River Gunboats
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Twin screws; steam engines.
Guns/Armour:
1 × 64-pounder SB; Later: 1 × 32-pounder SB.
Fate:
Sunk 24 April 1862.
CSS Mississippi
Mississippi was the second of the large Confederate ironclads intended for the defence of New Orleans. She was built alongside CSS Louisiana by the Tift Brothers, using construction techniques employed by house builders, which explains the boxy appearance of her hull design. She was intended to have three propellers, and the shaft for the central engine was only found after considerable searching discovered a nearby wreck in the river, which furnished the extremely long iron shaft. She was launched incomplete after Farragut bypassed the river forts, but because no suitable tugs were available to tow her North to safety she was burned and scuttled.
CSS Mississippi as she might have appeared if completed. (Sketch by J W Wallis on Website https://civilwartalk.com/threads/css-mississippi.82583/page-3)
Launched:
24 April 1862 by the Tift Brothers at New Orleans.
Dimensions:
Displ: 3,819 tons; L: 86.87m/285ft; B: 20.4m/67ft; D: 4.27m/14ft full load.
Power/Speed:
Triple screws; steam engines/10 knots probable.
Guns/Armour:
4 × 7in Brooke rifles; 16 × 9in SB/Casemate: 3 × 1¼in plate backed by up to 36in wood; 1¼in on corners; Hull below waterline: 2 × 1¼in plate; Decks: 2 × 1¼in plate.
Fate:
Scuttled incomplete 25 April 1862.
CSS Missouri
Trapped in Shreveport by the same low water level in the Red River which almost trapped the Union flotilla, CSS Missouri never went further than 2 miles (3.2km) down the river during the Civil War, and saw no action. After surrendering she was escorted down to the Mississippi by the ‘rubberclad’ USS Lafayette.
Launched:
14 April 1863 in Shreveport, Louisiana.
Dimensions:
L: 55.8m/183ft; B: 16.15m/53ft; D: 2.6m/8ft 6in.
Power/Speed:
Internal paddle wheel; 2 × steam engines. Schooner rig/5.3 knots.
Guns/Armour:
1 × 9in Dahlgren SB; 1 × 9in Dahlgren SB; 1 × 32-pounder SB/Casemate and Deck: 4½in (114mm).
Fate:
Sold 29 November 1865.
CSS Missouri, known as ‘The Red River Ironclad’, seen here armed with a spar torpedo gantry on her bows. The upper part of her central wheel which projected above the citadel was never protected by armour. (Drawing via Website: https://alchetron.com/CSS-Missouri-1998741-W)
CSS Neuse
CSS Neuse was built to the same general design as the successful ironclad CSS Albemarle, with two more gunports each side. Due to severe shortages of iron, her deck armour was never fitted. She remained as a static ironclad battery up until March 1865, when she was scuttled to prevent capture by the Union Army. Her wreck was salvaged in 1963, yielding some 15,000 artefacts including much of her ordnance. She is currently on display in Kinston.
Neuse II, a full-size replica capable of floating, was constructed by shipbuilder Alton Stapleford, who died in 2010. She is currently displayed on land in Kinston, North Carolina.
Neuse II, the full-size replica at Kinston. Note her substantial bow ram. (Photo The CSS Neuse Foundation)
A replica of a 6.4in Brooke rifle on board the Neuse II. Note the pivoting slide with two sets of rollers, enabling the gun to fire through the forward port or those in the angles or on the broadside. (Photo CSS Neuse Foundation)
CSS Neuse in profile. (Drawing courtesy of The Blueprints)
Launched:
November 1863 by Howard & Ellis, at White Hall, N.C.
Dimensions:
L: 46m/152ft; B: 10m/34ft; D: 2.7m/9ft.
Power/Speed:
Twin screws; 2 × steam engines.
Guns/Armour:
2 × 6.4in Brooke rifles/Casemate: 4in wrought-iron on 4in oak backing. Deck armour planned but never fitted.
Fate:
Blown up March 1865.
CSS Richmond
Richmond was begun soon after Virginia (ex-Merrimack). Launched hurriedly on 6 May 1862, she was towed the same night to Richmond where she was completed. Richmond saw considerable action, and was finally scuttled on the evacuation of the Confederate capital.
Launched:
6 May 1862 at Newport Naval Yard.
Dimensions:
L: 52.58m/172ft 6in; B: 10.36m/34ft; D: 3.66m/12ft.
Crew:
150.
Power/Speed:
Single screw; steam engine/5 knots.
Guns/Armour:
4 × rifles; 2 × shell guns; spar torpedo/Casemate: 4in on 22in yellow pine and oak; armoured to 3ft 6in below her waterline.
Fate:
Scuttled 3 April 1865.
CSS Texas
CSS Texas was captured incomplete but afloat at an outfitting berth in Richmond Naval Yard on 4 April 1865. She was taken over by the US Navy, but was never commissioned. USS Texas was laid up in Norfolk until her sale.
A view by R G Skerrett, 1900, depicting CSS Richmond on the James River. Note the pivoting shutters on the gun ports. As opposed to those on other Southern designs, they are pivoted at the top and thus held open by chains. If the chain were shot away, the shutter would obscure the port. On most other designs the shutter is pivoted at the bottom and held closed by a chain. Thus if the latter is shot away, the port remains unobstructed. Her designers obviously accepted the risk in order to ensure that ports not in use for firing would always remain closed. (US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo No NH 75620)
Launched:
January 1865 at Richmond Naval Yard.
Dimensions:
L: 66.1m/217ft: B: 4.78m/48ft 6in; D: 4.1m/13ft 6in.
Power/Speed:
Twin screws; 2 × steam engines.
Guns/Armour:
Intended to have 6.4in Brooke rifles.
Fate:
Sold 15 October 1867.
CSS Texas. (Drawing courtesy of The Blueprints)
6.4in Brooke single-banded rifle, intended for the Confederate ronclad CSS Texas. (US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # NH 76389)
CSS Virginia II
Virginia II took part in actions in June, August and October 1864, and was damaged attempting to pass river obstructions on 23/24 January 1865. She was scuttled in the James River before the evacuation of Richmond.
A drawing which may represent CSS Virginia II. Plan # 81-12-2E in Record Group 19 at the US National Archives. (US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 76391)
Launched:
1863 in Richmond.
Dimensions:
L: 60m/197ft; B: 14.48m/47ft 6in; D: 4.27m/14ft.
Crew:
150.
Power/Speed:
Single screw (per plan); steam engine/10 knots.
Guns/Armour:
1 × 9in Dahlgren SB; 1 × 8in Brooke rifle; 2 × 6.4in Brooke rifles.
Fate:
Scuttled 3 April 1865.
GUNBOATS
CSS Selma
SS Florida was acquired by the Confederacy in June 1861. Her superstructure was cut down and she was reinforced with hog frames to carry heavy guns. Renamed CSS Selma in July 1862, she served in the New Orleans, Lake Ponchartrain and Mobile Bay region. During the Battle of Mobile Bay, Selma was captured by the double-ender USS Metacomet. For her ultimate fate, see UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
Launched:
1856 as coastal steamer SS Florida at Mobile.
Dimensions:
Displ: 320 tons; L: 76.8m/252ft; B: 9.14m/30ft; D: 1.83m/6ft.
Crew:
65–94.
Power/Speed:
Side paddle wheels; steam engine/9 knots.
Guns/Armour:
2 × 9in SB; 1 × 8in SB; 1 × 6.4in Brooke rifle.
Fate:
Captured 6 August 1864.
Sketch of CSS Selma photographed by T Lilienthal, New Orleans. (
US Naval History and Heritage Command photo No NH 511)
CSS Bienville and Carondelet
This pair of shallow-draught gunboats were intended for use in the Lake Ponchartrain area and around New Orleans. They were designed by John L Porter, and used second-hand Western riverboat engines. Both were scuttled on Lake Ponchartrain at the time of the capture of New Orleans.
Launched:
Bienville 18 January 1862 by John Hughes & Co., Carondelet 25 January 1862, by Sidney Porter, at Bayou St John, Lake Ponchartrain.
Dimensions:
L: 64.9m/213ft; B: 10.1m/33ft; D: 2.06m/6ft 9in.
Power/Speed:
Side paddle wheels; high-pressure steam engine.
Guns/Armour:
Bienville: 5 × 42-pounder SB; 1 × small-calibre rifle. Carondelet: 5 × 42-pounder SB; 1 × 32-pounder rifle; 1 × small-calibre cannon.
Fate:
Scuttled April 1862.
Bayou St John, New Orleans showing probably Carondelet (on the left) and Bienville (right) under construction. (Photo Confederate Hall Museum Collection via Website www.washingtonartillery.com)
Carondelet class. (Drawing by J W Wallis from Website: http://civilwartalk.com/threads/confederate-carondelet-class-gunboats.111491/)
Painting of the Macon-class gunboat Pee Dee.
CSS Pee Dee
Due to shortage of materials and skilled workmen, construction of the Pee Dee took some two years. Despite thought being given to sending her to sea to act as a raider, by the time she entered service there were few opportunities left for successful action. She was scuttled just a month after having been commissioned. Her three cannons were recovered from the river bed in 2015.
Launched:
January 1865 by Mars Bluff Navy Yard, South Carolina.
Dimensions:
L: 45.72m/150ft (between perpendiculars); 51.8m/170ft overall; B: 7.9m/26ft; D: 3.0m/10ft.
Crew:
60–86.
Power/Speed:
Twin screws; steam engines. Schooner rig/8–9 knots.
Guns/Armour:
1 × 9in Dahlgren SB; 1 × 7in Brooke rifle; 1 × 6.4in Brooke rifle.
Fate:
Scuttled 18 February 1865.
CSS Sterling Price
The steamer Laurent Millaudon was taken over by the Confederates in 1861 and converted to a ram under the name of General Sterling Price. She took part in the battle of Plum Point, and was one of the rams which sank USS Cincinnati. She was herself sunk ay the battle of Memphis on 6 June 1962, but was raised and entered Union service. For details of her subsequent fate, see UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
Launched:
1856 as river steamer Laurent Millaudon, at Cincinnati.
Dimensions:
Displ: 633 tons; L: 55.47m/182ft; B: 9.14m/30ft; D: 2.82m/9ft 3in.
Power/Speed:
Side paddle wheels; steam engine.
Guns/Armour:
4 × 9in Dahlgren rifles; reinforced bow for ramming.
Fate:
Sunk 6 June 1862.
General Sterling Price as USS General Sterling Price moored off Baton Rouge. The timberclad USS Lexington is in the background. (US Naval History and Heritage Command photo No NH 53870
CSS Water Witch
USS Water Witch was a gunboat launched in 1851 which had seen considerable service with the US Navy prior to the outbreak of the Civil War. During the opening stages of the conflict she made several reconnaissance trips up the Mississippi, for which her shallow draught made her eminently suitable. Having narrowly avoided action with the Confederate ram Manassas, Water Witch took up blockade duty. On the night of 3 June 1864 while at anchor in Ossabaw Sound, her crew was surprised by a Confederate boarding party which took over the ship. Commissioned in the Confederate Navy under the same name, she remained at White Bluff, Georgia, until 19 December 1864 when she was scuttled to avoid capture.
A full-scale replica of Water Witch is on display at the National Civil War Naval Museum, in Columbus, Georgia.
The replica of CSS Water Witch in Columbus, Georgia. (Photo courtesy of the National Civil War Naval Museum)
Launched:
1851 by the Washington Naval Yard.
Dimensions:
Displ: 464 tons; L: 50m/163ft; B: 7.42m/24ft 4in; D: 3.58m/11ft 9in.
Crew:
64.
Power/Speed:
Side paddle wheels; steam engine; barquentine rig.
Guns/Armour:
4 × 32-pounder SB; 1 × 20-pounder rifle; 1 × 12-pounder SB.
Fate:
Scuttled December 1864.
CSS Webb
Taken over by the Confederate State in January 1862 and converted to a ram, with the name shortened to CSS Webb. She was one of the rams which took part in the sinking of Indianola on 24 February 1863. Having run the Union blockade on the Red River in April 1865, Webb was run ashore and set on fire.
Launched:
1856 as tug William H. Webb for the Southern Steamship Co.
Dimensions:
Displ: 655 tons; L: 62.8m/206ft; B: 9.75m/32ft; D: 2.9m/9ft 6in.
Crew:
64.
Power/Speed:
Side paddle wheels; walking beam steam engine.
Guns/Armour:
1 × 130-pounder rifle; 2 × 12-pounder howitzers.
Fate:
Scuttled April 1865.
CSS Hampton
CSS Hampton was one of very few of her class of small gunboat to be built. She escaped from the Norfolk Navy Yard just before its capture by Union forces, and moved up the James River. Having seen much action, Hampton was finally burned during the evacuation of Richmond on 3 April 1865.
Launched:
1862 in the Norfolk Naval Yard.
Dimensions:
Displ: 166 tons; L: 32m/106ft; B: 6.4m/21ft; D: 1.8m/6ft.
Power/Speed:
Single screw; steam engine.
Guns/Armour:
1 × 9in SB; 1 × 32-pounder SB.
Fate:
Scuttled April 1865.
CSS Hampton. (Drawing courtesy of The Blueprints)
SS Golian, near sister-ship of the Webb.
CSS Teaser
The tug York River was purchased by the State of Virginia in 1861 with the name of Teaser and subsequently became part of the Confederate Navy. She was CSS Virginia’s tender during the momentous engagement at Hampton Roads, then served as a balloon vessel and minelayer. During her engagement with USS Maratanza on 4 July 1862, a shell destroyed her boiler, she was abandoned, and was taken over by the Union Navy. For her subsequent fate, see UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
Launched:
Built as tug York River at Philadelphia.
Dimensions:
Displ: 65 tons; L: 24.38m/80ft; B: 5.49m/18ft.
Crew:
25.
Power/Speed:
Single screw; steam engine; schooner rig.
Guns/Armour:
1 × 100-pounder SB; 1 × 12-pounder Parrott rifle; observation balloon.
Fate:
Captured 4 July 1862.
CSS Teaser. (Drawing courtesy of The Blueprints)
Another Matthew Brady photo, showing her bow 12-pounder Parrott rifle mounted on a slide pivot carriage. (Library of Congress Photo No LCB8171-481)
The 100-pounder mounted on her stern, photographed by Mathew Brady after her capture. (Library of Congress Photo No LC-B811-482)
CONGO, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC
The Congo nominally has a brown-water naval force, based on the upper Congo River, on Lake Tanganyika and on Lake Kivu.
Project 1400 ME Grif/Zhuk Class
Between 1982 and 1984, the Congo received from the Soviet Union three units, Nos V301–V303. For details, see RUSSIA Part II.
Shanghai Type 062 Class
In the 1980s, China transferred to the Congo six Shanghai II Type 062 class gunboats, but at the time of writing, only one, No 102, was reported to be operational. For details, see CHINA.
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br /> CROATIA, INDEPENDENT STATE 1941–1945
The Independent State of Croatia was established as an Axis ally and puppet state on 10 April 1941. The new Croat Navy was divided into two parts, the Coast and Maritime Traffic Command under the supervision of the Italians, who did not allow the Croats to possess any warship displacing more than 50 tons, and the River and River Traffic Command, to which this restriction would not apply, since the Croats were determined to salvage two of the ex-Yugoslav river monitors.
In April 1941, with the overthrow of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, the monitors Morava (ex-Austro-Hungarian Körös) and Sava (ex-Bodrog) had been scuttled by their crews. The Sava lay with her bows submerged in the Sava River, and a lifting platform was assembled over her. Morava was a much more difficult salvage proposition, as she lay on her starboard side in the river, and had to be pulled upright between two pontoons. By 1942 both monitors had been salvaged and repaired. Their single 40mm AA gun was augmented by more light AA weapons.
Sava was commissioned under the same name, but would be scuttled again by her crew on 8 September 1944, when her crew deserted to the partisans. She was once more raised and recommissioned in 1952 into the post-war Yugoslav Navy, serving up until 1962.
Morava was renamed Bosna in the Croatian river flotilla. However, in June 1944 she struck a mine on the River Una near Bosanski-Novi and this time was not repaired. Her wreck was salvaged and broken up for scrap in 1949.
For details of these monitors under their original names, see AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.
KS Type Motorboats
Eight of these small Schnellboote, intended initially as coastal minelayers, were allocated to the German Danube Flotilla in early 1944, but a short time later were passed to the Croatian Flotilla. After the crew of KS 5 deserted to join the Partisans, the Kriegsmarine took back the surviving boats.