CSS Columbia
Encyclopedia
CSS Columbia was an ironclad ram in the Confederate States Navy
and later in the United States Navy
.
, South Carolina
in 1864, of yellow pine and white oak with iron fastenings and 6 inch (150 mm) iron plating. Hull work was done by F. M. Jones to John L. Porter
's plans, plating and machinery by James M. Eason; her casemate was shortened to conserve precious metal and clad with 6" iron. Columbia was launched in March 1864 and entered service later in that year.
When the Union
forces took possession of Charleston on February 18, 1865, they found the greatly prized Columbia in jeopardy near Fort Moultrie; while on duty as part of the defenses of Charleston, she had run on a sunken wreck and been damaged on January 12, 1865. Columbia was found to have had her guns and some armor plating removed and ship-worms already at work.
G. W. Hayward, USN
. Columbia was towed by USS Vanderbilt to Hampton Roads
, Virginia
, where she arrived May 25, 1865. Columbia was drydocked on June 5 and repairs were begun, but on June 15, she was decommissioned and placed in ordinary. Her hulk was sold October 10, 1867.
Confederate States Navy
The Confederate States Navy was the naval branch of the Confederate States armed forces established by an act of the Confederate Congress on February 21, 1861. It was responsible for Confederate naval operations during the American Civil War...
and later in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
.
As CSS Columbia
Columbia was constructed under contract at CharlestonCharleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
in 1864, of yellow pine and white oak with iron fastenings and 6 inch (150 mm) iron plating. Hull work was done by F. M. Jones to John L. Porter
John L. Porter
John Luke Porter , whose father was a shipwright at Portsmouth, Virginia, was born in 1813. He became a United States Navy civilian employee during the 1840s and a Naval Constructor in 1859. After resigning from the U.S. Navy in May 1861, he began working for the Confederate States Navy at the...
's plans, plating and machinery by James M. Eason; her casemate was shortened to conserve precious metal and clad with 6" iron. Columbia was launched in March 1864 and entered service later in that year.
When the Union
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
forces took possession of Charleston on February 18, 1865, they found the greatly prized Columbia in jeopardy near Fort Moultrie; while on duty as part of the defenses of Charleston, she had run on a sunken wreck and been damaged on January 12, 1865. Columbia was found to have had her guns and some armor plating removed and ship-worms already at work.
As USS Columbia
She was raised on April 26 and placed under the command of LieutenantLieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
G. W. Hayward, USN
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. Columbia was towed by USS Vanderbilt to Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, where she arrived May 25, 1865. Columbia was drydocked on June 5 and repairs were begun, but on June 15, she was decommissioned and placed in ordinary. Her hulk was sold October 10, 1867.
See also
For other ships named Columbia, see USS ColumbiaUSS Columbia
Nine United States Navy ships have been named USS Columbia, after the personification of the United States, also after the city of Columbia, South Carolina....