Trivia 4-24-15 Some sort of Reptile?

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A Pook Turtle was the nickname given to seven ironclad Union gunboats designed by Samuel M. Pook to operate on the Mississippi River and its tributaries.
 
A Union river gunboat, one of seven designed largely by naval constructor Samuel Pook and constructed by James B. Eads and subcontractors at Mound City, Illinois and St. Louis, Missouri in late 1861. They were so nick-named because of their low profile (apart from their chimneys) in comparison with regular riverboats and their shell-like partially-armored casemates. Nowadays often referred to as the "City class," a term which does not appear to have been in use in the 1860s (and which may have been originated by historian Ed Bearss).
 
Pook Turtles" was the nickname given to seven ironclad Union gunboats designed by Samuel M. Pook to operate on the Mississippi River and its tributaries. On August 7, 1861, the War Department contracted with James B. Eads to construct the vessels and have them ready for their crews in 65 days

http://civilwar.bluegrass.net/ShipsBlockadesAndRaiders/pookturtles.html
 
Iron-clad gunboats

"All named after cities, the seven ships of the “City Class” were informally known as “Pook Turtles,” because of their builder’s name and the ship’s shell-back appearance.[... ]The City Class gunboats sported the required flat-bottomed hull and paddle-wheel propulsion of river boats. Heavy armor covered only the bow casemate, the pilot house and amidships directly alongside the engines and boilers. Other sections of the ships were of typical wood construction and unarmored. In several instances oblique shots or plunging fire from guns on high embankments would point out the faults in this minimalist design"

Their builder's name was Samuel Pook

http://mobile.nytimes.com/blogs/opi...s-armorclads-and-the-civil-war-on-the-rivers/
 
A Pook Turtle is a US City class ironclad gunboat. There were seven built for service on the Mississippi and were named USS Cairo, Carondelet, Cincinnati, Louisville, Mound City, Pittsburg and St. Louis. Designed by Samuel Pook and built by James B Eads.
 
"Pook Turtles" was the nickname given to seven ironclad Union gunboats designed by Samuel M. Pook to operate on the Mississippi River and its tributaries. On August 7, 1861, the War Department contracted with James B. Eads to construct the vessels and have them ready for their crews in 65 days. Within two weeks, more than 4,000 people in seven states were employed in the construction of the boats, cutting trees for lumber, building 21 steam engines and 35 boilers, and rolling the iron armor. Four were built at Carondelet, near St. Louis, MO, and three in Mound City, Ill. The workers worked night and day and on October 12, 1861, the first of the gunboats, the St. Louis, was launched. By January 15, 1862, all seven were accepted by the War Department.

The gunboats, which cost $100,000 each, were all named for cities on western rivers. Besides the St. Louis, there were the Carondelet, Cincinnati, Louisville, Mound City, Cairo, and Pittsburgh. Each round-nosed, flat-bottomed vessel was 175 feet long and 51.5 feet wide and drew only 6 feet of water. Plated with 2.5 inch-thick iron, the gunboats had flat sides, with front and rear casemates sloping at a 35-degree angle, and carried 13 heavy guns each. Propelled by a stern paddle wheel that was completely covered by the rear casemate, the coal-powered Pook Turtles proved to be underpowered and cumbersome- but also very deadly.

These ironclad gunboats became the backbone of the Union river fleet. In early 1862 they were instrumental in the capture of Fort Henry on the Tennessee River, Fort Donaldson on the Cumberland River, and Island no. 10 on the Mississippi River. The Pook Turtles also participated in the successful campaigns against Fort Pillow and Memphis. On December 11, 1862, the Cairo was sunk by Confederate torpedoes (mines) in the Yazoo River while participating in operations against Vicksburg. The next year, nine days after Vicksburg surrendered, the St. Louis was also sunk in the Yazoo by torpedoes. Fascinating Fact: Of the 512 tons each Turtle weighed, 122 tons was in the 2.5 inch-thick plate armor. "

http://civilwar.bluegrass.net/ShipsBlockadesAndRaiders/pookturtles.html
 
Ironclad gunboat for river service, seven of them built in and around St. Louis, sometimes referred as the City class although that was not a Civil War era term. Named for designer Samuel Pook.
 
The Pook Turtles, or City-class gunboats to use their semi-official name, were war vessels intended for service on the Mississippi River during the American Civil War. They were also sometimes referred to as "Eads gunboats."

Uss_Cairo_h61568.jpg
 
Its the nickname for city-class gunboats or Eads gunboats that patrolled the MS(can't spell it) River during the Civil War. They were the Union's first iron clads and were built by Eads. There were 7 in total and the USS Cairo in Vicksburg National Park is one of them.
 
A City Class gunboat to use their semi-offiacal name, were vessels intended for service on the Mississippi River during the American Civil War. The City Class gunboats were the first Ironclond warships. Sometimes referred to as "Eads Gunboats."
 
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