Civil War

Battle of Wassaw Sound and CSS Atlanta

Posted on
Sketch of CSS Atlanta. Robert G. Skerrett, artist.
Date unknown. The Mariners’ Museum # PNc0001.

The CSSAtlantawas an ironclad transformation effort which used the iron-hull and Scottish-built engines of SSFingal to fashion one of the Confederacy’s most powerful warships. The ironclad; however, had a deep draft which limited its operational area below Savannah. This coupled with a very rash and impetuous captain, Commander William Webb, resulted inAtlanta’s capture in a brief engagement with the monitors USSWeehawkenand USSNahant. The ironclad soon became the USSAtlantaand served until 1865 in the James River. It was later sold to Haiti and floundered en route without a trace.

SSFingal

TheAtlantahad its genesis from the merchant ship SSFingal. This merchant ship was constructed at the J & G Thomson’s Clyde Bank Iron Shipyard at Govan in Glasgow, Scotland. TheFingal’s dimensions were:Read more

Civil War USS Monitor Center

LAST DAYS OF USS MONITOR

Posted on
The Monitor Boys. Officers on deck.
The Mariners’ Museum
P0001.014-01–PN5987

After the ironclad’s showdown with CSSVirginiaon March 9, 1862, USSMonitorwas considered the ‘little ship that saved the nation.’ TheMonitorcontinued to serve in Virginia waters until September 30 when the ironclad was sent to Washington Navy Yard for much needed repairs. The ship’s complement changed due to desertion and re-assignment; nevertheless, it left the yard on November 8 to return to Hampton Roads. Having received a variety of improvements,Monitorwas positioned off of Newport News Point, guarding against any excursion by the Confederate ironclad CSSRichmond.

CAN WE ATTAIN FRESH LAURELS?Read more

Civil War

Commerce Raider CSS NASHVILLE

Posted on
Nashville/Rebel. Pen and Ink Drawing. Samuel Ward Stanton, artist, ca. 1890-1910. The Mariners’ Museum 1988.0041.000446

The CSSNashvillewas the first Confederate warship to be recognized by Great Britain when the commerce raider arrived in Southampton, Great Britain, on November 21, 1861. This caused a diplomatic estrangement between Great Britain and the United States simultaneously with the infamous Trent Affair. Virtually trapped in Southampton by USSTuscarora, thanks to the British Foreign Enlistment Act,Nashvillewas able to escape and run through the blockade into Beaufort, North Carolina. TheNashvilleended its commerce raiding career when it was sold to become a blockade runner at Georgetown, South Carolina. Nevertheless, CSSNashvilleplayed an important role in the Confederate search for European recognition.

FAST MAIL STEAMER

TheNashville建成快速螺旋轮由William Collyer of Greenpoint, Brooklyn, and it launched on September 22, 1853.Commissioned as United States Mail Steamer, the sidewheelerNashvillemaintained a passenger run between New York and Charleston, South Carolina. The ship’s characteristics were as follows:Read more