l)t)()k. E,J{b huill 1:\ ullhl'lIl. Thi~ l·thllll'd hi, "LlTI, rl'tllained hm\ 1I11uughmll lhl' \\,11'. \Vh,lI Ihe..e ..hip_ had ill ClHlltllOll wa~ lh:ll fhn illlorpul,L1I-d illlpro\t·tllelll", ..ugge..led 10 Ead, .llld Ihe N,I\'\ Ikparlllll'1l1 o!1iciah 1)\ llll" IlH'll who loLLg-hl inlbl' t',L1li\'1 rin'l irollcbd,. AhhotLgh lhl"w \l',~d, \\1.'1(' IHll ,llw'I\' (·0111pll·t('1\ ..lln 1·"lul. lhl'\" 1nar"('d a ,Ilitl ill (h'~igll lhal \\il' lIothing- ,hort 01 ll'\olulion,lr\. I ht' lil"l halch of ri\l'" ironclad.. had 1"'l'lIli,llh htTIl rompch{'c! 01 ,lnnOll"cI \el...iull' 01 lilt.' (-"'lillg li\l'r ~ll',unt'I~ Ihill plied lilt' \li"I"lppi KI\cr. TIll'un dc"igll (as llM'd 011 lilt' USS MOl/i/or). TIlt' conlmCl for 1110 such \'esM.:I~ \l'as~igIH.:d on,\lav Ix, IKti~. alld \I'ork bl.·~ln on Ihelll :lllhe Carondulct Yard. LId,' de,iKll im:urpur:ul.·d :1 ..lunk-b:I,\.... to the hull. gcml) sloping" out frum a centr:LI spint'. r\ largt' tapt't"t'd ntinder protecled the ~tCt"ll paddle\l·hcd. ,\hik· Iht' pilolhoLL't' \\'a~ lllla1"1norl..·d to rt'duce weight. The USS Nf'Q.llw \I ,Ls t Olllll1i"iollt'd ill .\I.L\ ll'l{j~-S, alld ht'r si~lcr 1>hip 1he USS O~{/gr cllIcrcd 'I'n;ce llltl 11l11l1111" lall'l, Tlu"t' 'It'nlwhcd monilors pro,cd sILcce,~fILl. but unli\..,· lIlt' .\lihl built bl' E.'ld~ at C-.:u'undulcl Ihc loJlU\lillj.; IC,II, thel l\el"C 1I11~lIited lor UM: outside the \\'csLCrn rivers. Joseph Brown's second generation ironclads

12

In Ihe ,prill!:; 01 IH6~ tilt: \\'sd. ~ht, 011,0 .. hared lllill1\ (jf Ihe Ch,lJirol!u-'s 11oorh constructed, al1d Ihi.. ha~t .. aud ,lip..hud buildiug uwanl lh,lt bolh 1(',,1,1, 'pl'Ul ;111 inorclinaH' amount 01 timc bt'illg- relined, ..trl'ug"tht'rlt'd or repaired. Thc dnig:1l \\'a~ lw;wih infllll'llCt'd b\' JOM.:ph l~r(lwll'~ IMIl l!l(ldifkati(Jl!~, hili Hl'ither I\rown nor Ilal'lt proved capab1l:' 01 coping wilh the dcsig-n c!l,I]leuge, lht,\ 11'('n' fa('('d with, Bolh It"s~d, were 'in).;"lIl
A "lew 01 the gundeck of Ihe City Clas. "e.HI USS CIInmdolet, looking aft. The cabin••hown on Ihe left fan along the centerline of Ihe thlp, and would be dltmantled before iI battle, (Author" Collection)

13

u\t·, t',uliel Ii\t'1 II Oil< I,l. Thc InO't ..ignificam of Ill{'\(' was her incTedibh high coal con~umptioll. ,11I('l11all' and hkll lip a boiler, filling- the ironr1:IC! with "Gliding :-team. Two 11lt'll ill lhc pilolholl ..e lI"ere killed, and 29 CI"l'I\IlU'n were hadlr hllrm'd. 011 Febrllary 13 tilt: CmVlldolf'/ provided supponill~ lire ;" l;r~lI1t\ lllell ill\'eQed Fort Doncl"011. and the followillgda~ Footc Icd till' ."i/. /..ouis (lld.'(.. hip). 1'/II.,ulIff;fh. /..ollln1illf'. and Cmm/(loll'/ into t depIO\'Illt:lIt lir>;t WCII ,11 Fon l!clln. Foote\, COllcern for W,L"IC Wt:d 10 phllll{ill~ fire. rhe ftlg..lup 1\,1" lilt 59 time", one ..hnt hiltin~ her pilolhou'l' and wOlillding FOllle. Both the "'t. Lol/'l ;tlld tilt' /.lJllul'/III' had tlwir
The White River Expedition IJune 1862)

18

III Illid:lulll' IHfl2, I\\'O irollc1ad~ (Mmwrl Cit.yand St, LOlli.)) SUppOllCd b} IWO 1,'oodt'l\ gUllhot-'nl.ltl' on lhe port side, le'!ling through th,' Iron and wood (0 ,m.L;,h illln the steam drulll:.. (boiler,», The re,ulting: explosion fillc'r\ the C'I'CIIl.lIl' Wilh high-pre"surf.' "t
OS(lb1P. ,llld (}--'1I*all p,trticipal('d in Iht, campaign, ol\h to find thellls(:hc" ~tr'l1Ided b\ lhc f.tlling k,\'t'I~ 01 the Ji..,t'r, To compound lhe..' pmhklll, Ihe L'nion arlm commall(kd h\ (:.em'I"';11 Itllll." 1\';tS dt'fl';HI'd and heg.'t11 ttl n,'u'e;u, lhn',Hcning to II',IH' lilt' ironclad flt'('1 i-.olal('d, Th.lIll.~ 1.0 OJ hrillialH fe.1t of ellgillecrillg 1\\0 dams l\t'n' ('on"trtlCll'd to rai~ lhe \1~1\t:1 le\'e1s, ~1lJ(1 lhe Ileet IlMll'lgcd to e~cape 10 ",Llt:t\, rhe onh casllall\ \I"~ the Eastport, which struc]... a torpedo, and had to be destroyed to pre\'ellt her C;lpl.Llre, Unsupporlt'c\, the ironclad .. proved I'ulnerabk to ~llrpri~c all,l(k:. from till' ~h(Jrt', ;ltld ill future opt:l'ation~, tht' close ,o-opcratiOll 01 thl' anll\' was a",urt:d Ix:fure the il umlad, lI'cre ri~ked ill action,

Nashville IDecember 1864)

,\., (~neral I-lood'~ Confedt.'r.ue anm ,ld\.II1Ccd north from \tl,lIlt.1 to\\
Union City c:l. .s lror>l;a.ds during

the .ttack on Fort Don.'>iUlWd ill lhe ....UllC lllOIUh. lht.'\ .1ft' li'led ill .,lph.,helical onl"l: .\1"0. mllch of the infollll,lIioli li.. u'c1 in Ctlnlt.'lllp()J~ln ,Utllln i" nHlll~ldicton. ~o Olher hi,tor;all" m,ll \It'll pml),!hl, plO(lllC{' difTt'rl'lll (I;ua, dt:'Pl'lldillg Oil Iltdl 'Olll t (". Lk.lrillj.; thi, III mind, Iltl' 1lIl(lnll,llion giH'1l hdow is proh..,bl, lhl' 1110"\ acnll';IU' li,TiIlg" 01 dle.. t.' 1t" .. t'l...1\thouse gralflg 17 P*:llhoose

18 Hogg.ng brace 19 SAc's whgeI 20 42·pounder rrl'oe 21 SqIaI hotsts 22 Sq\aIIong mast 23 HoggIng brace supports 24 Proter:trve blJwark 25lAddo' 26 3Q.pounder parrot nile 27 Gunport 28 Gunport mantlel and l!ft1llQ chain 29

Bower 3nchor

JOO""" 31 Railroad won bow retnforce 32 Hawsepor1 33 Forward hatch

35 Deck cleat

36 Boatswilin's store 37 Shot locker 38 a'lnch Dah~rE!(l smoothbore

(64·pounder, 63 ewt·l 39 GUrYlef'S

store

40 Gun cnmag& 41 Magazne 42 Guncteclo; (berth deck)

43 Hul supporl coIur'm 44 Ste9fYl9 rope (starboard)

.. """ ....... 45 H\A frames

47 32·pounder smoottbclfe (42 ewt.)

D

__,

CS-,~L

34 Bollard

56 Ocri:shalt 57 HlA CU\lalure to 3SSIS1 packtewheelllow

58 OIl\cer's QUarters

., """"'"

59 """""'"

60"",_

62 SIde a-mor

I

•

••

••"

U

E

~

4

E

•" •

~ ~

~

~

W

~ ~ ~

••>

i

u

• •

C

~

•

D

C C C

, C

F

• •••

.- 42-pclU'1ders had been removed, and were replaced by an extra 32~ and two 5Q.pounder nfIes. A 12-opc:uder howrtzer was also c.riecI as a deck gun. In January 1863, two of her 32-poundefs were replaced by an addilJonal pair of g·1nch smoothborM. By the end of the year, two 32-p;:lUl'lders and lour 42-pounders had been removed, and were replaced by two 100·pounder nlles and another lour 9·lnch smoothbores. mak.lng her one of the most powerful vessels on the MiSSissippi. Opefational history: Assault on Island No. 10 (March-Apri11862. Assault on Fort P~low, Tennessee (April-May 1862). Bailie of Memphis, June 6, 1862. Engagement with the CSSArllansas above VIcksburg, July 15, 1862. 0petat1Ol"lS on yazoo River (August-December 1862). Operations off VicI<sbu'g, Temessee ~ 1863). OperatJons on Red RIver. PartlCIpllted 11"1 the Red RIver Expedition~, 1864). Expecfrtlon up Red River 10 caplunt the CSS M/SSO(JfI (June 1865). Commanders: lJeutenant..commander S. Ledyard Phelps (March-September 1862), Lleutenant..commander William GWln (OCtober-December 1862). Lieutenant George P. Lord (January-febroary 1863). Lieutenant-Commander James A. Greer (March 1863-September 1864), Lieutenant May (OCtober 1864), Ueutenant·Commander Edward Y. McCauley (November 1864-end of war).

37

USS CHILLICOTHE Class:

Type: BUilt:

Launched:

CommISSlOOOd: Leogth:

"""'" Crew:

Draught

t>_, Pro,,,"'"''

Chillicothe class (1 In class) River casemate ironclad Joseph Brown Yard, CIOCInnatJ, Ohio OCtober S, 1862 December 3, 1862 162ft

SOft 40 ~l00men

395 tons &de paddlewheels and two screws, two engll"l8S

7 knots 2m. casemate, 3on. pilothouse, lIn. deck two 11·1nCh smoothl:xxes. A 12-pounder smoothbore deck gun Am","e"" was added In October 1863. OperatlOMl history. OperntJons OIl WhIte RIver, assault on Fort HIndman, Arbnsas (January 1863). Operations on Yazoo RIYef, attack on Fort

Speod

"""""

Pemberton. MISSISSIppi (M8Id'I1863). PartICipated

In

the Red

RIver ExpeclltlOl'l (March-April1864). l..ieutenant-commander James P. Fosler (December 1852september 1863}.lJevtenant Hervy 51 C, Eytmge (5eplember...()ctober 1863). l.Jeuteoanl P. Couthouy (November 1863-March 1864), ActIng Master Smrth (ApnhJune 1864),l.Jeutenant Geofge P. lofd (July 1864-eod of war).

USS EASTPORT Class:

Type: Remarks:

Commissioned: length: Beam: Draught: Crew: Displacement: Propulsion:

5_,

Armor: Armament:

Eastport class (1 in class) River casemate Ironclad ram Incomplete Conledemte lrondad, captured by Union gunboats al Cerro Gordo, Tennessee. on February 8, 1862. Completed at Mound City. then New Albany, Indiana, by August 1862, but problems with hull detenoration delayed hef entry into active

service. January 9, 1863

2800 43ft

6' It approKimately 150 men

approKlmately 700 Ions Side paddlewheels, two engines appm)(imately 9 knots probably 21n. casemate

51)( 9-inch smoothbores, two 1CX>-pounder nfIes. By June 1863 two of the 9-inct1 guns had been replaced by two 5O-pounder rifles.

OperatIonal history: Grounded and damaged near VICksburg, Tennessee (February 1863). Repaired. PartICIpated in the Red RIVer ExpeditIOn (March-April 1864). Badty damaged by mine on Red Rivef, April 15, 1864. Destroyed to prevent capture, April 26. 1864.

LJeutenarrt-Clibcd in Umoll Momlor 1861--65 «().,prt:\ 1\'("\\ Vanguard Sclics. No. '15). Although dcsib'1K'd lll> liver ironclads. lIll'" all .... w senicc with the \\c Armament:

479 tons SIngle sct9W, two englO8S 9 knots &n. t~ and pilothouse, 1 010. decIl; and hul two 11·1nch smoothboAII8 In slI'Igle twJn·tumtl

BIBLIOGRAPHY Thl.' rollU\\ing rl.'adih ,l\ Ch'/l \\(/I~ Luui:.i'lIl;1 Sl,th' l!lliwl... il\ Press, 19-19 Jonn, Virgil Carringtol1, TIlt· C/vi/I\{'l"al Sf'lt. Iiolt & Rirwh,lrt, IYGI ~lu"i("all1. h~lIl. Dip/rlt'd IInfrn: Tllr> ,\'(IT'(lJ 111.\/01) of tilt' ell'if 1\;'11. C.I~lk Hooks. 1995 1':.tSh. I IowaI'd P..Jr.. A SOl'itlllu(of)' ofII" en},J Hi-'f; AS. litfllc.·.. & (AI .• 1972 Riplt'\. "',tn'cn. Artlll")' alUl :\",mllllt/tOtl of/I" CiIJtI Hi-If; \'an :-':mllOmd. 1970 Ru..h. Rich.lrd (L'd.). Ufftntll UKmrL\ of II". ('n;otl alld COIifrr.lnnu ,\'ITI'/1"l ;11 (I" U'ar ofII" 1?rIx/lio" [303 \Ollllll("j. ~cllunent IJ,iILUIlIo{ Ollicc.·. 1~1:;""19",05I /Nlrt (OlI/rlbllliQlu Uy' {'1I;01l (,;;' Corifrdmllr Uflicm; 14 \ohlllw.. I, UI;Wllollh printed ill (~1/IIl1) MllfZ1/;:.Wt>, 1~7: reprimed 1)\ Ca."lIe I\O()f...~, 19:->6

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COLOR PLATE COMMENTARY Plate A: USS Essex, USS Benton In September 1861 the US Army purchased the centerline paddle ferryboat New Era IOf COOVerSIOO Into a wooden gunboat Renamed the Essex. she was then converted by James BEads of 51 lOUIS 1Il10 a casemate II'OOCIad Her dlSllOdJVely hlgh casemate housed two decks, a lower gundeck and an upper accommodallOfl level. A semI' sphencal steel cupola lopped her welH)totected round pilothouse. and combined WIth her slab-Sldes, this gave hef a ullIque profile on the Western nYet'S. The Essex saw sefVlCe at Fort Henry (when she was hit in the steam drum), at VICksburg. Natchez, Port Hudson (when she was damaged again). and on the Red River. She was Widely regarded as an unlucky ship. as she was frequently damaged or $uHered from

some kind of mechanICal problem. Despite thiS. she was a VItal part of the river IrOflCIad fleet. The USS Benton began life as a nYer recovery vessel. Of Msnagboa'" known as SubrrlMne No.7. She was converted IOto an roncIad lolowlng a design proposed by James B, fads which Involved declong t:YoIet the space between the vessel's two catamaran huUs. wtwch became the gundeck. TlHs was then protected by an armored casemate, and lopped With an armored pllothouse. Her bow was also redesigned. When she entered SBlVtC8 in February 1862 she was conSidered the most powertul vessel in Western waters.

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Moll"" City c.an be Identified from the other v....I. In her c ...... by thto distJnctlQ .tNCture built on top of tler armored pilothouse to Improve vl.lblllty, the deckhouN built In lront 01 her .tem paddlewh... boll, ilnd by the identltylng .t8,.. on her .mokestacks, a design she altemilted with o,..nge-colo,ed band•. (USNHCI The City c"'n lronclad USS

and she was duty made the flagshIp of the Western Gunboat Flotilla. She saw actIVe SElMCe dumg the war at Istand No. 10, Fort Pillow. Memptvs. VICksburg. the upper Yazoo Rrver. and on the Red Rrver. Plate B: The USS Mound City running past Vicksburg, April 1863

In Apfi11863 Admiral Porter's nver Ironclads above VICksburg were ordered to pass the city dUring the night of Api'll 16, arid Join the ocean-going fleet further downstream. He prepared hiS ships by pamtlng the huUs and casemates black. and Piling logs around the engine houSingS. and spreading damp hay on the upper decks In addJllon. tugboats. coal barges Of sman gunboats were lashed to the starboard SIde of the warships fOf extra buoyancy.

The City cl••• lronchtd USS Pitlsburvh, photographed s.omewne.. 0f'I the W"tem rive,.. duri"'ll the wa" She participated In many 01 the main 8(:tlon. 01 the w,r, Including the attsck. on Fort Donel.on, 1.l,nd NO. to. Fort Pillow, Vicksburg, and Grend GUll. (USNHC)

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Th. photograph., captured the City class Ironclads USS 8aron d. Kalb (formerly St. Louis) with th. USS Cincinnati (right) at anchor on the Mlsslllllppl RIver, off CaIro, illinois, In early t883. In another vef'1J1on of the phot09raph, the USS Mound City can be seen anchored behInd Ihe Cincinnati. (USNHC)

Porter In the USS Benton would lead, followed by the USS Lelayette. then the four Cairo class Ironclads USS LouIsVIlle. USS Mound CIty, USS Pittsburgh and USS carondelet Three army transports and the USS Tuscumbia brought up the rear. At 20.00 hours they got underway. lOCfeaslng thelr speed as they turned the bend Into the southerly curve 01 the MISSISSIppi RIvet" whICh !lowed past VICksburg and ,ts commanding bluffs Alerted to the presence 01 the squadron by sentnes, the Conledefates I.t tar bamlls along the shore and fired calcium ftares Into the mght sky to Illuminate the targets lor their gunners. At this point most of the accompanylng barges were cast loose. as they were provmg an encumbfance. and the Umon stups opened flre as they ran past the shore banen&S. The fire was returned tenfold, but desptte the fearful exchange of shot, all of the II'OllClacts SUl'Vlyed the passage. battered but unbowed. In thiS depiction the View is shown from the perspective 01 an observer on the LQ(J/Svllie. and shows the Mound CIty in the foreground, followed by the two other City class IronClads which followed betllnd her.

Plate C: USS Chillicothe, USS Indianola Designed by the naval architect samuel Hartt. the USS ChIllICOthe was a sma". vulnerable casemate Ironclad. and was wtually a smaller ver3I()n of the USS Tuscumbia, whose plans I\ad a1ready beell drawn up when the ChlnlCOthe was ordered. She shared the structural defects and deslgn faults 01 the larger ship. and It was foood that her hull was hard-pressed to carry the wetght 01 her armor and ordnance She earned two 11-tndl Dahlgren smoothbores Ir1 her bow. which gave her a ~ punch whlch partly overcame her other faults Unfortunately her poof armored protectooled to her being damaged dunng the attack on Fort Pemberton on the TaUahatchle Rrver AI1hough she partICIpated In the Red Rrver expedrtoo. she tool .•... i.6

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