Charleston Floating Battery

[JohnDLittlefield]

I am hoping someone can provide some information on the fate of the 1861 floating battery of Charleston. I've seen the Wiki entry suggesting that the iron was salvaged and there is a reference to the iron being salvaged and re-used on the torpedo ram (Torch). However, being there was another attempt to get iron for the ram, from one of the State Gun Boats under construction in early 1863, that didn't happen, and the fact that the ram never got it's iron, I am not sure if the iron was removed from the floating battery or not. If so, what vessel or purpose did it serve? I am curious to see if someone might have a little more information. Thanks in advance.

 

[Yankeedave]

A couple illistrations

 

[Story]

The secondary barge structure is the floating hospital, yes?

 

[DaveBrt]

From my web site:

It is probable that the Stevens' Battery (the ironclad battery at Morris Island in Charleston harbor) that participated in the April, 1861 bombardment of Fort Sumter was covered with some of the rails later used to lay the Milledgeville RR. NP, RD 10-12A-61


From the Richmond Dispatch


October 12, 1861

A good use
The first trip over the Macon & Warrenton Railroad, (designed ultimately to connect Macon and Sparta, Ga.,) was made on the 13th of September, over the iron which was used in "Stevens's Battery," on Morris's Island, in the investment of Fort Sumter. {This must have been the Milledgeville RR; Sparta was a station between Milledgeville and Warrenton. The Stevens' Battery was a 3-gun battery which was protected with a slanting wall of wood, covered with 3 layers of RR rails. The quantity of rails used would have laid only about 1/2 mile of track (both sides), though this section of track was laid at this time.}

 

[JohnDLittlefield]

From my web site:
From the Richmond Dispatch

October 12, 1861
A good use
The first trip over the Macon & Warrenton Railroad, (designed ultimately to connect Macon and Sparta, Ga.,) was made on the 13th of September, over the iron which was used in "Stevens's Battery," on Morris's Island, in the investment of Fort Sumter. {This must have been the Milledgeville RR; Sparta was a station between Milledgeville and Warrenton. The Stevens' Battery was a 3-gun battery which was protected with a slanting wall of wood, covered with 3 layers of RR rails. The quantity of rails used would have laid only about 1/2 mile of track (both sides), though this section of track was laid at this time.}

Nice Dave. Thanks.

 

[JohnDLittlefield]

The secondary barge structure is the floating hospital, yes?

Yes... there's a pretty good sketch of the interior from a contemporaneous newspaper- on Wiki.

 

[Bil R]

Hello John,

There are several descriptions of both the Stevens' Battery and Charleston Floating Battery in northern and southern papers throughout the February - April 1861 period. At first, when I read a heading stating 'Stevens Ironclad Battery' I thought it was referring to the more famous Hoboken affair. But as Dave mentioned there was a land based battery covered in iron rails that was used in the siege of Sumter.

After Sumter, my understanding is that the Charleston Floating Battery was moved towards Folly Island to become part of Charleston's defensive ring. She was later decommissioned as more robust batteries were completed and manned. This is from the 'Boston Daily Journal' of 19 December 1863, p. 2 c.3:

'Destruction of the Famous Rebel Floating Battery - New York, December 19 - The Herald's Morris Island correspondent thus explains the washing away of rebel obstructions: The famous Floating Battery in Charleston Harbor, which was used against Sumter when Anderson held the works, broke adrift in the last gale, smashed through and carried away the obstructions, and now lies ashore on the north end of Folly Island. She was formerly plated with railroad iron but that had been removed for other purposes.'

It would appear that the armor plating had been removed sometime before December 1863. What man does not destroy, nature will.

All the best,
Bil

 

[rebelatsea]

Hello John,

There are several descriptions of both the Stevens' Battery and Charleston Floating Battery in northern and southern papers throughout the February - April 1861 period. At first, when I read a heading stating 'Stevens Ironclad Battery' I thought it was referring to the more famous Hoboken affair. But as Dave mentioned there was a land based battery covered in iron rails that was used in the siege of Sumter.

After Sumter, my understanding is that the Charleston Floating Battery was moved towards Folly Island to become part of Charleston's defensive ring. She was later decommissioned as more robust batteries were completed and manned. This is from the 'Boston Daily Journal' of 19 December 1863, p. 2 c.3:

'Destruction of the Famous Rebel Floating Battery - New York, December 19 - The Herald's Morris Island correspondent thus explains the washing away of rebel obstructions: The famous Floating Battery in Charleston Harbor, which was used against Sumter when Anderson held the works, broke adrift in the last gale, smashed through and carried away the obstructions, and now lies ashore on the north end of Folly Island. She was formerly plated with railroad iron but that had been removed for other purposes.'

It would appear that the armor plating had been removed sometime before December 1863. What man does not destroy, nature will.

All the best,
Bil

Thanks for that Bil, I knew the armour had been removed ,but didn't know what happened to the battery