USS Cumberland

[USS ALASKA]

how bout a cast iron Armstrong 70 pounder.....

Were those Armstrongs part of the USN inventory during the ACW? Or perhaps a better question - is there an easily accessible and comprehensive list of weapons in use by the USN in that time period?

Thanks for the help,
USS ALASKA

 

[1stMS-Arty]

Were those Armstrongs part of the USN inventory during the ACW? Or perhaps a better question - is there an easily accessible and comprehensive list of weapons in use by the USN in that time period?

Thanks for the help,
USS ALASKA

Answer to the first question is no...I don't think so....
Answer to the second question is yes........I do believe this is Mr. Jenkins' website.....
http://users.wowway.com/~jenkins/ironclads/ironguns.htm

 

[USS ALASKA]

Copy sir - Thank you.

Cheers,
USS ALASKA

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

My memory is that, as Carronade mentioned, there was a (mistaken) impression that the Cumberland's armament was heavier than was on the Congress, and Buchanan targeted her first for that reason. As to what his basis was for that belief, I'm not certain. (Maybe I'll ask John Quarstein next week if there's an opportunity! )

Alas, there was no opportunity to ask. He was double-booked and could only handle a part of the tour.

 

[Carronade]

Although Cumberland did not have the all-rifled battery that seems to have concerned Buchanan, she was the more formidable of the two, with 9" Dahlgrens etc. Indeed, one would hope so, after the trouble the Navy went to to reconstruct her

I don't know John Quarstein, but I'm about due for another visit to the Mariners' Museum/Monitor next time I'm in Virginia.

 

[USS Cumberland]

Cumberland was often the flagship of whatever squadron she sailed in, so there was that symbolism too.

But she was stuck out there in front, positioned to be the first to fight, without the assist of a steam tugboat, so it makes one wonder if she was not used as bait. But since apparently there was no court of enquiry into her and Congress's loss - not to mention the deaths of nearly 250 union sailors - so we'll never know why she was left so vulnerable.

 

[Carronade]

I'm not clear what she and Congress were posted there for either. They could block the mouth of the James River or support Union troops ashore if that was considered necessary, though as far as I know there was little threat by land. An anchored sloop or frigate with a spring on her cable could dominate the area within range of her guns (except against an ironclad!). The Navy may simply have wanted to maintain a presence as fas as possible into Confederate waters.

They were west of the channel from Norfolk/Portsmouth where Virginia would emerge, with Cumberland a bit further into rebel territory than Congress, so Virginia actually had to steam past Congress to attack Cumberland; she fired a few shots in passing and returned later to finish off the Union frigate.

The geography also meant that ships like Minnesota coming to the aid of C&C could potentially cut off Virginia from her base - if we think wooden ships can cut off ironclads - but I doubt that ships were specifically positioned for that purpose.

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

Each were assigned a steam tug in case of need-- the thought was that this made them somehow equivalent to a steamer. It didn't.