| History | |
|---|---|
 Confederate States | |
| Name | Scorpion |
| In service | Late 1864 |
| Fate | Abandoned and captured |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Squib-class torpedo boat |
| Length | 46 feet (14 m) |
| Beam | 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m) |
| Depth of hold | 3 feet 9 inches (1.14 m) |
| Armament | 1xspar torpedo |
| Armor | Thin iron plates |
CSSScorpion was aSquib-classtorpedo boat that served in theConfederate States Navy during theAmerican Civil War. Armed with a singlespar torpedo, she originally served guard duty on theJames River after being built in late 1864. Along with the rest of the James River Squadron,Scorpion moved downriver on January 23, 1865, and participated in theBattle of Trent's Reach. After performingdepth soundings near Union obstructions,Scorpion moved to get a lantern from theironcladCSSVirginia II, but ran into ahawser and thenran aground. At 07:10 on the morning of January 24, Union fire struck the abandonedtenderCSSDrewry, which then exploded. The force of the explosion sweptScorpion out of control downriver. An attempt to rescue her that night failed, and she was captured by Union forces.
During theAmerican Civil War, theUnion blockade was slowly destroying the economy of the rebellingConfederate States of America. The first use oftorpedo boats in attempting to break the blockade came in October 1863. The attack damaged a Union vessel, and the partial success led the Confederates to build additional torpedo boats. Multiple designs were used, including a group known as theSquib-class built atRichmond, Virginia.Lieutenant Hunter Davidson playing a significant role in the design.[1]
CSSScorpion, one of theSquib-class, was constructed in late 1864, and was 46 feet (14 m) long, had abeam of 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m), and adepth of hold of 3 feet 9 inches (1.14 m).[2]Tonnage for the class is unknown.[3] TheSquib-class ships were powered by twooscillating condensing engines, which had a 7-inch (18 cm) diametercylinder and a 6-inch (15 cm)stroke, as well a singleboiler. According to a Union engineer, she could go at "a fair speed for a boat of her kind".[4] Her crew of five or six[5] operated steer gear that was located towards the front of the vessel.[4] Her armament was a singlespar torpedo mounted to a spar shaft that measured 18 feet (5.5 m)[2] or 16 feet (4.9 m) long.[6] The spar could be raised or lowered by the ship's crew using a chain and tackle system.[7] Thin plates of iron served as armor on the ships's sides.[5]
After construction,Scorpion entered Confederate service with theJames River Squadron.[8] Under the command of Lieutenant Edward Lakin,[9] she performed guard duty in theJames River. Beginning on January 23, 1865, the James River Squadron began an offensive against the Union supply depot atCity Point, Virginia.[2] To reduce the chance of collisions in the narrow river, the wooden vessels of the fleet were lashed to theironclads. Overall, the Confederates had 11 ships present: three ironclads, threegunboats, three torpedo boats, and twotenders.Scorpion was towed by the tenderCSSTorpedo, which was in turn lashed to the ironcladCSSVirginia II.[10] Moving during the night, the Confederate vessels passed a Union shore position known as Fort Brady, which fired upon them.[11] At around 09:00, the Confederate vessels reached Union obstructions in the river atTrent's Reach.[9]
Scorpion was then sent forward to performdepth sounding, with apilot fromVirginia II aboard. The pilot claimed that the channel was not open, butCharles Read, who commanded all of the torpedo boats in the James River Squadron, found that a passage could be made; the pilot may have become unnerved by Union shore fire.[11] The ironcladCSSFredericksburg then managed to clear the obstructions at around 01:30 on January 24. Read later tookScorpion to look for the gunboatCSSHampton, but after not finding her, took the ship toVirginia II to get a lantern for lighting the passage.Virginia II had run aground, and the same fate had befallen the ironcladCSSRichmond as well. The tenderCSSDrewry then ran aground trying to freeRichmond. Moving towardsVirginia II,Scorpion ran into ahawser strung between the former ship and the gunboatCSSBeaufort,[12] losing her torpedo and spar in the process. Not long afterwards, she ran aground.[13] The torpedo boatCSSHornet then ran aground trying to freeScorpion.[12] The Confederate vessels that were not aground withdrew upriver before daylight.[14] At 06:55, the crew ofDrewry was taken ontoRichmond, and at 07:10, Union fire causedDrewry to explode. The force of the explosion knockedScorpion downriver out of control; two men on board were killed and four others swept overboard.[15] After dark on January 24, Read tried to takeBeaufort downriver to rescueScorpion, but asBeaufort could not be controlled due to a strong wind, and a smaller vessel was sent toScorpion.Scorpion was found to have taken on water, and after the Union illuminated the area with aDrummond light, the efforts to rescue the vessel were abandoned.[13] She was later captured by Union forces,[2][15] and may have been burned.[3][16]
