 The incomplete CSSJackson on theChattahoochee River, shortly after December 22, 1864 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Confederate States of America | |
| Name | Muscogee |
| Namesake | Muscogee people |
| Builder | Columbus Navy Yard,Columbus, Georgia |
| Laid down | 1862 |
| Launched | December 22, 1864 |
| Renamed | Jackson, sometime in 1864 |
| Fate | Burned, April 17, 1865 |
| Status | Wrecksalvaged, 1962–1963; on display at theNational 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 |
|
| Armor | Casemate: 4 in (102 mm) |
CSSMuscogee andChattahoochee | |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000212 |
| Added to NRHP | May 13, 1970 |
CSSMuscogee was ancasemate ironclad built inColumbus, Georgia for theConfederate States Navy during theAmerican Civil War. Her originalpaddle configuration was judged a failure when she could not belaunched on the first attempt in 1864. She had to be rebuilt to use dualpropeller propulsion. Later renamed CSSJackson and armed with four 7-inch (178 mm) and two 6.4-inch (163 mm) cannons. She was captured while stillfitting out and was set ablaze byUnion troops in April 1865. Her wreck wassalvaged in 1962–1963 and turned over to theNational Civil War Naval Museum in Columbus for display. The ironclad's remains were listed on theNational Register of Historic Places in 1970.
Muscogee was originally built as asister ship to the casemate ironclad paddle steamerCSSMissouri, to a rough design by the Chief Naval Constructor,John L. Porter, as a sternwheel-powered ironclad. She proved to be too heavy to be launched on January 1, 1864, and had to be reconstructed and lengthened to a modifiedCSSAlbemarle-class design, based on Porter's advice during his visit to the ironclad on January 23.[1][2][3]
As part of the reconstruction, the ironclad was lengthened to 223 feet 6 inches (68.1 m)overall after a newfantail was built on the stern. She had abeam of 59 feet (18 m) and adraft of 8 feet (2.4 m).[3] The removal of her sternwheel allowed hercasemate to be shortened by 54 feet (16.5 m), which saved a considerable amount of weight.[2] The ironclad had agross register tonnage of 1,250 tons.[3]
As originally designed,Muscogee was propelled by a sternwheel that was partially enclosed by a recess at the aft end of the casemate; the upper portion of the paddle wheel protruded above the casemate and would have been exposed to enemy fire. The sternwheel was probably powered by a pair of inclined two-cylinderdirect-acting steam engines taken from the steamboatTime using steam provided by fourreturn-flue boilers to the engines. As part of her reconstruction,Time's engines were replaced by a pair of single-cylinder, horizontal direct-acting steam engines from the adjacentColumbus Naval Iron Works, each of which drove a single 7-foot-6-inch (2.3 m) propeller; the original boilers appear to have been retained.[4]
Muscogee's casemate was built with tengun ports, two each at the bow and stern and three on thebroadside. The ship was armed with four 7-inch (178 mm) and two 6.4-inch (163 mm)Brooke rifles. The fore and aft cannons were onpivot gun mounts. The 7-inch guns weighed about 15,300 pounds (6,900 kg) and fired 110-pound (50 kg) shells. The equivalent statistics for the 6.4-inch gun were 10,700 pounds (4,900 kg) with 95-pound (43 kg) shells.[5] The casemate was protected by 4 inches (102 mm) ofwrought-iron armor,[3] and the armor plates on the deck and sides of the fantail were 2 inches (51 mm) thick.[2]
Muscogee waslaid down during 1862 at theColumbus Naval Yard at Columbus, Georgia, on the banks of theChattahoochee River.[3] The first attempt to launch her failed on January 1, 1864, despite the high water on the river and the assistance of the steamboatMariana. Porter came down afterwards to examine the ironclad and recommended that she be rebuilt with screw propulsion rather than the sternwheel. She was finally launched on December 22, having been renamedJackson at some point during the year.[2] A shortage of iron plate greatly hindered the ironclad's completion.[6]
On April 17, 1865, after the Union'sWilson's Raiders captured the city during theBattle of Columbus, Georgia,Jackson was set ablaze by Union troops while still fitting out and had hermoorings cut. The ship drifted downriver some 30 miles (48 km) and ran aground on asandbar. She was not thought to be worth salvaging because of the fire damage, but theArmy Corps of Engineersdredged around her wreck in 1910 and salvaged her machinery.[7] A Union cavalry officer's report of the ironclad's condition at the time of her capture said that she had four cannon aboard and had a solid oakram 15 feet (4.6 m) deep. The only detail about her armor that he recorded was that it curved over the edge of the deck and extended below thewaterline.[8]
CSSJackson's remains were raised in two pieces; the 106-foot (32.3 m) stern section in 1962 and the 74-foot (22.6 m) bow section the following year. They were then placed on exhibit at the National Civil War Naval Museum in Columbus.[9] A thick metal white frame outline, indicating the various dimensions ofJackson's original fore and aft deck arrangements and armored casemate, is now erected directly above the hull's wooden remains to simulate for visitors the ironclad's original size and shapes.[10] The ship's fantail, which was stored outside in apole barn, was partially destroyed in a fire on 1 June 2020.[2]
The ironclad was listed on theNational Register of Historic Places on May 13, 1970.[11]
