CSS Ivy
Encyclopedia
CSS Ivy was a sidewheel steamer and privateer purchased by Commodore Lawrence Rousseau for service with the Confederate Navy, and chosen by Commodore George Hollins for his Mosquito Fleet
. The Mosquito Fleet was a group of riverboats converted to gunboats, and used to defend the Mississippi river in the area of New Orleans during the American Civil War
.
As a privately owned commercial vessel, the Ivy had been known as the Roger Williams and the El-Paraguay. The CSS Ivy began her Civil War career as a New Orleans based privateer V.H. Ivy, sent out to capture Union commercial vessels after Jefferson Davis
authorized the distribution of letters of marque and reprisal to private citizens after hostilities began in April of 1861. The Ivy did well at this, capturing four northern registered vessels, one of which was the ice breaker Enoch Train, which was purchased by private investors and rebuilt as the privateer ironclad ram Manassas. This vessel in turn was commandeered by Commodore Hollins as the CSS Manassas
.
The Union Blockade
arrived at the mouth of the Mississippi on May 27, 1861, when the USS Brooklyn
took up position. This event energized defense efforts in New Orleans and led to the replacement of Rousseau with Commodore Hollins in July of 1861 to command the river defense. By August Hollins had established his mosquito fleet for defense of the river in the area of New Orleans. The fleet consisted of the CSS McRae
, the flagship CSS Tuscarora, CSS Livingston, CSS Calhoun, CSS Jackson
, and the Ivy.
The Ivy, due to her large, sophisticated walking beam engine and multiple boiler propulsion system, was the fastest ship of the fleet. Because of this, Hollins made her the reconnaissance vessel of the fleet, and increased her firepower. As a privateer the Ivy was armed with two brass 24-pounder smoothbore
howitzers. Hollins increased her armament to an eight inch smoothbore mounted aft, and a 32-pounder rifled gun mounted on a forward pivot position on the bow. The conventional description of "rifled 32-pounder" is misleading, however. This gun was a former 32-pounder smoothbore that had been "modernized" by rifling the barrel, and machining and shrinking a single layer of red hot bands of wrought iron onto the breech of the barrel to allow it to operate at much greater breech pressures. This rifling and banding allowed the gun to fire a 100-pound (6.4 inch diameter) conical shot or shell at much greater ranges than would be possible with 32-pound round shot fired out of a smoothbore barrel. This modification was similar to the James rifle
process used to produce siege guns, and the resulting gun tube resembled a Parrott rifle
. This gun could be much more accurately described as a 6.4-inch (162 mm) banded rifle, and was the most powerful, long range weapon in the mosquito fleet.
The Ivy began patrolling the Mississippi south of Forts Jackson and St. Phillip beginning in September of 1861, captained by Lieutenant Fry of the CSN. On September 19, she encountered the USS Water Witch
. The Water Witch was scouting the Head of Passes
for the blockade fleet, which was planning to occupy the Head of Passes and set up a shore battery to control this strategic point. On October 5th Ivy reported the Head of Passes occupied by three vessels of the Union fleet, and shelled them with her bow pivot gun. Returning to the forts, Fry warned Hollins the Union fleet was establishing a base at the Head of Passes. Hollins decided the advance of the Blockade Fleet was a significant threat to New Orleans and moved to attack with the entire mosquito fleet. This attack resulted in the Battle of the Head of Passes
a Confederate victory that routed the Blockade Fleet and sent it back to the mouth of the Southwest Passage.
This victory reinforced the idea in the Confederate War Department that Flag Officer Foote's
Union Mississippi River Squadron
at the north end of the Mississippi was the greatest threat to the Confederacy. The Battle of Fort Henry
, the Battle of Fort Donelson
, and the Battle of Shiloh
lent a lot of credibility to this idea. As a result the mosquito fleet and the Ivy were ordered to the upper Mississippi and took part in the Battle of Island Number 10.
Island Number 10 was a defeat for the Confederate forces involved. The mosquito fleet could not match the USS and after these ships successfully ran the Confederate batteries, and were forced to retreat. Commander McBlair CSN at Memphis, being informed that New Orleans had fallen after the Battle of Forts Jackson and St. Philip
, ordered remaining Confederate vessels on the Mississippi to concentrate at Yazoo City, Mississippi
, on the Yazoo River. He regarded this harbor as the only safe place remaining on the Mississippi River network for the Confederate Navy to maintain a base.
This remaining refuge did not prove safe for long. In May of 1863, Rear Admiral David Dixon Porter
ordered a fleet under the command of Lieutenant-commander Walker to destroy Confederate commerce on the Yazoo River. This force consisted of the USS , , , and . With the Forest Rose acting as a mine sweeper, this force advanced steadily up the Yazoo river, from May 24th-31. Fearing the capture of their vessels on the Yazoo, Confederate forces destroyed the CSS Ivy, Star of the West
, and the transports Arcadia and Magenta.
Mosquito Fleet
The term Mosquito Fleet has had nine main meanings in U.S. naval and maritime history:#It is the term used to describe the United States Navy's fleet of small gunboats, leading up to and during the War of 1812, most were part of the New Orleans Squadron....
. The Mosquito Fleet was a group of riverboats converted to gunboats, and used to defend the Mississippi river in the area of New Orleans during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
As a privately owned commercial vessel, the Ivy had been known as the Roger Williams and the El-Paraguay. The CSS Ivy began her Civil War career as a New Orleans based privateer V.H. Ivy, sent out to capture Union commercial vessels after Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Finis Davis , also known as Jeff Davis, was an American statesman and leader of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, serving as President for its entire history. He was born in Kentucky to Samuel and Jane Davis...
authorized the distribution of letters of marque and reprisal to private citizens after hostilities began in April of 1861. The Ivy did well at this, capturing four northern registered vessels, one of which was the ice breaker Enoch Train, which was purchased by private investors and rebuilt as the privateer ironclad ram Manassas. This vessel in turn was commandeered by Commodore Hollins as the CSS Manassas
CSS Manassas
CSS Manassas, formerly the steam icebreaker Enoch Train, was built as a twin-screw towboat at Medford, Massachusetts, by James O. Curtis in 1855. A New Orleans commission merchant, Captain John A...
.
The Union Blockade
Union blockade
The Union Blockade, or the Blockade of the South, took place between 1861 and 1865, during the American Civil War, when the Union Navy maintained a strenuous effort on the Atlantic and Gulf Coast of the Confederate States of America designed to prevent the passage of trade goods, supplies, and arms...
arrived at the mouth of the Mississippi on May 27, 1861, when the USS Brooklyn
USS Brooklyn
Three ships of the United States Navy have borne the name Brooklyn, after the New York City borough of Brooklyn.* The , was a wooden screw sloop commissioned in 1859 and a participant in the American Civil War....
took up position. This event energized defense efforts in New Orleans and led to the replacement of Rousseau with Commodore Hollins in July of 1861 to command the river defense. By August Hollins had established his mosquito fleet for defense of the river in the area of New Orleans. The fleet consisted of the CSS McRae
CSS McRae
The CSS McRae was a Confederate gunboat that saw service during the American Civil War. Displacing around 680 tons, she was armed with one 9-inch smoothbore and six 32-pound smoothbore cannon....
, the flagship CSS Tuscarora, CSS Livingston, CSS Calhoun, CSS Jackson
CSS Jackson
CSS Jackson was a gunboat of the Confederate Navy during the American Civil War.Built at Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1849 as Yankee, the fast side-wheel river tug was purchased at New Orleans on 9 May 1861 by Capt. L. Rousseau, CSN, then strengthened and fitted for service in the Confederate Navy, and...
, and the Ivy.
The Ivy, due to her large, sophisticated walking beam engine and multiple boiler propulsion system, was the fastest ship of the fleet. Because of this, Hollins made her the reconnaissance vessel of the fleet, and increased her firepower. As a privateer the Ivy was armed with two brass 24-pounder smoothbore
Smoothbore
A smoothbore weapon is one which has a barrel without rifling. Smoothbores range from handheld firearms to powerful tank guns and large artillery mortars.-History of firearms and rifling:...
howitzers. Hollins increased her armament to an eight inch smoothbore mounted aft, and a 32-pounder rifled gun mounted on a forward pivot position on the bow. The conventional description of "rifled 32-pounder" is misleading, however. This gun was a former 32-pounder smoothbore that had been "modernized" by rifling the barrel, and machining and shrinking a single layer of red hot bands of wrought iron onto the breech of the barrel to allow it to operate at much greater breech pressures. This rifling and banding allowed the gun to fire a 100-pound (6.4 inch diameter) conical shot or shell at much greater ranges than would be possible with 32-pound round shot fired out of a smoothbore barrel. This modification was similar to the James rifle
James rifle
James rifle is a generic term to describe any artillery gun rifled to the James pattern for use in the American Civil War. Charles T. James developed a rifled projectile and rifling system. Modern authorities such as Warren Ripley and James Hazlett have suggested that the term "James rifle" only...
process used to produce siege guns, and the resulting gun tube resembled a Parrott rifle
Parrott rifle
The Parrott rifle was a type of muzzle loading rifled artillery weapon used extensively in the American Civil War.-Parrott Rifle:The gun was invented by Robert Parker Parrott, a West Point graduate. He resigned from the service in 1836 and became the superintendent of the West Point Foundry in Cold...
. This gun could be much more accurately described as a 6.4-inch (162 mm) banded rifle, and was the most powerful, long range weapon in the mosquito fleet.
The Ivy began patrolling the Mississippi south of Forts Jackson and St. Phillip beginning in September of 1861, captained by Lieutenant Fry of the CSN. On September 19, she encountered the USS Water Witch
USS Water Witch
Three ships in the United States Navy have been named USS Water Witch.* USS Water Witch was a steamer built in 1844 and 1845* USS Water Witch was a modification of the hull of the first, launched in 1847. Her machinery went to the third ship.* USS Water Witch was a wooden-hulled, sidewheel...
. The Water Witch was scouting the Head of Passes
Head of Passes
Head of Passes is where the main stem of the Mississippi River branches off into three distinct directions at its mouth in the Gulf of Mexico: Southwest Pass , Pass A Loutre and South Pass...
for the blockade fleet, which was planning to occupy the Head of Passes and set up a shore battery to control this strategic point. On October 5th Ivy reported the Head of Passes occupied by three vessels of the Union fleet, and shelled them with her bow pivot gun. Returning to the forts, Fry warned Hollins the Union fleet was establishing a base at the Head of Passes. Hollins decided the advance of the Blockade Fleet was a significant threat to New Orleans and moved to attack with the entire mosquito fleet. This attack resulted in the Battle of the Head of Passes
Battle of the Head of Passes
The Battle of the Head of Passes was a bloodless naval battle of the American Civil War. It was a naval raid made by the Confederate river defense fleet, also known as the “mosquito fleet” in the local media, on ships of the Union Blockade squadron anchored at the Head of Passes...
a Confederate victory that routed the Blockade Fleet and sent it back to the mouth of the Southwest Passage.
This victory reinforced the idea in the Confederate War Department that Flag Officer Foote's
Andrew Hull Foote
Andrew Hull Foote was an American naval officer who was noted for his service in the American Civil War and also for his contributions to several naval reforms in the years prior to the war. When the war came, he was appointed to command of the Western Gunboat Flotilla, predecessor of the...
Union Mississippi River Squadron
Mississippi River Squadron
The Mississippi River Squadron was the Union naval squadron that operated on the western rivers during the American Civil War. It was initially created as a part of the Union Army, although it was commanded by naval officers, and was then known as the Western Gunboat Flotilla and sometimes as the...
at the north end of the Mississippi was the greatest threat to the Confederacy. The Battle of Fort Henry
Battle of Fort Henry
The Battle of Fort Henry was fought on February 6, 1862, in western Tennessee, during the American Civil War. It was the first important victory for the Union and Brig. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant in the Western Theater....
, the Battle of Fort Donelson
Battle of Fort Donelson
The Battle of Fort Donelson was fought from February 11 to February 16, 1862, in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. The capture of the fort by Union forces opened the Cumberland River as an avenue for the invasion of the South. The success elevated Brig. Gen. Ulysses S...
, and the Battle of Shiloh
Battle of Shiloh
The Battle of Shiloh, also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing, was a major battle in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, fought April 6–7, 1862, in southwestern Tennessee. A Union army under Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant had moved via the Tennessee River deep into Tennessee and...
lent a lot of credibility to this idea. As a result the mosquito fleet and the Ivy were ordered to the upper Mississippi and took part in the Battle of Island Number 10.
Island Number 10 was a defeat for the Confederate forces involved. The mosquito fleet could not match the USS and after these ships successfully ran the Confederate batteries, and were forced to retreat. Commander McBlair CSN at Memphis, being informed that New Orleans had fallen after the Battle of Forts Jackson and St. Philip
Battle of Forts Jackson and St. Philip
The Battle of Forts Jackson and St. Philip was the decisive battle for possession of New Orleans in the American Civil War. The two Confederate forts on the Mississippi River south of the city were attacked by a Union Navy fleet...
, ordered remaining Confederate vessels on the Mississippi to concentrate at Yazoo City, Mississippi
Yazoo City, Mississippi
Yazoo City is a city in Yazoo County, Mississippi, United States. It was named after the Yazoo River, which, in turn was named by the French explorer Robert La Salle. It is the county seat of Yazoo County and the principal city of the Yazoo City Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of the...
, on the Yazoo River. He regarded this harbor as the only safe place remaining on the Mississippi River network for the Confederate Navy to maintain a base.
This remaining refuge did not prove safe for long. In May of 1863, Rear Admiral David Dixon Porter
David Dixon Porter
David Dixon Porter was a member of one of the most distinguished families in the history of the United States Navy. Promoted as the second man to the rank of admiral, after his adoptive brother David G...
ordered a fleet under the command of Lieutenant-commander Walker to destroy Confederate commerce on the Yazoo River. This force consisted of the USS , , , and . With the Forest Rose acting as a mine sweeper, this force advanced steadily up the Yazoo river, from May 24th-31. Fearing the capture of their vessels on the Yazoo, Confederate forces destroyed the CSS Ivy, Star of the West
Star of the West
The Star of the West was a civilian steamship hired by the United States government to transport military supplies and reinforcements to the garrison of Fort Sumter, but was fired on by Confederates in its effort to do so at the dawning of the American Civil War...
, and the transports Arcadia and Magenta.
