| The second Missouri, a center wheel steamer, was formerly
Confederate ironclad ram Missouri, launched at Shreveport, Louisiana,
14 April 1863. Her commanding officer was Lt. J. H. Carter, CSN.
Missouri never saw action and Under Lt. J. H. Carter, CSN, engaged
in transport and mining details between Alexandria and Shreveport, Louisiana,
above the Red River obstructions. At the end of hostilities, Missouri
came down to Shreveport and surrendered to U.S. naval forces on 3 June
1865. |
| Missouri's casemate or citadel was 130'6" by 53'8" at base,
but only 105' by 29' at the top, creating a slope of 30 degrees. Railroad
T-iron, 4 1/2" thick, was laid diagonally (to avoid cutting) over this structure,
with rail crowns facing alternately inward and outward in order to interlock
when spiked to the 23" yellow pine backing. The pilot-house in the forepart
of the casemate projected 10" above its deck, which was not armored at all,
although the exposed 50-odd feet of the ship's main deck was plated like
the citadel's sides. No time having been available to build a wheel-box,
the big paddle-wheel, 22'6" in diameter, projected for 8'4" above any protection
out of a recess at the after end of the casemate. Three balanced rudders
were located under the fantail; her steering wheel on the gun deck beneath
the pilothouse. |
| Taken into the U.S. Navy, the ship was never commissioned since
she was built of green timber and leaked badly. The steamer was dismantled
and laid up at Mount City, Illinois, after the railroad iron forming her
armor had been removed. Missouri was sold at public auction at Mound
City, Illinois, to John Riley 29 November 1865. |
Tonnage, 399; Length 183'; Beam 53'8"; Draft 8'3"; Armament, two
11", four 9", two 32-pdrs. |
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