Ahoy - Mac's Web Log

Ahoy......
 
My name is howard johnson. I am a graduate student at the University of North carolina. I am interested in the rather strange history of the "CSS Stonewall," and am wondering if it is even nearly accurate to postulate that this vessel was a true forerunner of what later became  the battleship? And, did the British have a like vessel on the drawing board or in service in the mid 19th century?
 
Any response would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,
Howard

Hello Howard,

In response to your question, if we accept the fact that the development of the Ironclad ships might well be taken as the birth of the battleship because they carried armour plate, and some were fitted with turrets, the first ironclad seems to have been the French steam regatta La Gloire launched in 1859, and followed up with the launch of the second French ironclad in 1861, the Invincible.

These French ships were closely followed by British ships, and the attached page with photographs, gives you these details.

Klaus Kramer - The first Ironclads 1859-1872

In the US, the fight between the ironclads CSS Virginia ( Merrimac ) and USS Monitor took place in March of 1862.

In January of 1862 the US navy had seven ironclad ships USS ships, Cairo, Carondelet, Cincinnati, Mound City, Baron de Kalb ( formerly St Louis ) Louisville, and Pittsburg.

The Confederate agent in England, Bullock had the shipbuilders Lairds building two ironclad rams in 1863, they were 230 feet long with a 42 foot beam and a draft of 15 feet, and were designed to have turrets in lieu of broadside guns. The US representative there, fronted Lord Russell in an attempt to stop the Confederates taking delivery of these rams. Bulloch hoped to defeat these plans by indicating they were French ships and named them El Tousson and El Monassir, but Lord Russell had them seized anyway, in the end they were sold to Britain and commissioned in the Royal Navy as HMS Scorpion and HMS Wyvern, the Brits being delighted to gain two such modern vessels for their Navy.

CSS Stonewall, built in France in 1964, for the Confederates, along with 5 other ships, ( one Ironclad ram, and 4 Corvettes ) at first condoned by the Emperor Napoleon, but the US reps in France successfully petitioned him to change his mind. All six ships being sold to other nations, the Stonewall finished up in Denmark, they decided they did not want her, and she became a Confederate ship. By the time she reached America the Civil War was over, she in fact did not fire a shot in anger, eventually was sold to Japan, and was sunk in a storm.

Howard, I have gone on at some length, and just hope I have answered your poser to your satisfaction, if I can help further, please say so.

Best regards,
Mac. Gregory.

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