Rocketts from Libby Hill

[AndyHall]

This is a follow-on to an earlier thread here.

This is a composite image, made from LoC images here and here. It shows the area known as Rocketts, just below Richmond, at was the site of the Confederate Navy Yard during the war (foreground), with another construction yard across the James River. John Coski's Capital Navy reproduces part of the original image, with this cation:

A view of Rocketts from Libby Hill/ April 1865

The only Civil War-era photographs of the Confederate navy yards were taken -- by Mathew Brady or his assistant, or Levy & Cohen of Philadelphia -- after the Federal capture of the city. On the near (north) side of the James River is Rocketts. A few residences and businesses of the Rocketts neighborhood are visib1e in the left foreground. The Rocketts landing, with its permanent sheds or shelters, can be seen near the right edge of the photo. Visible in middle of the photo is the captured Confederate artillery shown on page xiii.

Across the river is the yard (usually called the "Yard opposite Rocketts") where the C.S.S. Virginia II was constructed. On the point of land to the left are ways used for constructing the wooden frame of vessels. The unfinished vessel on the ways was probably an unnamed ironclad warship designed by William A. Graves. On the beach directly across the river are additional ways where a smaller vessel (probably a torpedo boat) was under construction. Archaeologists have recently [1996] discovered the foundations of the substantial building near the right side of the photograph. To the right of that structure (just beyond the frame of the photograph) were buildings and tents which were probably used by the laborers at the southside yard.

The vessels in the river are Federal ships. The sunken ship visible at the far left of both photographs is probably the Confederate school ship Patrick Henry. Courtesy of the Library of Congress.
​

FWIW, I think Coski's map (p. 17) showing the location of Rocketts is in error, showing the site closer to town than it was. Coski's map seems to be based on one published by the Richmond Civil War Centennial Committee in the early 1960s, while contemporary maps place it several hundred yards further downstream.

 

[JPK Huson 1863]

That's crazy-good, thank you. I have a question- is the large, brick building ( does anyone think ) possibly another tobacco warehouse? It's the same shape and size as say, Libby and Thunder Alley, maybe, other described and photographed tobacco warehouse buildings which were used as prisons during the war. I know there was another one only identified by a number sometimes, sometimes as ' Howard's Prison', which gets described as being at Rocketts. It's a little maddeningly elusive- gee whiz, kind of large to be missing.

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

That's great, Andy. If it wasn't for the slight differences in contrasts in the originals, I don't think one could find the seam.

 

[NFB22]

....and now (Looking from the other direction)

 

[georgew]

This is a follow-on to an earlier thread here.

View attachment 18316
This is a composite image, made from LoC images here and here. It shows the area known as Rocketts, just below Richmond, at was the site of the Confederate Navy Yard during the war (foreground), with another construction yard across the James River. John Coski's Capital Navy reproduces part of the original image, with this cation:

A view of Rocketts from Libby Hill/ April 1865

The only Civil War-era photographs of the Confederate navy yards were taken -- by Mathew Brady or his assistant, or Levy & Cohen of Philadelphia -- after the Federal capture of the city. On the near (north) side of the James River is Rocketts. A few residences and businesses of the Rocketts neighborhood are visib1e in the left foreground. The Rocketts landing, with its permanent sheds or shelters, can be seen near the right edge of the photo. Visible in middle of the photo is the captured Confederate artillery shown on page xiii.

Across the river is the yard (usually called the "Yard opposite Rocketts") where the C.S.S. Virginia II was constructed. On the point of land to the left are ways used for constructing the wooden frame of vessels. The unfinished vessel on the ways was probably an unnamed ironclad warship designed by William A. Graves. On the beach directly across the river are additional ways where a smaller vessel (probably a torpedo boat) was under construction. Archaeologists have recently [1996] discovered the foundations of the substantial building near the right side of the photograph. To the right of that structure (just beyond the frame of the photograph) were buildings and tents which were probably used by the laborers at the southside yard.

The vessels in the river are Federal ships. The sunken ship visible at the far left of both photographs is probably the Confederate school ship Patrick Henry. Courtesy of the Library of Congress.
​

FWIW, I think Coski's map (p. 17) showing the location of Rocketts is in error, showing the site closer to town than it was. Coski's map seems to be based on one published by the Richmond Civil War Centennial Committee in the early 1960s, while contemporary maps place it several hundred yards further downstream.

If you use the tug moored on the right side of the photo on the near bank as a reference point and follow the line of its funnel up to a point on the other side of the river and move slightly to the left you see a pair of matching tall structures. Their shape and height make me wonder if they are "shears" used to lift and move heavy items for installation in a completed and launched hull. If they are shears they must have had tracks to run along. Arguing against this idea is the fact that shears would be pretty useless unless there was a mooring point adjacent to them. Do anyone have any ideas of an alternate explanation?

 

[AndyHall]

If you use the tug moored on the right side of the photo on the near bank as a reference point and follow the line of its funnel up to a point on the other side of the river and move slightly to the left you see a pair of matching tall structures. Their shape and height make me wonder if they are "shears" used to lift and move heavy items for installation in a completed and launched hull. If they are shears they must have had tracks to run along. Arguing against this idea is the fact that shears would be pretty useless unless there was a mooring point adjacent to them. Do anyone have any ideas of an alternate explanation?

That's not shears as I would call them, but you're right, it does appear to be a structure for lifting heavy objects. I haven't seen much that documents facilities on that side of the river at all.