I've had a request for Submarines...

[Mad Hungarian]

A friend who's been watching my posting regarding the game I have coming out shortly, and the 3D Models I've been sculpting (unrelated except for subject matter) has asked me to consider modeling some of the submarines. They'd be fairly small in 1/600 scale, but I've promised him I'll consider it.

I have images and/or specs for most of the known Civil War submarine, (the Pioneers, American Diver, the Bayou Saint John Submarine, Alligator) save one: CSS Saint Patrick. Do we know what she looked like? I know that there is a letter describing her as "about thirty feet, with room for no more than five or six men", but that could take any of a variety of forms.

I'm guessing this is one of those "more rumor than fact" situations. Has anyone done any digging on this?

-Alex

 

[Mad Hungarian]

Incidentally, I know this is a -very- tall request, so I won't be offended if the answer is, something along the lines of,

"No, you silly twit, she wasn't actually a submarine" or "Well, that's about all we know, period."

 

[AndyHall]

From Devin Poore's NYT Disunion article:

As the battle raged in Mobile Bay [in August 1864], the inventor John P. Halligan worked on his own Confederate submarine 150 miles to the north on the Alabama River, in Selma. The town had become the Deep South's industrial center, with an iron works second only to Tredegar in Richmond. It produced arms, munitions and ironclad ships for the Confederacy.

Halligan's boat, known as the Saint Patrick, made the documented leap forward that designers North and South had sought for some time: propulsion other than muscle power. Submarine crews consisted generally of a commander to steer the boat, and a half-dozen or more men seated on benches turning hand cranks, powering a propeller to move the crafts' typical 30- to 40-foot length. Alternatives such as electric motors had been considered by both sides, but contemporary models didn't produce enough torque for the task. The Saint Patrick, though, incorporated a small steam engine. While underwater the crew still had to hand-crank for propulsion, but on the surface going to and from a target, the engine gave the men an extended period of rest, increasing their efforts when most needed.

The Saint Patrick deployed to Mobile Bay in October 1864. And then it sat there. Arguments between the civilian builder and the military on the best weather in which to attack, what targets to attack and who was to be in command kept the sub dockside. Finally in late January 1865, the military seized the Saint Patrick and she sortied after sunset on the 26th. She successfully struck the Union warship Octorara, but the torpedo failed to explode. With the Union then aware of her presence — Harper's Weekly ran a story with an engraving depicting the attack only weeks later — the Saint Patrick finished out the war in hiding, running supplies under the blockade to a nearby fort.​

So definitely real. Harper's Weekly image:

Expired Image Removed

 

[Mad Hungarian]

That's the only image I can find. Oddly enough, as I understand it, in the incident, the sailor grasped the stack of the target, rather than the Saint Patrick. Nevertheless, it's better quality than the one I've found, and I thank you.! Enough to at least try to extrapolate data here!

 

[AndyHall]

No, I believe he grabbed the stack of St. Patrick -- he was an Octorara sailor.

That thing's going to be tiny in 1:600 scale -- all those submersibles are, most under an inch long.

 

[Mad Hungarian]

You're right. My mistake, sir!

And yes, it will be, but it'd be nice to have a marker for her, and I have ambitions to do the submarines in a larger scale at some point.

 

[AndyHall]

OR, 103:13:

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF THE GULF,
Mobile, Ala., February 3, 1865.​

GENERAL: I have the honor to report that on the 24th ultimo Commodore Farrand, C. S. Navy, transferred to me the torpedo boat Saint Patrick, built by a man named Halligan, under a contract with the Government. Halligan having shown himself deficient in nerve or capacity to attack the enemy, I removed him from command of the Saint Patrick and assigned to her Lieutenant Walker, C. S. Navy, a young officer of great gallantry and merit whom Commodore Farrand kindly placed at my disposal. Mr. Walker diligently applied himself to preparation for immediate action, and although Halligan had removed from the boat several essential parts of her machinery, he was enabled to recover them and get under way on the night of the 27th ultimo. At 1 a.m. he struck the enemy's flag-ship Octorara abaft the wheel-house. The torpedo missed fire. The greatest consternation and confusion was occasioned on the ship, so that the fire of artillery and musketry which was directed against the Saint Patrick failed to strike her and she returned with her crew to the protection of our batteries. Some portion of her machinery was damaged during the expedition, but Mr. Walker is confident that he will be ready to go out again by the next "dark moon." I take pleasure in reporting to the War Department the fine conduct of Lieutenant Walker and in recommending him through you to the favorable notice of the Navy Department.

I remain, very respectfully, general, your obedient servant,

DABNEY H. MAURY,
Major-General, Commanding.​

General S. COOPER,
Adjutant and Inspector General, Richmond, Va.











​

 

[AndyHall]

ORN 22:267-68:

Report of Major-General Maury, C. S. Army, regarding the conduct of the contractor of the torpedo boat Saint Patrick.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF THE GULF,
Mobile, Ala., January 26, 1865.​

GENERAL: In accordance with instructions from the Navy Department, communicated to me by Commodore Farrand, that officer transferred to my command the torpedo-boat Saint Patrick, built on a contract with the Government by a man named Halligan. This boat was to have been ready for action in July last, and I hoped to use it against the enemy's fleet off Fort Morgan. I therefore caused every possible assistance to be given to Halligan in building her, and urged her early completion. It was not, however, till the month of-Halligan arrived here with the boat, and from his whole course I became convinced he had no real intention of attacking the enemy and that the only practical purpose the Saint Patrick was serving was to keep Halligan and her crew of six able-bodied men from doing military duty. I therefore had him supplied with every means to move against the enemy, and notified him that if he did not attack at once I would place an officer in charge of her who would. In the course of a few days I found it necessary to supersede Halligan, who then placed his affairs in the hands of a lawyer and procured from Richmond a transfer of his boat to the naval commander on this station. Impressed with the importance of using so formidable a vessel as this is said to be, I have continually and repeatedly urged Commodore Farrand to make Halligan attack or to place the boat in charge of one of the many clever young officers of the Navy or Army who have been pressing for the command of her. This, however, he did not do until, in consequence, I presume, of my official reports to higher authority, he was ordered to transfer the Saint Patrick to me. I immediately asked him to let me have Lieutenant Walker, of the Navy, to command her. And on placing that officer in charge of the vessel, now lying under the guns of the eastern shore, he found that Halligan had been absent from her for two weeks, and had taken off with him several essential parts of her machinery. After some search Halligan was found comfortably established in the Battle House, and Mr. Walker, by energetic and good management, has recovered from him the necessary machinery and thinks he can operate to-morrow night. I enclose a note written by me to Commodore Farrand some weeks ago. From the tenor of a letter of the honorable Secretary of the Navy to Commodore Farrand, I regret to perceive the impression has been made on his mind that a cordial desire to cooperate with each other may not exist here between the naval commander and the district commander. Our relations have always <nor22_268>been pleasant and our intercourse free, and I shall not permit any private feelings to interfere with the business before us. When I find the commodore disagrees with my views of what is required, I shall refer the matter to higher authority.

I am, general, your obedient servant,

DABNEY H. MAURY,
Major-General, Commanding. ​

[GENERAL S. COOPER.]
[ Endorsement. ]

____________

ADJUTANT AND INSPECTOR-GENERAL'S OFFICE,
February 18, 1865.

Respectfully submitted to the Secretary of War.

The person complained of in the within communication, John P. Halligan, was exempted January 26, 1864, upon recommendation of the Secretary of the Navy and by direction of the President, until July 1, 1864, to construct a submarine torpedo boat. The exemption was at the expiration of said time extended while the boat should be bona fide engaged in operating against the enemy. General Maury represents Halligan as having prolonged the completion of his work with no object in view save to evade military duty. Every facility was afforded him to complete his work; he failed to avail himself of any of them. Upon application of General Maury he was removed, when he carried off several essential parts of the machinery. After some search these were recovered.

H. L. CLAY,
Assistant Adjutant-General. ​

 

[Mad Hungarian]

Wow...

Sounds like Mr. Halligan was far more interested in running Contraband, or at least, "being an idea man" rather than the man at the helm. Or, alternatively, now I look at it more closely, that he wanted to have control over the ship himself, under his own terms.