vikingbear
Corporal
- Joined
- Jul 12, 2014
- Location
- New Hampshire
Bulloch, in his book ''Conf. Sec. Service in Europe" writes that numerous times, while in the UK, He was ordered to inspect a number of vessels building or being sold. He also received visits from salesmen who tried to sell Him vessels that were old, rotten , slow or unequal for the tasks they were expected to preform.
For example, of the later type, vessels like the "Alexandra " or "Ga." were poor choices. and sw vessels like the Nashville might be good for short range raiders,as the large SW would effect the sailing preformance, unless the SW was being rotated.(using boilers).
Sometime , after a vessel had been inspected and rejected, by Bulloch, these "salesmen" would try again by writing directly, or having someone visit Mallory in Richmond. Mallory would only hear one side of the story. Thus Bulloch would receive A stiffly written order to inspect , once again, such and such vessel. He would then have to write back to Richmond to explain why that vessel could not be acquired for naval service.
But, Bulloch, being a professional naval Officer of the highest order. Did what was expected of him.
A complete listing of potential vessels was kept At some point the vessel was inspected. If felt useful,the next step was a attempt to acquire the vessel.
Two such vessels were observed building at the Thames Ironworks. Ordered in 1861, James Watt & Co. designed the vessels and built the steam machinery.
Bulloch attempted to buy both vessels. In his letter to Mallory, He describes them as iron gunboats, mounting 2 (ea) Armstrong 24 pound cannon mounted
on pivot mounts fore/aft. Bulloch stated that these vessels would be perfect for the Mississippi River.
One more important factor was that the vessels were pin-built gunboats, meaning that the kits foe the 2 vessels was 2,766 pieces. They could have been rebuilt just about anywhere( or anywhere that was connected by rail._
If the south could have reproduced these type vessels, or enlarged types. The Fr had also designed a number of small type gunlaunches , gunboats, brake down gunboats River ironclads (see Fr River Gunboats), All these small types could have been run through the blockade like the later TB's were. Could have been transfered by train or even maybe ox wagons. or even dragged overland. Some farmers built small vessels on their farms and in the spring had them dragged to the water. The ox were then hitched to a push bar, pushing the vessels into deeper water.
Even another way by train. In 1939 the old 1879 SW steam boat burnt to the waterline when frozen in ice. A pot belly stove set a small building on fire on the dock, you can guess the rest. (On lake Winnipesaukee NH's largest lake-try saying that 3 times fast).
Wanting a new ship for 1940 (& finding it too expensive to build one) they looked around and found a old steamboat on Lake Champlain, cheep. This old SW steamboat, with it's iron hull had its superstructure, SW and orginal steam engine (ca 1888 removed and scrapped.(Should have kept most of this stuff foe display) the remaining hull was cut up, in sections small enough for 1 hull section per RR car. Heading east, the traveled over the Green mts, through the rest of Vt , over the Connectic River, across western NH (big hills, Smallish Mts) across the Merrimack river , then NE to the lake. There, the ship was put back together, some 10' or so added to hull( built around 180') new engine, new super structure converted to SC.
The object of that story is what can been done where the need is there and believe with smaller vessels very doable..........ops ......see part 2.
Grizz
For example, of the later type, vessels like the "Alexandra " or "Ga." were poor choices. and sw vessels like the Nashville might be good for short range raiders,as the large SW would effect the sailing preformance, unless the SW was being rotated.(using boilers).
Sometime , after a vessel had been inspected and rejected, by Bulloch, these "salesmen" would try again by writing directly, or having someone visit Mallory in Richmond. Mallory would only hear one side of the story. Thus Bulloch would receive A stiffly written order to inspect , once again, such and such vessel. He would then have to write back to Richmond to explain why that vessel could not be acquired for naval service.
But, Bulloch, being a professional naval Officer of the highest order. Did what was expected of him.
A complete listing of potential vessels was kept At some point the vessel was inspected. If felt useful,the next step was a attempt to acquire the vessel.
Two such vessels were observed building at the Thames Ironworks. Ordered in 1861, James Watt & Co. designed the vessels and built the steam machinery.
Bulloch attempted to buy both vessels. In his letter to Mallory, He describes them as iron gunboats, mounting 2 (ea) Armstrong 24 pound cannon mounted
on pivot mounts fore/aft. Bulloch stated that these vessels would be perfect for the Mississippi River.
One more important factor was that the vessels were pin-built gunboats, meaning that the kits foe the 2 vessels was 2,766 pieces. They could have been rebuilt just about anywhere( or anywhere that was connected by rail._
If the south could have reproduced these type vessels, or enlarged types. The Fr had also designed a number of small type gunlaunches , gunboats, brake down gunboats River ironclads (see Fr River Gunboats), All these small types could have been run through the blockade like the later TB's were. Could have been transfered by train or even maybe ox wagons. or even dragged overland. Some farmers built small vessels on their farms and in the spring had them dragged to the water. The ox were then hitched to a push bar, pushing the vessels into deeper water.
Even another way by train. In 1939 the old 1879 SW steam boat burnt to the waterline when frozen in ice. A pot belly stove set a small building on fire on the dock, you can guess the rest. (On lake Winnipesaukee NH's largest lake-try saying that 3 times fast).
Wanting a new ship for 1940 (& finding it too expensive to build one) they looked around and found a old steamboat on Lake Champlain, cheep. This old SW steamboat, with it's iron hull had its superstructure, SW and orginal steam engine (ca 1888 removed and scrapped.(Should have kept most of this stuff foe display) the remaining hull was cut up, in sections small enough for 1 hull section per RR car. Heading east, the traveled over the Green mts, through the rest of Vt , over the Connectic River, across western NH (big hills, Smallish Mts) across the Merrimack river , then NE to the lake. There, the ship was put back together, some 10' or so added to hull( built around 180') new engine, new super structure converted to SC.
The object of that story is what can been done where the need is there and believe with smaller vessels very doable..........ops ......see part 2.
Grizz
Bringing the