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USS Benton (1861)
Encyclopedia
USS Benton (1861) was an ironclad river gunboat
in the United States Navy
during the American Civil War
. She was named for American senator Thomas Hart Benton
. Benton was a former center-wheel catamaran
snagboat
and was converted by James B. Eads, St. Louis, Missouri
, in 1861 and commissioned 24 February 1862 as part of the Army's Western Gunboat Flotilla.
received correspondence from James Eads concerning the viability of converting Submarine No. 7 into a riverine warship for the U.S. military. Submarine No. 7 was a snagboat built by the US Navy that had been purchased by Eads' Missouri Wrecking Company and modified to raise sunken steamboats on the Mississippi River
. Both hulls of Submarine No. 7 were divided into 7 watertight compartments and Eads argued that the vessel could suffer up to 20 penetrating shot into 4 of these compartments and still stay afloat. Additionally he argued that the vessel would be able to support a strong battery of 32-pounder cannons. His initial proposal called converting the vessel into a Cotton-clad
gunboat for a cost of $3,000 in cotton. His letter also described a plan to convert two other, smaller vessels and to create a naval base
at Cairo, IL.
Lacking the resources to undertake the project, Welles forwarded Eads letter on to the Secretary of War Simon Cameron
. Cameron was impressed by the proposal and forwarded it to General George McClellan
to implement the construction of the base. Instead of the cotton-clad boat however, the US Army wanted a fleet of new ships; this became the City-class
ironclad fleet.
Impressed by the Eads' abilities during the construction of the City-class,he earned several additional contracts. One of these involved Submarine No. 7. Eads widened Submarine No. 7 lower deck into a gun deck then added a second tier of accommodations. The large size of the finished vessel and this additional space led to the vessel being well suited to a flagship role. Commander William D. Porter
complained that the finished vessel was too slow, and history has recorded that Eads replied that she was still fast enough to fight in. Now as the Benton she would serve as a flagship for most of the war.
Andrew Foote's
command, she participated in the Battle of Island Number Ten
in March-April. On May 10, she was present for the Battle of Plum Point Bend where a Confederate
ram flotilla ambushed the fleet , sinking the Cincinnati and the Mound City before being driven off. On June 6, Benton and the fleet, now supported by a flotilla of Union rams under the command of Colonel
Charles Ellet, Jr.
engaged the Confederate rams in the Battle of Memphis
where the Confederate flotilla was completely routed.In July the Benton lead the fleet into an attempted engagement with the CSS Arkansas
near Vicksburg, Mississippi
. The attempt was a failure and Benton and the fleet were forced to retreat north of the city for the rest of the year. In October, the entire fleet was transferred from Army command to Navy command. Benton spent the remainder of the year patrolling the Yazoo River
.
, the Benton led a nighttime charge past the guns of Vicksburg. Protecting the Ivy
from cannon fire, the Benton led a column ten additional vessels past the heavy artillery batteries. Passing at a range of 800 yards (731.5 m) the Benton was hit 5 times, including 1 10 inches (254 mm) round that split her casemate injuring several crewmen. on April 29 the Benton led a 7 ironclad fleet in a bombardment of Grand Gulf, MI's gun batteries
. One particularly devastating hit pieced the Benton's armor, causing 25 casualties. As the battled continued the speed of the current increased and overwhelmed the Benton's engines and she was swept downstream before the bombardment's conclusion. In May, Benton returned to Vickburg to continue bombarding the city until its fall in June.
before that forts surrender to Union General A.J. Smith. By May, the army was defeated in combat and forced to retreat and the fleet was stranded on the river after the water levels fell too low to allow the fleet to retreat back to the Mississippi. The fleet was ultimately saved by building dams across low points in the river. Once the water level was high enough, the dams were destroyed and the fleet was able to escape on the rush of high water.
.
. Her armor and armament were removed and she was sold 29 November 1865.
Gunboat
A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies.-History:...
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...
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...
. She was named for American senator Thomas Hart Benton
Thomas Hart Benton (senator)
Thomas Hart Benton , nicknamed "Old Bullion", was a U.S. Senator from Missouri and a staunch advocate of westward expansion of the United States. He served in the Senate from 1821 to 1851, becoming the first member of that body to serve five terms...
. Benton was a former center-wheel catamaran
Catamaran
A catamaran is a type of multihulled boat or ship consisting of two hulls, or vakas, joined by some structure, the most basic being a frame, formed of akas...
snagboat
Snagboat
A snagboat is a river boat, resembling a barge with superstructure for crew accommodations, and deck-mounted cranes and hoists for removing snags and other obstructions from rivers and other shallow waterways....
and was converted by James B. Eads, St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, in 1861 and commissioned 24 February 1862 as part of the Army's Western Gunboat Flotilla.
Conversion from snagboat
On April 29, 1861 Secretary of the Navy Gideon WellesGideon Welles
Gideon Welles was the United States Secretary of the Navy from 1861 to 1869. His buildup of the Navy to successfully execute blockades of Southern ports was a key component of Northern victory of the Civil War...
received correspondence from James Eads concerning the viability of converting Submarine No. 7 into a riverine warship for the U.S. military. Submarine No. 7 was a snagboat built by the US Navy that had been purchased by Eads' Missouri Wrecking Company and modified to raise sunken steamboats on the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
. Both hulls of Submarine No. 7 were divided into 7 watertight compartments and Eads argued that the vessel could suffer up to 20 penetrating shot into 4 of these compartments and still stay afloat. Additionally he argued that the vessel would be able to support a strong battery of 32-pounder cannons. His initial proposal called converting the vessel into a Cotton-clad
Cotton-clad
Cottonclads were a classification of steam-powered warships where a wooden ship was protected from enemy fire by bales of cotton lining its sides. This provided some protection from enemy fire, but not to the extent of ironclads...
gunboat for a cost of $3,000 in cotton. His letter also described a plan to convert two other, smaller vessels and to create a naval base
Naval base
A naval base is a military base, where warships and naval ships are deployed when they have no mission at sea or want to restock. Usually ships may also perform some minor repairs. Some naval bases are temporary homes to aircraft that usually stay on the ships but are undergoing maintenance while...
at Cairo, IL.
Lacking the resources to undertake the project, Welles forwarded Eads letter on to the Secretary of War Simon Cameron
Simon Cameron
Simon Cameron was an American politician who served as United States Secretary of War for Abraham Lincoln at the start of the American Civil War. After making his fortune in railways and banking, he turned to a life of politics. He became a U.S. senator in 1845 for the state of Pennsylvania,...
. Cameron was impressed by the proposal and forwarded it to General George McClellan
George McClellan
George B. McClellan was an American Civil War military leader, Presidential candidate and Governor of New Jersey.George McClellan may also refer to:*George McClellan , American physician who founded medical schools...
to implement the construction of the base. Instead of the cotton-clad boat however, the US Army wanted a fleet of new ships; this became the City-class
City class ironclad
The Pook Turtles, or City class gunboats to use their semi-official name, were war vessels intended for service on the Mississippi River during the American Civil War. They were also sometimes referred to as "Eads gunboats." The labels are applied to seven vessels of uniform design built from...
ironclad fleet.
Impressed by the Eads' abilities during the construction of the City-class,he earned several additional contracts. One of these involved Submarine No. 7. Eads widened Submarine No. 7 lower deck into a gun deck then added a second tier of accommodations. The large size of the finished vessel and this additional space led to the vessel being well suited to a flagship role. Commander William D. Porter
William D. Porter
William David Porter was a flag officer of the United States Navy. He was the son of Commodore David Porter and brother of Admiral David Dixon Porter as well as foster brother of Admiral David Farragut .-Early career:Porter was born on 10 March 1808 in New Orleans, Louisiana He spent much of his...
complained that the finished vessel was too slow, and history has recorded that Eads replied that she was still fast enough to fight in. Now as the Benton she would serve as a flagship for most of the war.
Armament
Like many of the Mississippi theater ironclads, the Benton had her armament changed multiple times. Like the City-class, the Benton was fitted with a mixture of modern and antiquated weapons, then had her weapons upgraded as new pieces became available. Though the 9 inches (228.6 mm) smoothbore guns were modern, most of the other original armaments were antiquated, such as the 32-pounders, or modified, such as the 42-pounder "rifles" that were in fact old smoothbores that had been gouged out to give them rifling. These modified weapons were of particular concern to military commanders because they were structurally weaker and more prone to exploding than purpose-built rifled guns. Additionally, the close confines of riverine combat greatly increased the threat of boarding parties. The 12-pounder howitzer was equipped to address that concern and was not used in regular combat. By the end of the war, the Benton was one of the heaviest armed vessels in the Mississippi theater.| Ordinance characteristics | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| February 1862 | August 1862 | January 1863 | December 1863 |
| • 2 × D. Dahlgren gun Dahlgren guns were muzzle loading naval artillery designed by Rear Admiral John A. Dahlgren USN, mostly used in the period of the American Civil War. Dahlgren's design philosophy evolved from an accidental explosion in 1849 of a 32-pounder being tested for accuracy, killing a gunner... 9-inch smoothbores • 7 × J. 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... 42-pounder rifles • 7 × D. 32-pounder rifles |
• 2 × D. 9-inch smoothbores • 2 × D. 50-pounder rifle • 4 × J. 42-pounder rifles • 8 × D. 32-pounder rifles • 1 × D. 12-pounder howitzer |
• 4 × D. 9-inch smoothbores • 2 × D. 50-pounder rifle • 4 × J. 42-pounder rifles • 6 × D. 32-pounder rifles • 1 × D. 12-pounder howitzer |
• 8 × D. 9-inch smoothbores • 2 × P. 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... 100-pounder rifle • 2 × D. 50-pounder rifle • 4 × D. 32-pounder rifles • 1 × D. 12-pounder howitzer |
Commanding Officers
In addition to intermittently hosting both Admirals Andrew Foote and David Porter, the Benton had several commanding officers over the duration of her service.| Commanding Officers and Ship Masters | ||
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Navy Rank | Name (First, Last) | Command Dates |
| • Lieutenant Commander • Lieutenant Commander • Lieutenant • Lieutenant Commander • Lieutenant • Lieutenant Commander |
• Seth Ledyard Phelps Seth Ledyard Phelps Seth Ledyard Phelps was an American naval officer, politician, and diplomat. He served with distinction in the U.S. Navy during the Civil War and afterward was appointed president of the Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia and then as U.S... • William Gwin William Gwin (naval officer) William Gwin was an officer in the United States Navy who was killed in action during the American Civil War... • George P. Lord • James A. Greer James A. Greer James Agustin Greer was a rear admiral in the United States Navy, who served during the Civil War.-Early years:... • (Unknown) May • Edward Y. McCauley |
• Mar. 1862-Sep. 1862 • Oct. 1862-Dec. 1862 • Jan. 1863-Feb. 1863 • Mar. 1863-Sep. 1864 • Oct. 1864 • Nov. 1864-Jul 1865 |
1862
As part of AdmiralRear admiral (United States)
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. The uniformed services of the United States are unique in having two grades of rear admirals.- Rear admiral :...
Andrew 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...
command, she participated in the Battle of Island Number Ten
Battle of Island Number Ten
The Battle of Island Number Ten was an engagement at the New Madrid or Kentucky Bend on the Mississippi River during the American Civil War, lasting from February 28 to April 8, 1862. The position, an island at the base of a tight double turn in the course of the river, was held by the Confederates...
in March-April. On May 10, she was present for the Battle of Plum Point Bend where a Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
ram flotilla ambushed the fleet , sinking the Cincinnati and the Mound City before being driven off. On June 6, Benton and the fleet, now supported by a flotilla of Union rams under the command of Colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
Charles Ellet, Jr.
Charles Ellet, Jr.
Charles Ellet, Jr. was a civil engineer and a colonel during the American Civil War, mortally wounded at the Battle of Memphis.-Biography:Ellet was born in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, brother of Alfred W...
engaged the Confederate rams in the Battle of Memphis
Battle of Memphis
The First Battle of Memphis was a naval battle fought on the Mississippi River immediately above the city of Memphis on June 6, 1862, during the American Civil War. The engagement was witnessed by many of the citizens of Memphis. It resulted in a crushing defeat for the Rebels, and marked the...
where the Confederate flotilla was completely routed.In July the Benton lead the fleet into an attempted engagement with the CSS Arkansas
CSS Arkansas
The CSS Arkansas was a Confederate Ironclad warship during the American Civil War. Serving in the Western Theater, the vessel ran through a U.S. Navy fleet at Vicksburg, Mississippi, on 15 July 1862, in a celebrated action in which she inflicted more damage than she received...
near Vicksburg, Mississippi
Vicksburg, Mississippi
Vicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in Warren County. It is located northwest of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and due west of Jackson, the state capital. In 1900, 14,834 people lived in Vicksburg; in 1910, 20,814; in 1920,...
. The attempt was a failure and Benton and the fleet were forced to retreat north of the city for the rest of the year. In October, the entire fleet was transferred from Army command to Navy command. Benton spent the remainder of the year patrolling the Yazoo River
Yazoo River
The Yazoo River is a river in the U.S. state of Mississippi.The Yazoo River was named by French explorer La Salle in 1682 as "Rivière des Yazous" in reference to the Yazoo tribe living near the river's mouth. The exact meaning of the term is unclear...
.
1863
On April 16, under the direction of Admiral David PorterDavid 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...
, the Benton led a nighttime charge past the guns of Vicksburg. Protecting the Ivy
USS Ivy (1862)
USS Ivy was a steamer acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War.She was assigned by the Navy as a gunboat to patrol navigable waterways of the Confederacy to prevent the South from trading with other countries...
from cannon fire, the Benton led a column ten additional vessels past the heavy artillery batteries. Passing at a range of 800 yards (731.5 m) the Benton was hit 5 times, including 1 10 inches (254 mm) round that split her casemate injuring several crewmen. on April 29 the Benton led a 7 ironclad fleet in a bombardment of Grand Gulf, MI's gun batteries
Battle of Grand Gulf
The Battle of Grand Gulf was fought on April 29, 1863, during the American Civil War. In the Vicksburg Campaign of Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, Union naval forces under Rear Adm. David D. Porter led seven ironclads in an attack on the Confederate fortifications and batteries at Grand Gulf, downriver...
. One particularly devastating hit pieced the Benton's armor, causing 25 casualties. As the battled continued the speed of the current increased and overwhelmed the Benton's engines and she was swept downstream before the bombardment's conclusion. In May, Benton returned to Vickburg to continue bombarding the city until its fall in June.
1864
On March 10, the Benton led a large fleet up the Red River to aid the Army in subduing Shreveport, LA. This expedition was a failure. On March 12, according to Admiral Porter's memoirs "Incidents and Anecdotes of the Civil War" the Benton fired one volley from her bow battery during the Battle of Fort De RussyBattle of Fort De Russy
The Battle of Fort De Russy was part of the Red River Campaign in the American Civil War and took place in Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana. On March 12, 1864, Brigadier General A.J. Smith and Brigadier General Joseph Mower led their men towards Shreveport, Louisiana, which they wanted to capture...
before that forts surrender to Union General A.J. Smith. By May, the army was defeated in combat and forced to retreat and the fleet was stranded on the river after the water levels fell too low to allow the fleet to retreat back to the Mississippi. The fleet was ultimately saved by building dams across low points in the river. Once the water level was high enough, the dams were destroyed and the fleet was able to escape on the rush of high water.
1865
By the end of the war, most of the action had been resolved in the western theater. Her last significant action was to steam back up the Red River in June to take possession of the surrendered CSS MissouriCSS Missouri
CSS Missouri was a Confederate States Navy casemate ironclad paddle steamer deployed on the Red River during the American Civil War. For most of the war she was trapped in the Shreveport, Louisiana area by low water on the Red River...
.
Post-war decommissioning
Benton decommissioned 20 July 1865 at Mound City, IllinoisMound City, Illinois
Mound City is a city located along the Ohio River in Pulaski County, Illinois, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 692. It is the county seat of Pulaski County.-Geography:Mound City is located at ....
. Her armor and armament were removed and she was sold 29 November 1865.