In the Offing: Secrets of Confederate Steam Power

Engines of Rebellion: Confederate Ironclads and Steam Engineering in the Civil War

By Saxon T. Bisbee (Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press, 2018)
   
Reviewed by Joseph Miechle
Hampton Roads Naval Museum Educator

A diagram of the Martin vertical watertube marine boiler of CSS Virginia, which was exactly the same as the boiler aboard USS Merrimack, the vessel it was salvaged from, as it appears on page 19 of Engines of Rebellion. 

Saxon Bisbee has done a thorough and outstanding job of relating the histories behind the construction of 27 Confederate ironclads in his recent monograph, “Engines of Rebellion: Confederate Ironclads and Steam Engineering in the American Civil War.” Mr. Bisbee has combed through archival holdings scattered across the United States in order to compile a fascinating understanding of how the new Confederate States aggressively pursued an ironclad construction program. The book not only draws upon original plans, drawings, journals and previous secondary sources, but also more recent archeological discoveries to produce perhaps the most comprehensive analysis of Confederate ironclad engineering to date. While extremely insightful to those interested in the micro-histories of Civil War engineering, this book may not appeal to the average reader due to the inherent complexities of engineering. It is important to note that this book acknowledges that the Confederacy had some ironclads constructed for them outside the country but deliberately does not include them in discussion.

Plans for the Richmond-class ironclad CSS Savannah as redrawn by Robert Holcombe in 1978, which appear on page 89 of the book.  CSS Richmond, launched in an incomplete state from Gosport Navy Yard (today known as Norfolk Naval Shipyard) on May 6, 1862, was the only other Confederate ironclad besides the more famous CSS Virginia (converted from the remains of the USS Merrimack) to emerge from the shipyard on the Elizabeth River opposite the City of Norfolk, and was the first of six of the class completed at various locations under Confederate control. (Engines of Rebellion)   

The well-supported argument of the book is that despite steam engineering being a relatively new technology, lack of major manufacturing facilities in the south, and starting with no navy at all to begin with, the Confederate ironclad construction program was relatively successful. The ships utilized mostly existing machinery, yet they spurred advancements in propulsion and design for years afterward. The book is not only an exhaustive study on the design and procurement of the machinery of the Confederate ironclads but also draws on some rare primary accounts of Confederate engineers and shipbuilders. The book provides ample insight to the difficulties they faced in adapting under-powered engines for use on ships substantially different than they were originally designed for. 

Plan drawing, including the inboard profile, decks and two hull cross sections, inscribed at the top, "180 Ft. Iron Clad Gun Boat. As Altered July 6th 1863 ... Wm. A. Graves," which appears on page 134 of the book. This plan may represent CSS Virginia II, which was built in Richmond, Virginia, and participated with the other James River Squadron ironclads CSS Richmond and CSS Fredericksburg in the Battle of Trent's Reach. The original is plan # 81-12-2E in Record Group 19 at the U.S. National Archives. (Naval History and Heritage Command image)

There are only a couple of very slight criticisms about this book. As previously mentioned the very nature of writing a book on engineering requires a vocabulary all its own. This makes the book somewhat difficult for a reader with no background in the field to fully appreciate. To be fair, though, a fine glossary has been provided near the end of the book that the lay reader can refer to as necessary. The only other possibly negative aspect of this book is in regards to illustrations. A book about engineering would benefit greatly from numerous detailed illustrations. This book does include a fair amount of illustrations, some previously unpublished, yet presents them in such a small scale it is difficult to comprehend them or really appreciate their intricacies

Although the machinery for the wooden gunboat CSS Chattahoochee was smashed and its hull set afire when Columbus, Georgia was captured by U.S. Army troops in April 1865, this photo taken in Columbus approximately 100 years later (which appears on page 12 of the book) showed that its two horizontal direct-acting engines, which each turned one screw on the opposite side of each cylinder head, survived as a rare example of Civil War steam technology. (Courtesy of the Confederate Salvage Association, Inc./Naval History and Heritage Command image)

If you have ever wondered how the ironclad ships of the Confederacy were constructed and powered, this book will prove to be a phenomenal resource to the serious scholar of the Civil War Navy or those interested in 19th century steam engineering. For the lay reader, while a bit overwhelming, the book still tells the story from construction to disposition of all of the Confederate ironclads that were constructed in the Confederate States. The appendix itself is a fine quick glance resource for understanding the “bare bones” of Confederate Ironclad steam machinery, as well as serving as a great list of the ships by various groupings. As previously mentioned, the glossary certainly helped this reader understand the content, and the notes and bibliography are helpful and complete as well. This book would make a fine addition to a reader’s library.

Cheese Blocks on a Slab- New York City's Ferry System at War

USS Commodore Morris on the James River.  Notice the addition of boiler plate iron along the side of the vessel.

New York ferryboats working in
the East River before the war

New York City ferryboats were among the many civilian ships purchased by the U.S. Navy at the beginning of the Civil War. With their wide beam, sheltered decks with windows, and two wheel houses, they looked more like houseboats than warships. No one could have expected that when these ships began transporting people across the New York Harbor and the East River, they would actually become incredibly important to local Naval commanders during the Civil War. At least one vessel that used to be a New York ferryboat could be found in almost every campaign in and around Hampton Roads and the tributaries of North Carolina.

The company of the former Staten Island ferryboat
Hunchback poses for one of the best Civil War images
taken of the U.S. Navy during the war.

It is not exactly clear what the Navy’s purchasing agents were thinking when they scoured the docks in New York. But someone had the foresight to see that the Navy was going to need shallow draft vessels capable of negotiating rivers and coastal waterways. The ferryboats’ ability to go backwards as easily they went forward--without having to turn--greatly assisted them in doing just that. The Navy purchased and converted nineteen ferryboats, most of which served in Hampton Roads. They were (and New York ferryboats continue to be), very rectangular in shape. If USS Monitor was the “cheese box on a shingle,” then the ferryboats could easily be labeled “cheese blocks on a granite slab.”

Most of the ferryboats displaced 600 to 750 tons; were about 175 to 180 feet in length and about 29 feet wide; and only drew ten feet of water when fully loaded. The vessel’s armament varied, but generally they were equipped with 100-pounder Parrot Rifles, IX-inch Dahlgren smoothbores, and assorted smaller guns, such as 32- and 12-pounders.

In addition to being gunboats, they also excelled as amphibious assault ships. Since the ship’s primary function before the war was to carry people, U.S. Army commanders frequently requested use of the vessels for raids. The ship could carry several hundred soldiers on board along with heavy guns and ammunition.

USS Commodore Barney (ex-ferryboat Ethan Allen)

These ships did not have any added protection, as they were they made out of thin wood. Enterprising naval officers often used boiler plate iron to reinforce critical areas of the ships, such as the wheel house, before taking them into battle. As a result, the ships took a beating during battles. However, in this area, none of them were ever sunk by gunfire. CSS Albemarle rammed USS Southfield on the Neuse River and a torpedo exploded underneath USS Commodore Jones on the James River.

CSS Albemarle rammed and sank the Staten
Island ferry USS Southfield in 1864.

Once commissioned as warships, the Navy kept the original names for most of the vessels. When a name change was deemed necessary, the ferryboat Commodore Perry seems to have inspired the Navy to introduce the “commodore” series of ship names after Age of Sail flag officers. Names included USS Commodore Jones, McDonough, Morris, Barney, and Hull.

After the war, the Navy sold the ferryboats either back to their original owners or to local merchants. Commodore Perry continued to serve as a New York City ferryboat until 1931. Today, the Staten Island ferry system has not forgotten the contribution of their boxy-looking craft to the war. A list of the vessels that served in the war can be found on their web site, http://www.siferry.com/SIFerry_Current__Ferries.aspx.

USS Commodore Perry trails the monitor USS Onondaga on the James River, 1864