CSS Muscogee facts for kids
The incomplete CSS Jackson on the Chattahoochee River, shortly after December 22, 1864
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 Confederate States of America |
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| Name | Muscogee |
| Builder | Columbus Navy Yard, Columbus, Georgia |
| Laid down | 1862 |
| Launched | December 22, 1864 |
| Renamed | Jackson, sometime in 1864 |
| Fate | Burned, April 17, 1865 |
| Status | Wreck salvaged, 1962–1963; on display at the National Civil War Naval Museum, Columbus, Georgia |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Casemate ironclad |
| Tonnage | 1,250 tons |
| Length | 223 ft 6 in (68.1 m) |
| Beam | 59 ft (18 m) |
| Draft | 8 ft (2.4 m) |
| Installed power | 4 × boilers |
| Propulsion | 2 × propellers; 2 × direct-acting steam engines |
| Armament |
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| Armor | Casemate: 4 in (102 mm) |
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CSS Muscogee and Chattahoochee
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| NRHP reference No. | 70000212 |
| Added to NRHP | May 13, 1970 |
The CSS Muscogee was a powerful warship called an casemate ironclad. It was built for the Confederate States Navy during the American Civil War in Columbus, Georgia.
This ship was first designed to use a large paddle wheel. But when they tried to launch it in 1864, it was too heavy and wouldn't move! So, the builders had to change the design. They rebuilt the Muscogee to use propellers instead.
Later, the ship was renamed CSS Jackson. It was armed with six big guns: four 7-inch guns and two 6.4-inch guns. In April 1865, Union troops captured the ship. It was still being finished, so the Union soldiers set it on fire.
Years later, in 1962–1963, the remains of the ship were pulled from the water. Today, you can see parts of the Jackson on display at the National Civil War Naval Museum in Columbus, Georgia. The ship's remains were even listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970, recognizing its historical importance.
Contents
Building the Ironclad Warship
The Muscogee was planned to be like another ironclad ship, the CSS Missouri. It was designed by a main naval builder named John L. Porter. His first idea was for a ship with a paddle wheel at the back.
However, the first attempt to launch the Muscogee failed on January 1, 1864. The ship was simply too heavy. After this, John L. Porter visited the site. He suggested that the ship needed to be rebuilt and made longer. It would also switch from a paddle wheel to propellers.
Ship's Size and Power
As part of its redesign, the ship was made longer. It stretched to about 223 feet (68 meters) from end to end. The ship was also about 59 feet (18 meters) wide. It sat about 8 feet (2.4 meters) deep in the water.
Removing the paddle wheel helped make the ship lighter. The Muscogee weighed about 1,250 tons.
The ship's original design used a large paddle wheel at the back. This paddle wheel was partly hidden by the ship's armored section. But the top part of the wheel would have been exposed to enemy fire. This paddle wheel was likely powered by two steam engines.
When the ship was rebuilt, these engines were replaced. Two new steam engines were installed. Each of these engines turned a 7.5-foot (2.3-meter) propeller. The original boilers, which made steam for the engines, were probably kept.
Ship's Weapons and Armor
The Muscogee's armored section, called a casemate, had ten openings for guns. There were two openings at the front, two at the back, and three on each side. The ship was armed with six powerful Brooke rifles. These included four 7-inch guns and two 6.4-inch guns.
The guns at the front and back of the ship could turn on a special mount. This allowed them to aim in different directions. The 7-inch guns were very heavy, weighing about 15,300 pounds (6,900 kg). They fired shells that weighed about 110 pounds (50 kg). The 6.4-inch guns weighed about 10,700 pounds (4,900 kg) and fired 95-pound (43 kg) shells.
The casemate was protected by 4 inches (102 mm) of strong iron armor. The armor plates on the deck and sides of the ship's fantail (the back part) were 2 inches (51 mm) thick.
The Ship's Story
The Muscogee began being built in 1862. It was constructed at the Columbus Naval Yard in Columbus, Georgia. This shipyard was located right on the banks of the Chattahoochee River.
As mentioned, the first attempt to launch the ship failed on January 1, 1864. Even with high water levels and help from another steamboat, the Mariana, it wouldn't budge. After this, the ship's design was changed to use propellers. The ironclad was finally launched on December 22, 1864. At some point during that year, it was renamed Jackson. It was hard to finish the ship because there wasn't enough iron plate available.
On April 17, 1865, Union troops captured Columbus, Georgia. This happened during a military action known as Wilson's Raid. The Jackson was still being fitted out, meaning it wasn't quite ready for battle. Union soldiers set the ship on fire and cut its ropes.
The burning ship drifted about 30 miles (48 km) downriver. It eventually ran aground on a sandbar. Because of the fire damage, people didn't think it was worth saving. However, in 1910, the Army Corps of Engineers worked around the wreck. They managed to pull out its machinery. A Union officer who saw the ship after it was captured reported that it had four guns. He also noted it had a strong oak naval ram that was 15 feet (4.6 meters) deep. The armor curved over the deck and went below the water.
Recovery and Display
The remains of the CSS Jackson were brought up from the river in two main parts. The back section, which was 106 feet (32 meters) long, was recovered in 1962. The front section, 74 feet (23 meters) long, was raised the next year.
These recovered parts are now on display at the National Civil War Naval Museum in Columbus. To help visitors imagine the ship's full size, a large metal frame has been built above the wooden remains. This frame shows the original outline of the ship's deck and armored casemate.
Sadly, the ship's fantail (the back part), which was stored outside, was partly damaged in a fire on June 1, 2020.
The ironclad was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 13, 1970.
Images for kids
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The hull of Jackson after recovery
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CSS Jackson's propeller at the National Civil War Naval Museum
