CSS Palmetto State (1862-1865)

[Barrycdog]

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Wash drawing by R.G. Skerrett, 1901, depicting the ship in Charleston harbor, South Carolina.

Courtesy of the U.S. Navy Art Collection, Washington, D.C.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

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[AndyHall]

Some of Skerrett's work has proved to be unreliable in terms of accuracy, but gosh I do love his illustrations.

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

Yupper. I'm sure this Skerret was based on this photo:

... which is ordinarily identified as Chicora.

 

[rebelatsea]

Yupper. I'm sure this Skerret was based on this photo:

... which is ordinarily identified as Chicora.

There is a discussion thread somewhere about what exactly was happening when this photo was taken, and it was suggested that this maybe the day of a funeral for one of The Hunley crews.

 

[rebelatsea]

Some of Skerrett's work has proved to be unreliable in terms of accuracy, but gosh I do love his illustrations.

So do I Andy. His Richmond isn't so far off the mark either.

 

[rebelatsea]

During July and August 1864 John Brooke selected Palmetto State to trial one of his 11" triple banded smoothbores. I think it may have been a trial of the mounting as much

as the gun
To do this both broadside 9" sb were sent ashore, and two new ports cut forward of the stack, where the new weapon was pivot mounted. In this condition the ship showed 10 gunports to the world, and has led to wild and oft repeated assertion that she mounted 1o -7" mlr, a thing physically impossible.

 

[Kazziga]

John, the above drawing looks more like the Chicora. The Palmetto State had the quarter ports (visible in Cawson's drawing).

 

[rebelatsea]

John, the above drawing looks more like the Chicora. The Palmetto State had the quarter ports (visible in Cawson's drawing).

Kaz ,that's based on the plans from The National Naval Museum of the Civil War, and yes I had noticed the Quarter ports in both Ray and Cawson's drawinmg .However they are not visible in Chapman's painting.
This is worthy of further investigation.

 

[TinCan]

rebelatsea,
Was the stern awash as in the first drawing, or was it a deck as forward?

 

[Kazziga]

John, as far as I know, Chapman's painting shows the Charleston (on the right) and the Chicora (on the left).

http://www.moc.org/exhibitions/conr...rs-paintings-defenses-charleston?mode=general

 

[rebelatsea]

Of course it does Kaz, I even said earlier that had had her boat crutches raised in Frederick Smiths drawing. somewhere above. I think my brain got it's PS and Cs mixed up !

 

[rebelatsea]

rebelatsea,
Was the stern awash as in the first drawing, or was it a deck as forward?

No Tin Can, the fantail was the same as the forecastle ans showed 2.5 to 3ft freeboard.

 

[rebelatsea]

Of course it does Kaz, I even said earlier that had had her boat crutches raised in Frederick Smiths drawing. somewhere above. I think my brain got it's PS and Cs mixed up !

Still need to study the position of those gunports. Charles C Cawson was painting contemporary with the ship, so the likelihood was that he actually saw her. Cary Ray's painting seems to be copy.

 

[TinCan]

Thanks reb,
They say sailors are superstitious and we very well may be, however no sense being on a ship that looks like she's going down by the stern.

 

[rebelatsea]

Trouble is I 've seen perfectly serious book for model makers repeat the mistake, showing the ships cut off at the end of the casemate.