CSS Pontchartrain
| History | |
|---|---|
 Confederate States | |
| Name | Pontchartrain |
| In service | Purchased from civilian service, 1861 |
CSS Pontchartrain was a gunboat that served in the Confederate States Navy during the American Civil War.
Construction and characteristics
In 1859, the side-wheel steamer Lizzie Simmons, which was also known as Eliza Simmons, was constructed at New Albany, Indiana.[1] In 1860, the ship ran on the route between New Orleans, Louisiana, and the Ouachita River before then moving to the route between New Orleans and Memphis, Tennessee. While on the New Orleans to Ouachita route, her ship's captain was George Hamilton Kirk; on the second route it was W. B. Richardson.[2] She had a tonnage of 454 tons, a length of 204 feet (62 m), a beam of 36 feet 6 inches (11.13 m), and a draft of 10 feet (3.0 m).[3] The vessel did not have a mast and was powered by two side-wheels.[4]
Service history
After the outbreak of the American Civil War, the Confederate States Navy purchased a number of vessels for military use. One of these was Lizzie Simmons,[5] which was purchased on October 12, 1861, while at New Orleans.[1] During January and February 1862, the vessel went through the process of conversion into a gunboat.[2] The Confederates armed her with seven cannons, including an 8-inch (20 cm) smoothbore of a model similar to the Paixhans gun and[4] two 32-pounder (14.5 kilogram) rifled guns.[1]
References
- ^ a b c Silverstone 1989, p. 245.
- ^ a b Christ, Mark K. (March 28, 2022). "CSS Pontchartrain". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
- ^ "Pontchartrain". Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
- ^ a b Chatelain 2020, p. 69.
- ^ Chatelain 2020, pp. 66–69.
Sources
- Gaines, W. Craig (2008). Encyclopedia of Civil War Shipwrecks. Baton Rouge, Louisiana: Louisiana State University Press. ISBN 978-0-8071-3274-6.