CSS McRae

Stiles/Akin

Sergeant Major
Joined
Apr 1, 2016
Location
Atlanta, Georgia
Photo: Naval History and Heritage Command Center

22780579_10155733010485690_1258722441064461946_n.jpg

https://www.facebook.com/CivilWarTimes/photos/a.446268005689.246525.53701340689/10155733010
485690/?type=3&theater
Under the command of Lieutenant Thomas B. Huger, CSS McRae served as part of the defense of the lower reaches of the Mississippi River, and provided cover for blockade runners. McRae took part in the Battle of the Head of Passes as part of the "mosquito fleet," driving the Union blockading forces from the Head of Passes in the Mississippi Delta.



Civil War Times Magazine
 
Photo: Naval History and Heritage Command Center

View attachment 163896
https://www.facebook.com/CivilWarTimes/photos/a.446268005689.246525.53701340689/10155733010
485690/?type=3&theater
Under the command of Lieutenant Thomas B. Huger, CSS McRae served as part of the defense of the lower reaches of the Mississippi River, and provided cover for blockade runners. McRae took part in the Battle of the Head of Passes as part of the "mosquito fleet," driving the Union blockading forces from the Head of Passes in the Mississippi Delta.



Civil War Times Magazine
Thanks for posting this photo of a sleek sailing vessel- truly 'built for speed'.
How many and what type of guns did she carry?
Frankly, she appears to be a better decoy than a threat....
 
wiki credits her with one 9" smoothbore, presumably a Dahlgren on a pivot, and six 32pdrs. She had an interesting history, belonged to rebels in a Mexican civil war which for some reason the US got involved in and was captured by the sailing sloop Saratoga and brought to New Orleans where the rebels found her.
 
The CSS Mcrae (Commanded by Lt. Thomas Huger) was part of the Confederate Navy Mississippi Flotilla at Island No. 10 and later at New Madrid, Mo. Capt. George N. Hollins squadron was responsible for the defense of the river at Columbus, Ky. Along with her was the CSS Livingston, CSS General Polk, CSS Ponchartrain, CSS Marapaus, CSS Jackson, CSS Ivy and the CSS New Orleans. The New Orleans was sunk by the Confederate forces after Island No. 10.
 
Hello Gentlemen,

Apparently the above photograph depicts the McRae coaling off Baton Rouge sometime in 1861. This was Hollins flagship and had a distinguished career on the Mississippi. Recognized up and down the river she was one of the Confederates'
most effective and well handled gunboats. As noted above she served at the Head of the Passes, Columbus, Island No. 10 and the Battle of the Forts. There she would be badly damaged by both Federal and friendly fire. Her last duty was to transport Confederate casualties under a flag of truce, back to New Orleans for further care. Shortly thereafter on 28th of April, she succumbed to her damage and sank off Algiers. She deserved to go down with her flag.

Her antebellum history is just as interesting. The McRae (her 5th name) was originally built as the Colon at the Montreal Marine Works by Agustin Cantin. She was launched on 9th of November 1858 for Don Pedro Acosta of Havana and intended for scheduled mail and coastal trade between Cuba and Mexico. There is a water color of her as built in the Canadian Archives and it shows a light colored hull, a prominent fore cabin and extended aft cabin. She sailed for Cardenas on 24th of November 1858 and assumed her intended trade. In January 1860, now known as the Marques de la Habana, she was purchased for 50,000 pesos from Captain C. Iglesias of armador Ibana and fitted out for the Marin expedition under Captain Victor Suarez N. Campos. Her cabins were probably removed at that time and she was armed with one bronze 24 pounder and two old Spanish 32 pdrs.

She was renamed a third time to Santa Ana for the expedition. As noted above, she was subsequently captured along with the General Miramon (former Paquete Correo No. 1) by USN forces operating in cooperation with Juarez in March 1860. Held for months in legal limbo in New Orleans, she would be declared a United States prize and redocumented as Marquis del Habana before being seized by the Confederates in 1861. She displaced 688 34/95ths tons, and her hull measured 184'oa, 176' deck x 29'6" x 14'. She was brigantine rigged with 3 masts, with the fore square, and the main and mizzen fore and aft, later altered. She was fitted with two LP engines 30" x 36" stroke of 60 hp each, and two LP return flue boilers with 6 furnaces. She was propelled by one screw.

A fine looking and potent gunboat.

All the best,
Bil
 
One small point, "3 masts, with the fore square, and the main and mizzen fore and aft" is a barquentine; a brigantine is two-masted, like a brig. When altered with square sails on the mainmast, she became a barque, as shown in the photo.
 
wiki credits her with one 9" smoothbore, presumably a Dahlgren on a pivot, and six 32pdrs. She had an interesting history, belonged to rebels in a Mexican civil war which for some reason the US got involved in and was captured by the sailing sloop Saratoga and brought to New Orleans where the rebels found her.
Wiki is not always your friend ! CSS McRae carried 1 -9" SB, 6 -32pdr SB and 1 -6pdr MLR.
 
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