Photo of restored USS Cairo

henry lloyd

Corporal
Joined
Mar 10, 2012
Location
Indianapolis, Indiana
I don't know if this is the correct forum for this, but I thought I'd give it a try.

4f6a3b811d5f4_image.jpg

The restored USS Cairo, an ironclad warship, sits at Vicksburg National Military Park in Vicksburg, Miss. Photo by Jay Clarke/Miami Herald


Read more: http://www.stltoday.com/news/multimedia/vacation-military-history-american-civil-war-battle/image_ff0f8465-9e90-5f2a-b26a-3e74f2992a3a.html#ixzz1pu3dAIo8
 
I have some closeup pictures that I took of the Cairo that shows the rails very clearly.
I would like to see them if not too much trouble. If not now in a future post as I am very interested in the ironclads. I think their use in the civil war got the navies all over the world's attention.
 
After I read your post Pat I took a closer look at the iron planking and it looks as though the iron is bolted onto a wood frame. I wonder if that is how the boat was armored in the war, because it seems a direct hit from a solid shell would impact the iron to the extent that the wood frame holding the iron in place would crack or shatter. Maybe the angle at which the iron is facing combined with the momentum of the projectile would prevent a solid hit and turn into a glancing hit, which would be less of a destructive impact?

Henry
 
We saw this several years ago. We had gotten to Vicksburg only about an hour before closing. We hurried through and saw this for a moment before they announced you had to leave. We came back several months later and got to spend more time and got several pictures. It is very impressive. Hope to go back to Park again when can spend a lot of time and look at each monument and take many more photos.
 
I don't know if this is the correct forum for this, but I thought I'd give it a try.

4f6a3b811d5f4_image.jpg


The restored USS Cairo, an ironclad warship, sits at Vicksburg National Military Park in Vicksburg, Miss. Photo by Jay Clarke/Miami Herald
Henry, growing up in Jackson, I remember when they raised it. My brother and I were about 15 and with Dad we drove over there to the site on the Yazoo above Vicksburg and watched the activity of the lifting equipment. The river is not large, only a few hundred feet wide, making a boat that big somewhat of a sitting duck. You just wonder what they were thinking, steaming into a trap.

Though Dad was raised by his Confederate veteran grandfather, who with the 36th Miss. was captured in the siege, he never said much about the CW except that the South never had a chance against the industrial North and he had a few choice words for Sherman. He would occasionally talk about his trips to the Park with Faffy, as he called him, and recall being shown where he served, etc., but he was fascinated by the recovery of the Cairo.
 
The whole operation is explained in the book, Raising the Cairo, by Edwin C Bearss. It was pretty much an ad hoc affair. If it found today, it would likely require years of environmental impact studies. Ed's late wife, Margie, was a key assistant and chief fund raiser.
 
The whole operation is explained in the book, Raising the Cairo, by Edwin C Bearss. It was pretty much an ad hoc affair. If it found today, it would likely require years of environmental impact studies. Ed's late wife, Margie, was a key assistant and chief fund raiser.
I'm interested in that book, thanks for the tip. The recovery was nothing like the careful, clinical raising of the Hunley. I'm sure they did the best they could for that time and the state of historical archeology but they basically hooked on to it with grapples and cables and pulled it up. You just know there are artifacts still sitting in the mud of the river bottom.
 
I'm interested in that book, thanks for the tip. The recovery was nothing like the careful, clinical raising of the Hunley. I'm sure they did the best they could for that time and the state of historical archeology but they basically hooked on to it with grapples and cables and pulled it up. You just know there are artifacts still sitting in the mud of the river bottom.

Yes the vessel broke in an attempt to lift it. There are many artifacts on display, including the wardroom china.
 
I'm having difficulty seeing RR track on the ship. Assistance and photos would be appreciated.

According to the National Park Service web site:
http://www.nps.gov/vick/historyculture/armor-iron-plating-on-the-uss-cairo.htm
“The starboard (right) side of the gunboat shows gun ports number 3 and 4. The iron plating was mounted as part of the sloping casemate that enclosed the gun deck. The 2-1/2 inch thick charcoal plate iron was originally backed by a two foot thickness of white oak timbers. Without the wood to absorb the shock of shot and shell hitting the iron, the metal would have shattered like glass.”
 
I am with unicornforge on this. I dont see the plates as resembling anything like rail lines. Also doesn't appear to be the thicker 2" plate. More like the 1/2". Could be the depth perspective I am not allowing for. Probably more restoration than original. But it's a good indicator of what would have been the awesome armadillo type construction that the enemy guns had to set about penetrating.
Have to ask however. How far below the waterline did iron protection go?
 
I am with unicornforge on this. I dont see the plates as resembling anything like rail lines. Also doesn't appear to be the thicker 2" plate. More like the 1/2". Could be the depth perspective I am not allowing for. Probably more restoration than original. But it's a good indicator of what would have been the awesome armadillo type construction that the enemy guns had to set about penetrating.
Have to ask however. How far below the waterline did iron protection go?

according to one article I read, the forward section of the side casement had 3.5 railroad iron. But you are right, that does not appear to be railroad iron in the picture.
 
After I read your post Pat I took a closer look at the iron planking and it looks as though the iron is bolted onto a wood frame. I wonder if that is how the boat was armored in the war, because it seems a direct hit from a solid shell would impact the iron to the extent that the wood frame holding the iron in place would crack or shatter. Maybe the angle at which the iron is facing combined with the momentum of the projectile would prevent a solid hit and turn into a glancing hit, which would be less of a destructive impact?

Henry
Yeah thats how they did it, but as one poster above stated the mass of the wood helped obsorb the force of the shell. I read the article posted by unionblue on the USS New Ironsides and it stated that US ship builders bolted the metal into the wood frame while the English Shipbuilders tended to have the bolts go all the way through the wood with a nut holding it on the other side. It said there was no noticeable difference in stregnth from the two systems. These construction methods were the tendacies, there are exceptions to both methods.
 
Navy O.R.-- Series II--Volume 1
Statistical Data Of Ships.
United States Vessels. "A"-"C"

U. S. S. CAIRO.
Acquisition.--Built at St. Louis, Mo., under contract, by James B. Eads & Co.
Description.--
Class: Steamer; gunboat; wood.
Rate, rig, etc.: 4th.
Tonnage.--512.
Battery.--January, 1862, 6 32-pdrs. 43 cwt., 3 VIII-inch 63 cwt., 4 army rifles 80 cwt., 1 12-pdr. howitzer; September 30, 1862, 6 32-pdrs. 43 cwt., 3 army rifles 80 cwt., 3 VIII-Inch 63 cwt., 1 30-pdr. Parrott rifle; December 1, 1862, 6 32-pdrs. 43 cwt., 3 army rifles 80 cwt., 8 VIII-inch 63 cwt., 1 30-pdr. Parrott rifle.

Disposition.--She sunk within less than five minutes after being struck by a torpedo, 18 miles up the Yazoo River, December 12, 1862.

Remarks.--Sunk 4 or 5 miles below Haynes' Bluff.
================
Navy O.R.-- Series 1--Volume 22 [S# 22]
Naval Forces On Western Waters.
From May 8, 1861, To April 11, 1862. pp. 451-506

Order of Flag-Officer Foote, U. S. Navy, to Lieutenant Prichett, U. S. Navy, to assume temporary command of the U. S. S. Cairo.
CAIRO, January 13, 1862.
SIR: You will take charge temporarily of the steam gunboat Cairo, and personally attend to receiving and storing her ordnance and other equipment and stores, preparatory to putting her in commission on Wednesday.
I am, respectfully, your obedient servant,
A. H. FOOTE,
Flag-Officer.
Lieutenant PRICHETT.
-----
Navy O.R.-- Series 1--Volume 22 [S# 22]
Naval Forces On Western Waters.
From May 8, 1861, To April 11, 1862. pp. 451-506
Order o[ Flag-Officer Foote. U. S. Navy, to Lieutenant Phelps, U. S. Navy, in view of probable assignment to the command of the U. S. S. Cairo.
CAIRO, January 15, 1862.
SIR: I have several times requested of the Department to send officers junior to you, that you might have command of one of the armored gunboats. In place of commanders Winslow and Perry, Lieutenants Thompson and Gwin have been ordered. This entitles you to the command of one of the new boats, and I have reserved the Cairo for you. She is of a light draft of water and promises to be one of the fastest of the boats. I have ordered Lieutenant Prichett to her temporarily, who, when you relieve him or assume the command of the Cairo, I shall order to your vessel, the Conestoga. The officers and men will remain on board, as in the case of the Tyler and Lexington.

You will sign and approve all necessary muster and pay rolls and see that the accounts of the vessel are in such condition that they can be forwarded to Washington, and to this end you will direct your acting paymaster to make up his accounts up to 31st December, m-elusive, and show his balance due to the Government.

You will report to me as soon as convenient, and your accounts are ready, that I may order you to the Cairo.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
A. H. FOOTE,
Flag-Officer.
Lieutenant Commanding S. L. PHELPS,
Gunboat Conestoga.
----------------------------
Navy O.R.-- Series 1--Volume 22 [S# 22]
Naval Forces On Western Waters.
From May 8, 1861, To April 11, 1862. pp. 507-569

Personal letter from Lieutenant Phelps, U. S. Navy, to Flag-Officer Foote, U. S. Navy, acknowledging assignment to the command of the U. S. S. Cairo.
Private.]
U. S. GUNBOAT CONESTOGA,
Paducah, January 18, 1862.
MY DEAR SIR: I have received your letter of the 15th instant and beg leave to thank you warmly for it. The kindly interest it displays for me personally and professionally is more gratifying than the information it conveys of my transfer to the Cairo. I do trust I may continue in my new command to merit your approbation and so to perform my duties as to approve your efforts in retaining the Cairo for me. There are some accounts to be arranged which will require but few days, depending upon whether at anchor or underway, when I shall be anxious to take the new vessel. It would be well if this boat could, at that time, have the crew on board a receiving boat long enough to have the berth deck painted and repaired. The canvas is much worn and it can not be done well with the people on board, as there is no "living place" except that one deck.

It would be very gratifying to me to have my brother, paymaster of this boat, with me on board the Cairo. I presume no paymaster has opened accounts on board of her vet.

Your telegraphic dispatch I answered at once. I have borne in mind your instructions in regard to making any demonstrations or attacks, and should certainly have corresponded with you before placing either boat under fire of a work like Fort Henry. Their guns must outrange ours, and an attack could only result in disaster to such craft as these. We simply carried out the views of General Smith, and determined to my satisfaction that if they ever had a masked battery, so often reported by spies, at the foot of the island below Fort Henry, it has been removed. We laid all night within range of its guns if they were there.

If you should not give the opportunity to repair the berth decking, could I not still run down to Cairo with the Conestoga when the transfer of command takes place?

I shall be diligent in preparation to join the new vessel.

I am, respectfully and truly, yours,
S. L. PHELPS.
Flag-Officer A. H. FOOTE, U. S. Navy,
Commanding Naval Forces, Western Waters, Cairo, Ill.
-----
 
Navy O.R.-- Series II--Volume 1
Statistical Data Of Ships.
United States Vessels. "A"-"C"

U. S. S. CAIRO.
Acquisition.--Built at St. Louis, Mo., under contract, by James B. Eads & Co.
Description.--
Class: Steamer; gunboat; wood.
Rate, rig, etc.: 4th.
Tonnage.--512.
Battery.--January, 1862, 6 32-pdrs. 43 cwt., 3 VIII-inch 63 cwt., 4 army rifles 80 cwt., 1 12-pdr. howitzer; September 30, 1862, 6 32-pdrs. 43 cwt., 3 army rifles 80 cwt., 3 VIII-Inch 63 cwt., 1 30-pdr. Parrott rifle; December 1, 1862, 6 32-pdrs. 43 cwt., 3 army rifles 80 cwt., 8 VIII-inch 63 cwt., 1 30-pdr. Parrott rifle.

Disposition.--She sunk within less than five minutes after being struck by a torpedo, 18 miles up the Yazoo River, December 12, 1862.

Remarks.--Sunk 4 or 5 miles below Haynes' Bluff.

Thanks for this information. Wow, she was armed to the teeth, and it took just five minutes to sink her. I wonder what the cost of that torpedo was.

Henry
 
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