| Before Virginia II was built, CSS Richmond was
constantly referred to by Union Officers in their dispatches as Virginia
II, Virginia No. 2 or Merrimack No. l and sometimes Young
Merrimack, New Merrimack or Young Virginia. The preceding
Virginia (ex-Merrimack) henceforth became Virginia
I. |
| CSS Virginia II was laid down at the Confederate Navy
Yard at Richmond in 1863. Acting Constructor William A. Graves, CSN,
superintended her building, but in order to conserve scarce metal, shortened
the casemate called for in the original Porter plans; armor was 6" thick
on the forward face and 5" on the sides and after face. |
| Virginia II , Comdr. Robert B. Pegram, CSN, went into action
on 21 June 1864 as flagship of Commodore J. K. Mitchell, CSN, during the
engagement between the Confederate James River Squadron and Federal ships
in Trent's Reach. On 13 August and 22 October she exchanged fire with the
enemy at Dutch Gap and on 17 August participated in the capture of Signal
Hill. |
| Her final action took place on 23-24 January 1865 when the Confederate
squadron in the James River, including ironclads Virginia II , CSS
Richmond, and CSS Fredericksburg, with five smaller vessels,
made a second unsuccessful attempt to circumvent obstructions in Trent's
Reach. Virginia II suffered damage which required extensive
repairs. |
| Virginia II was one of the ships destroyed in the James
River before the evacuation of Richmond, Virginia, on 2 April 1865. She was
raised by the United States after the war. |
Length, 197'; Beam, 47'6"; Draft 14'; Speed, 10 knots; Complement,
150; Armament, one 11", one 8" rifle, two 6.4"
rifles |
|
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