CSS Charleston
|
| Career |
|
| Name: |
CSS Charleston |
| Ordered: |
Fall 1862 |
| Laid down: |
December 1862 |
| Commissioned: |
1863 |
| Fate: |
Destroyed by fire to avoid capture 1865 |
| General characteristics |
| Displacement: |
1,050 tons |
| Length: |
200 ft (61 m) |
| Beam: |
45 ft (14 m) |
| Draft: |
14 ft (4.3 m) |
| Speed: |
5 to 6 knots (9 to 11 km/h) |
| Complement: |
150 officers and men |
| Armament: |
2 x 9 in (229 mm) Dahlgren smoothbores, 4 x 32 lb (15 kg) rifles, Spar-mounted torpedo |
The CSS Charleston was a Confederate Navy ironclad ram during the American Civil War. Construction at Charleston, South Carolina was authorized in fall 1862 and the ship was laid down in December 1862, entering service nine months later. The Charleston served as the Charleston Squadron's flagship alongside CSS Palmetto State and CSS Chicora during the defense of that city. Captained by Cdr. Isaac N. Brown. Set on fire and abandoned in Charleston harbor on February 18, 1865 to prevent capture, along with its sister ships, as the city was evacuated by the Confederates.[1]
The Charleston was larger and stronger than the other two Charleston ironclads, but was underpowered with unreliable engines.
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