When the Civil War erupted, Confederate Secretary of the Navy Stephen Russell Mallory knew that the South could only counter and defeat the larger US Navy if ironclads were employed. Mallory immediately ordered the construction of ironclads. The first project was the conversion of USS梅里马克进入CSSVirginiaat the Gosport Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia. Mallory then ordered two ironclads laid down in New Orleans, and another two built in Memphis, Tennessee. These vessels could not be built fast enough to stem the Union’s advance against Confederate ports.
Ironclad Imagined
新奥尔良委员会代理人约翰·斯蒂芬森（John Stephenson）认可了对铁克拉德的迫切需求，他还担任新奥尔良飞行员仁慈协会的秘书。斯蒂芬森去与阿拉巴马州蒙哥马利的总统杰斐逊·戴维斯（Jefferson Davis）会面，要求使用重型拖船，对其进行更改，以使其“相对安全地抵抗最重的枪支，并以特殊的方式做准备……使他们有能力……使他们有能力碰撞下沉的最重的船只。”戴维斯（Davis）的批准，史蒂文森（Stevenson）返回新奥尔良（New Orleans）建立了一名Ironclad Privateer，迅速筹集了超过100,000美元的订阅。
Building a Hellish Machine
Fortunately for Stephenson, the privateerIvy(later pressed into Confederate service) captured the tugEnoch Train在路易斯安那州海岸。强大的拖船及其强大的弓箭将服务视为破冰船。它被带到了路易斯安那州阿尔及尔的一家造船厂，就在新奥尔良对面。
The vessel’s superstructure and masts were cut down and a convex shield was built over the main deck. The shield was built of 16 inches of oak and pine backing topped with 1.25-inch iron plate. The convex design was intended to cause enemy shot to glance off the side of the ironclad. The vessel’s bow was extended and strengthened to mount its cast-iron ram just below the waterline. The ironclad also featured a 64-pounder gun (later replaced by a 32-pounder), difficult and dangerous to reload; however, it could be aimed by pointing the ship at the intended target. The gun did have a cast-iron port shutter. Another defensive feature was a set of pumps installed to blow steam and scalding water across the ironclad’s shield to repel any boarders.
转换完成后，该船被命名为马纳萨斯，，，，in honor of the Confederate victory on July 21, 1861. It was now 15 feet longer and its beam was widened by five feet. The draft had increased by four and a half feet.马纳萨斯’s shield reached just six feet above the waterline. The engines needed overhaul; however, they were still able to push the ironclad forward 4 to 6 knots. Although it had been reported that马纳萨斯had two stacks placed at a rakish angle, most observers noted that the ironclad only had one smokestack.
Something Much Like a Whale
铁克马纳萨斯was launched on September 12, 1861. Many observers called the ironclad a turtle or a long floating cigar; and it was the only ironclad on the Mississippi River. The commandant of the New Orleans Naval Station was Flag Officer George N. Hollins who had served under Stephen Decatur during the War of 1812 and the Second Barbary War. When the Civil War erupted, Hollins was the commander of USS Susquehanna。He gained great fame for his daring capture of the steamer圣尼古拉斯on June 29, 1861.
Later assigned to New Orleans, Hollins endeavored to create a fleet. He pressed every available vessel into service with his “mosquito fleet,” including CSSCalhoun（旗舰），CSS杰克逊，，，，CSSPickens。CSSTuscarora，，，，CSSIvy和CSSMcRae。
Armed with eight guns,McRae是他最强大的船。以前是墨西哥军舰Marquis de la Habana,它被USS捕获为海盗船萨拉托加during the March 1860 Battle of Anton Lizardo. Hollins knew that he needed more powerful vessels if he was to stop the advance of the Union fleet toward New Orleans. Therefore, he cast his eyes lustfully upon the ironclad privateer马纳萨斯。
Union Fleet Arrives
The first Union ship to arrive off the Mississippi Delta was the steam screw sloop USSBrooklyn1861年5月27日。Powhatan和螺钉护卫舰NiagaraandMinnesotasoon arrived. These ships blocked the three outlets — Southwest Pass, South Pass, and Pass D’Loutre — for the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico.
该中队由威廉·W·麦基（William W. McKean）上尉指挥。麦基恩收到一些增援部队后，他将四艘军舰派往通行证头，那里的商店与密西西比河一起。
由国会图书馆提供。
This flotilla consisted of four ships commanded by Captain John Pope of USSRichmond。He began assembling his command at the confluence of the passes in late September. The screw sloopRichmond是这些船中最强大的。这艘军舰骑着14 ix英寸的达尔格伦炮弹枪，可以将霍林斯的蚊子从水中吹出。Richmondwas joined by the sailing sloopsVincennes(18 guns) andPreble（16枪）以及侧轮炮舰USSWater Witch（10枪）。
Reconnaissance
When Flag Officer Hollins learned that Union ships had occupied the Head of Passes, he sent CSSIvyto investigate on October 9, 1861.Ivymounted two guns — an 8-inch shell gun and a 32-pounder banded rifle that outranged all of Pope’s guns.Ivyopened fire on the Union flotilla. The shells screaming overhead unnerved Pope, a veteran 45-year officer. He wished to abandon his position as he thought it was untenable. Yet Pope was ordered to stay in place. Despite his fears of an assault by a stronger force, Pope failed to set out picket boats, stations with flares, or any other precaution to warn him of the enemy’s approach.
马纳萨斯is Seized
Hollins recognized the need to supplement his squadron with the ironclad马纳萨斯。10月10日，他命令亚历山大·沃利中尉（Alexander Warley）指挥这艘船，以便可以将其添加到同盟国舰队中。尽管对私人的所有者和船员进行了抗议，但沃利本人拿着船，拿着他的弯刀和左轮手枪。沃利（Warley）对他的捕捉并没有留下深刻的印象。中尉叫马纳萨斯a “bug bear — no power, no speed, no strength of resistance and no armament.” Nevertheless, Warley quickly assembled a crew as Hollins planned to attack the Union fleet the next morning.
Confederate Attack
In the early morning of October 11, 1861, Hollins’s fleet headed down river. The conditions were perfect – “very dark, the moon had set, and the mist hanging low over the river” — for Hollins’s preemptive attack. The vessels were almost invisible in the eerie gloom. In the lead was马纳萨斯，然后是三个链条的消防筏和中队的其余部分。一旦攻击了一艘敌方船只，马纳萨斯是要发射三个耀斑来宣布应释放火筏。
About 4:40 a.m.,Richmondwas in the process of loading coal from the schoonerJoseph H. Toonewhen a lookout fromPreble喊道：“啊！您的港口弓上有一条船。”煤的噪音可能掩盖了突然的警告的声音，马纳萨斯appeared out of the mist. When马纳萨斯视力Richmond，，，，the firemen poured on coal and other combustibles to give the ram a burst of speed, enabling the ironclad to ram the Union sloop.
AlthoughRichmond被损坏并爆发了一个大泄漏，加索大篷车Tooneabsorbed much of the impact. The ram was momentarily trapped betweenTooneandRichmond.The lines parted, causing the coaling vessel to drift away, enabling马纳萨斯逃离。铁克撞到时严重损坏了Richmond。撞击导致RAM断开，导致泄漏。船体弯曲，导致了另一个泄漏，其中一辆发动机被撞倒了。更糟糕的是，公羊的烟囱被撞倒，导致窒息烟雾吞没了同盟国船的内部。
In all this confusion,RichmondandPreble向公羊开火；但是，由于铁克的低调马纳萨斯。As马纳萨斯struggled to make its way upstream, the crew began to set off the flares, indicating that the fire rafts should be released. The scene almost became comical as one of the rockets was accidentally released inside马纳萨斯，，，，ricocheting about the interior. Upon seeing the other rockets burst in the air, the fire rafts were released and floated down the river toward the Union flotilla.
教皇的奔跑
队长教皇惊慌失措当他看到火木筏floating towards him. He ordered his ships to slip their cables and retreat down the Southwest Pass.Water Witch是最后一个离开通行证的人。当这只侧轮到达河口的酒吧时，它目睹了RichmondandVincennesrunning aground. OnlyPreblehad reached the safety of the Gulf of Mexico.
A Hero’s Acclaim
旗手霍林斯错过了捕获的机会Vincennes。He broke off action as his ships were low on ammunition and fuel. He returned to Fort Jackson towing马纳萨斯and the captured coaling schooner. Lauded throughout the South, even though it suffered more damage than its victim,马纳萨斯was the first ironclad attack of the Civil War. The result? Ram Fever was born!
A Most Ridiculous Affair
Captain Pope reported, “Everyone is in dread of that infernal ram.” Squadron commander Flag Officer McKean reported, “the more I hear and learn of the facts the more disgraceful it does appear.” The ridiculous Union actions during the engagement resulted in Capt. John Pope’s resignation for “health reasons.” Shortly thereafter, Flag Officer David Glasgow Farragut organized the West Gulf Blockading Squadron and was detailed to capture New Orleans.
SOURCE:历史的铁:铁的力量在吸引d,约翰·沃斯坦（John V. Quarstein）。南卡罗来纳州查尔斯顿：历史出版社，2006年。可在博物馆的网络商店中找到：https://shop.www.boxorats.com/a-history-of-rirclads.html