CSS Virginia Smokestack

[JPK Huson 1863]

Due to not searching well ( same old disclaimer, sorry! ) this could have easily been posted before. I just found it interesting in a relic-type way, as in whoa, really? That's from that? It's the smokestack from the CSS Virginia/Merrimac, no idea when the photo was taken. I'd almost said it was tough to tell whether or not one was looking at rust or age holes but nope- just had another look and they look pretty shot-inflicted to me.

 

[jessgettysburg1863]

Keep the pics coming JPK, they are brilliant !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[donna]

That is a neat photo. Thanks for posting.

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

[Unknown location. Battered smokestack from C.S.S. ironclad ram Virginia No. 2].
CREATED/PUBLISHED
[Between 1860 and 1865]
SUMMARY
Photographs of the Federal Navy, and seaborne expeditions against the Atlantic Coast of the Confederacy -- the Federal Navy, 1861-1865.
NOTES
Reference: Civil War photographs, 1861-1865 / compiled by Hirst D. Milhollen and Donald H. Mugridge, Washington, D.C. : Library of Congress, 1977. No. 0567
Title from Milhollen and Mugridge.
Two plates form left (LC-B811-3152B) and right (LC-B811-3152A) halves of a stereograph pair.
Forms part of Selected Civil War photographs, 1861-1865 (Library of Congress)

SUBJECTS
United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Transportation.
Government vessels--Confederate.
Stereographs--1860-1870.
Wet collodion negatives.
MEDIUM
1 negative (2 plates) : glass, stereograph, wet collodion.
CALL NUMBER
LC-B811- 3152
REPRODUCTION NUMBER
LC-DIG-cwpb-02491 DLC (digital file from original neg. of left half)
LC-DIG-cwpb-02490 DLC (digital file from original neg. of right half)
LC-B8171-3152 DLC (b&w film copy neg.)
SPECIAL TERMS OF USE
No known restrictions on publication.

PART OF
Selected Civil War photographs, 1861-1865 (Library of Congress)
REPOSITORY
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA
DIGITAL ID
(digital file from original neg. of left half) cwpb 02491 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cwpb.02491
(digital file from original neg. of right half) cwpb 02490 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cwpb.02490
(digital file from intermediary roll copy film) cwp 4a39811

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

The attribution in the LOC indicates this is from CSS Virginia II, rather than Virginia (ex-Merrimack).

 

[reading48]

Good one...Tks

 

[JPK Huson 1863]

Ha! Wish there were a 'Like and rats' option. I forget, 7 'Virginia's' before the war was over? It never occured to me this would be one of them, although of course it must not have occured to the person who posted in the first place! It's extremely good to have it corrected on-line, however, so thank you!

I'm still crazy about the shot holes in it, must have been in a heckish engagement.

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

Well, to tell you the truth, I spent a little time wondering if it could indeed be the first Virginia's funnel. I know that it took a beating in the March 8/9 battle, and could conceivably have been replaced; whereas I'm not as certain that Virginia II was in action enough to get her funnel shot up this way. So, I'd say I consider the attribution to be at least open to question... but it's how the LOC has it.

 

[BillO]

During the Battle of Trent's Reach the Virginia II had run aground about midnight near the north shore of the James. She was struck 70 times by large caliber shells and was heavily damaged. She finally floated free at 10:45 the next morning and returned up river. The picture is labeled correctly.

 

[Robert Gray]

Here's another photograph of the Virginia II smokestack from a different angle.

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

Hm. Does that photo give any clue as to location?


From the size of the bluff in the background, I really want to say Drewry's Bluff... but that's based on nothing but a guess at the bluff.

But it does absolutely rule out being the original Virginia's funnel. That one never operated anywhere but "the old Virginia lowlands, low"... certainly nowhere near bluffs that high.

 

[Dugger]

Hm. Does that photo give any clue as to location?


From the size of the bluff in the background, I really want to say Drewry's Bluff... but that's based on nothing but a guess at the bluff.

But it does absolutely rule out being the original Virginia's funnel. That one never operated anywhere but "the old Virginia lowlands, low"... certainly nowhere near bluffs that high.

Good detective work. Now, why have that saved that shot up piece of junk that was the funnel? Scrap iron? Melt it down. Trophy of war?

 

[BillO]

Hm. Does that photo give any clue as to location?


From the size of the bluff in the background, I really want to say Drewry's Bluff... but that's based on nothing but a guess at the bluff.

But it does absolutely rule out being the original Virginia's funnel. That one never operated anywhere but "the old Virginia lowlands, low"... certainly nowhere near bluffs that high.

The shipyard at Richmond IMO.

 

[BillO]

Good detective work. Now, why have that saved that shot up piece of junk that was the funnel? Scrap iron? Melt it down. Trophy of war?

Handy stuff to have around, make patches, melt it back down. Why would they throw it away?

 

[Dugger]

Handy stuff to have around, make patches, melt it back down. Why would they throw it away?

Hmmmm...kinda like having duct tape around. Useful. Yes I see it!

 

[Red Harvest]

From reading various accounts of ironclad combat the first target I would have assigned gunners would have been the base of the stack (whether ashore or on the water.) CSN ironclads in particular were notoriously underpowered. When the stack is shot up there is insufficient draft through the boilers and power drops off.

This is analogous to targeting the masts and rigging of sailing vessels. Actually, smoothbore with chain shot might have done well for the stacks...

 

[JPK Huson 1863]

I love coming back to these and finding 'stuff'. It may seem piddling or mere trivia, but it all leads somewhere. For instance, makes perfect sense that of course they'd have gone for the smokestack in an engagment and why, never occured to me before, location, Virginia II and why, etc.

I was wondering if the photographer had posed the soldier by the smokestack- hoping so since could NOT figure out what there would be about what now(then) amounts to junk which would require a guard.

Duct tape!

 

[BillO]

I'm pretty sure the guard is there to provide scale. It allows viewers to have an idea of the size of things.

 

[AndyHall]

but it's how the LOC has it.

The LoC relies on information provided by the donor, or whatever caption comes with the image. To their credit, they do often correct their captions when more definitive information comes to light, but I think these is (and should be) a fairly high bar of documentation necessary to do that.

 

[e.r.fox]

Hey, I've got some great property in the mountains for sale....and I can provide a picture!