| History | |
|---|---|
 Confederate States | |
| Name | Carondelet |
| Owner | Confederate States Navy |
| Builder | John Hughes and S. D. Porter |
| Laid down | 1861 |
| Launched | January 25, 1862 |
| Commissioned | March 16, 1862 |
| Fate | Scuttled, April 1862 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Sidewheel steamer |
| Tonnage | 700 tons |
| Length | 196 feet (60 m) |
| Beam | 38 feet (12 m) |
| Armament |
|
CSSCarondelet was asidewheel steamer that served in theConfederate States Navy during theAmerican Civil War. Construction for the vessel started in 1861, and she waslaunched on January 25, 1862, andcommissioned on March 16. Hersister ship wasCSSBienville. On April 4,Carondelet, along withCSSOregon andCSSPamlico, took part in a small naval action nearPass Christian againstUSSNew London,USSJohn P. Jackson, and thetroop transportHenry Lewis.Carondelet suffered damage to herwheel during the fight, and likely fired the only two shots that struckJohn P. Jackson. Later that month, with the Confederates abandoningNew Orleans, Louisiana,Carondelet wasscuttled by her crew in eitherLake Pontchartrain, theTchefuncte River, or theBogue Falaya River.
In late 1861, during theAmerican Civil War,Confederate authorities were establishing a naval force to defendNew Orleans, Louisiana. Many vessels had been sent north up theMississippi River to help defendColumbus, Kentucky, but a smaller fleet remained in the New Orleans area. To strengthen the New Orleans fleet, twosister ships were constructed onBayou St. John:Carondelet and the steamerCSSBienville;[1] the two New Orleans vessels were possibly of the same design which was used to build the gunboatsCSSMorgan andCSSGaines atMobile, Alabama.[2]Carondelet was built by Confederate naval constructor Sydney Porter of theConfederate States Navy, whileBeinville was built by John Hughes and Company under the supervision of Porter.[3] the work onCarondelet began on September 16, and her engines had been ordered as soon as September 19. Her construction required over 97,000 feet (30,000 m) of wood planking.[4] Asidewheel steamer, she waslaunched on January 25, 1862 andcommissioned on March 16.[5][6] She had a tonnage of 700 tons,[7] with a length of 196 feet (60 m) and abeam of 38 feet (12 m) excluding the boxes for the paddle wheels,[8] with a smalldraft.[9] Naval historian Paul Silverstone states that she was armed with five 42-pounder cannon,[5] while historian W. Craig Gaines and theDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships state that she was also armed with a 32-pounderrifled cannon.[9][7] The naval historian Donald L. Canney lists the 32-pounder rifle, the five 42-pounders, and a "smaller rifled gun".[8]
After her commissioning,Carondelet was placed under the command ofFirst Lieutenant Washington Gwathmey. As sailors were in short supply, the ship's crew was supplemented by 30Confederate States Army soldiers from the garrison ofFort Pike. The 42-pounder guns had also come from Army stockpiles.[10] On April 3, twoUnion Navy ships – the steamersUSSNew London andUSSJohn P. Jackson – and thetroop transportHenry Lewis leftBiloxi, Mississippi, to move against Confederate positions atPass Christian.[11] Along with the gunboatsCSSOregon andCSSPamlico,Carondelet moved to combat the Union vessels on April 4.[9]Henry Lewis withdrew after a Confederate shot struck her deck, wounding three men, and two shots probably fired byCarondelet caused minor damage toJohn P. Jackson. However, after bothOregon andCarondelet were hit in theirwheels and the steamerUSSHatteras arrived to reinforce the Union ships, the Confederate vessels withdrew toLake Pontchartrain, guarding theChef Menteur Pass and theRigolets. The 1,200 troops aboardHenry Lewis were then unloaded onto shore, and the Union forces captured the Pass Christian area[12] and destroyed a local Confederate camp.[9]
On April 24, Union Navy ships passed the Confederate positions ofFort Jackson andFort St. Philip and passed the weaker defenses atChalmette the next day. New Orleans was now essentially indefensible.[13]Oregon was sunk as ablockship, but the location of the wreck later interfered with attempts byCarondelet,Bienville,Pamlico, and the transportCSSArrow to escape. After ferrying Confederate troops out of the city toCovington across Lake Pontchartrain,Carondelet,Bienville, andPamlico werescuttled by their crews on April 25. Their cannons were sent toVicksburg, Mississippi, via the Confederate training facilityCamp Moore.[14] Naval historian Neil P. Chatelain, Silverstone, and theDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships both state thatCarondelet was sunk in Lake Pontchartrain, with Chatelain specifying the northern part of the lake.[9][13][5] Gaines states that she was sunk in either theTchefuncte River or theBogue Falaya River a mile from Covington. The wreck later became covered with sand and was a hazard to navigation. According to Gaines, it was likely removed in 1871 by theUnited States Army Corps of Engineers.[7]
