CSS Tennessee (I)

[OldReliable1862]

The famous ironclad Arkansas was intended to be one of a class of two ships constructed at John T. Shirley's yard in Memphis, her sister being Tennessee. After the fall of New Orleans, it was decided to move the Arkansas downriver to escape the Union navy, though apparently there was insufficient time or boats available to tow the Tennessee as well, and she was burned.

How did the original plan for the vessels differ from the Arkansas as she was eventually completed at Yazoo City? Do we know who was intended to command the two ships?

@rebelatsea

 

[Nathan Stuart]

The famous ironclad Arkansas was intended to be one of a class of two ships constructed at John T. Shirley's yard in Memphis, her sister being Tennessee. After the fall of New Orleans, it was decided to move the Arkansas downriver to escape the Union navy, though apparently there was insufficient time or boats available to tow the Tennessee as well, and she was burned.

How did the original plan for the vessels differ from the Arkansas as she was eventually completed at Yazoo City? Do we know who was intended to command the two ships?

Believe Confederate Secretary of the Navy, Stephen Mallory, first appointed Commander Charles H. McBlair, as captain of the CSS Arkansas, during construction of the vessel in early '62. Lt. Isaac Newton Brown took over command of the incompleted vessel during May, '62, and was later promoted to the rank of its captain. After Brown was wounded at Vicksburg, and while he was still recovering from his injuries, First Officer, Lt. Henry K. Stevens was in charge of the craft when it was abandoned and scuttled near Baton Rouge on Aug. 6, '62.

The CSS Tennessee, the sister ship casemate ironclad to the CSS Arkansas (both built by John T. Shirley), was destroyed on the dock by order of the Provost Marshal before completion to avoid capture on June 5, '62. Am unaware that any commander was ever appointed for this vessel.

 

[Biscoitos]

The famous ironclad Arkansas was intended to be one of a class of two ships constructed at John T. Shirley's yard in Memphis, her sister being Tennessee. After the fall of New Orleans, it was decided to move the Arkansas downriver to escape the Union navy, though apparently there was insufficient time or boats available to tow the Tennessee as well, and she was burned.

How did the original plan for the vessels differ from the Arkansas as she was eventually completed at Yazoo City? Do we know who was intended to command the two ships?

@rebelatsea

There is no information available on how the original plans was similar or different, but I would feel confident that there was no difference, in the original plans. ("original plans" stated twice for emphasis)

Commanders were not usually assigned until a ship was nearing completion, such as having been launched. As noted, the Tennessee was not sufficiently complete to have had a commander assigned.

The decision as to who might have been the overall operatonal commander of the two vessels is as open to debate as much as who would have been assigned command of the Tennesse if the constuction had progressed sufficiently. Lots of room for many speculations, many good choices, but no one can say for sure.

 

[OldReliable1862]

There is no information available on how the original plans was similar or different, but I would feel confident that there was no difference, in the original plans. ("original plans" stated twice for emphasis)

Commanders were not usually assigned until a ship was nearing completion, such as having been launched. As noted, the Tennessee was not sufficiently complete to have had a commander assigned.

The decision as to who might have been the overall operatonal commander of the two vessels is as open to debate as much as who would have been assigned command of the Tennesse if the constuction had progressed sufficiently. Lots of room for many speculations, many good choices, but no one can say for sure.

Arthur Sinclair, James W. Cooke, and Joseph Nicholson Barney are just two possible choices for commander, as neither seem to have held a command in mid-late 1862.