CSS Scorpion: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Squib-class torpedo boat procured late in 1864 by the Confederate States Navy}}

{{Other ships|USS Scorpion|HMS Scorpion}}

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|Ship registry=

|Ship route=

|Ship ordered=1864

|Ship awarded=

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|Ship decommissioned=

|Ship maiden voyage=

|Ship in service=Late 1864

|Ship out of service=

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|Ship captured=

|Ship fate=Abandoned and captured

|Ship status=

|Ship notes=

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{{Infobox ship characteristics

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|Header caption=

|Header caption=<ref name="hazegray">{{cite web |url= http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/csn/s.txt |title=Confederate Navy Ships (S) |work=hazegray.org |year=2002 |access-date=1 March 2013}}</ref>

|Ship class=[[Squib-class torpedo boat|''Squib''-class torpedo boat]]

|Ship class=

|Ship type=

|Ship tonnage=

|Ship displacement=

|Ship tons burthen=

|Ship length={{Convert|46|ft|m|abbr=on}}

|Ship beam={{Convert|6|ft|3|in|m|abbr=on}}

|Ship height=

|Ship draught=

|Ship draft=

|Ship depth=

|Ship hold depth={{Convert|3|ft|9|in|m|abbr=on}}

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|Ship troops=

|Ship complement=

|Ship armament=*1 ×1x {{Convert|5|in|mm|abbr=on}}[[spar guntorpedo]]

|Ship armor=NoneThin iron plates

*{{Convert|18|ft|m|abbr=on}} spar with percussion torpedo

|Ship armor=None

|Ship notes=

}}

|}

'''CSS ''Scorpion''''' was a [[Squib class torpedo boat|''Squib''-class torpedo boat]] procured late in 1864 by the [[Confederate States Navy]] and armed with a [[spar torpedo]] fitted to her stem. She performed picket duty in the [[James River (Virginia)|James River]] under command of Lieutenant E. Lakin, CSN.<ref name="hazegray"/>

'''CSS ''Scorpion''''' was a [[Squib-class torpedo boat|''Squib''-class]] [[torpedo boat]] that served in the [[Confederate States Navy]] during the [[American Civil War]]. Armed with a single [[spar torpedo]], she originally served guard duty on the [[James River]] after being built in late 1864. Along with the rest of the James River Squadron, ''Scorpion'' moved downriver on January 23, 1865, and participated in the [[Battle of Trent's Reach]]. After performing [[depth sounding]]s near Union obstructions, ''Scorpion'' moved to get a lantern from the [[ironclad]] [[CSS Virginia II|CSS ''Virginia II'']], but ran into a [[hawser]] and then [[ran aground]]. At 07:10 on the morning of January 24, Union fire struck the abandoned [[tender ship|tender]] [[CSS Drewry|CSS ''Drewry'']], which then exploded. The force of the explosion swept ''Scorpion'' out of control downriver. An attempt to rescue her that night failed, and she was captured by Union forces.

On January 23 to January 25, 1865, torpedo boats ''Scorpion'', {{Ship|CSS|Hornet||2}} and {{Ship|CSS|Wasp||2}}, under the overall command of Lieutenant [[Charles Read (naval officer)|Charles W. Read]], CSN, joined Flag Officer J.K. Mitchell's [[James River Squadron]] in the abortive attack on General [[Ulysses S. Grant]]'s main supply base at [[City Point, Virginia]]. Attempting to rejoin her consort, the ironclad {{Ship|CSS|Richmond}} ran aground above Trent's Reach; ''Scorpion'' ended up fast ashore also and was severely damaged by the magazine explosion which destroyed nearby gunboat {{Ship|CSS|Drewry}}, on January 24. Abandoned, she fell into Federal hands.<ref name="hazegray"/>

==Construction and characteristics==

During the [[American Civil War]], the [[Union blockade]] was slowly suffocatingdestroying the breakawayeconomy of the rebelling [[Confederate States of America]]. InThe anfirst attemptuse to break the blockade, theof [[torpedo boat]]s [[CSSin David|CSSattempting ''David]]to attackedbreak the Unionblockade [[ironclad]]came [[USSin NewOctober Ironsides|USS1863. ''New Ironsides'']]The onattack Octoberdamaged 5,a Union 1863vessel, damagingand the Unionpartial vessel.success Afterwards,led the Confederates continued to build additional torpedo boats. WhileMultiple somedesigns were builtused, on a similar pattern to ''David'',including a group, known as the [[Squib -class torpedo boat|''Squib''-class]], were built at [[Richmond, Virginia]],. on a different pattern, with [[Lieutenant]] Hunter Davidson playing a significant role in the design.{{sfn|Pry|Zeitlin|1984|pp=384{{endash}}385}}

CSS ''Scorpion'', Oneone of the ''Squib''-class torpedo boats was ''Scorpion''. She, was constructed in late 1864, and was {{convert|46|ft|m}} long, had a [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|6|ft|3|in|m}}, and a [[depth of hold]] of {{convert|3|ft|9|in|m}}.<ref name="DANFS">{{cite web |title=Scorpion |url=https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/confederate_ships/scorpion.html |publisher=Naval History and Heritage Command |access-date=27 February 2022}}</ref> [[Tonnage]] for the class is unknown.{{sfn|Silverstone|1989|p=219}} The ''Squib''-class ships were powered by two [[oscillating engine|oscilliatingoscillating condensing engines]], which had a {{convert|7|in|cm|adj=on}} diameter [[cylinder (engine)|cylinder]] and a {{convert|6|in|cm|adj=on}} [[stroke (engine)|stroke]], as well a single [[boiler]]. Her steering gear was towards the front of the vessel. According to a Union engineer, she could go at "a fair speed for a boat of her kind".{{sfn|Campbell|2000|p=105}} The ''Squib''-class vessels were manned by aHer crew of five or six.{{sfn|Pry|Zeitlin|1984|p=385}} operated Theysteer weregear armedthat withwas alocated singletowards [[sparthe torpedo]].front of The torpedoes werethe vessel.{{convertsfn|5Campbell|in2000|cmp=105}} in diameter,Her andarmament thewas a single [[spar shafttorpedo]] itselfmounted wasto a spar shaft that eithermeasured {{convert|18|ft|m}}<ref name="DANFS" /> or {{convert|16|ft|m}} long.{{sfn|Coski|2005|pp=125{{endash}}126}} The spar could be raised or lowered by the ship's crew using a chain and tackle system.{{sfn|Coski|2005|p=126}} Thin plates of iron served as armor on the ships's sides.{{Sfn|Pry|Zeitlin|1984|p=385}}

==Service history==

{{main|Battle of Trent's Reach}}

After construction, ''Scorpion'' entered Confederate service with the [[James River Squadron]].{{sfn|Coski|2005|p=125}} Under the command of Lieutenant Edward Lakin,{{sfn|Campbell|2000|p=111}} she performed guard duty in the [[James River]]. Beginning on January 23, 1865, the James River Squadron began an offensive against the Union supply depot at [[City Point, Virginia]].<ref name="DANFS" /> To reduce the chance of collisions in the narrow river between the Confederate ships, the wooden vessels of the fleet were lashed to the [[ironclad]]s:. the [[gunboat]] [[CSS Hampton|CSS ''Hampton'']] andOverall, the torpedoConfederates boathad [[CSS11 Hornet|CSSships ''Hornet'']]present: tothree theironclads, ironcladthree [[CSS Fredericksburg|CSS ''Fredericksburg''gunboat]]s, thethree gunboattorpedo [[CSS Beaufort|CSS ''Beaufort'']]boats, and the armedtwo [[tender ship|tenders]]. [[CSS Drewry|CSS ''DrewryScorpion'']] towas thetowed ironclad [[CSS Richmond|CSS ''Richmond'']], andby the gunboattender [[CSS NansemondTorpedo|CSS ''NansemondTorpedo'']], andwhich thewas tenderin [[CSSturn Torpedo|CSS ''Torpedo'']]lashed to the ironclad [[CSS Virginia II|CSS ''Virginia II'']]. The torpedo boat [[CSS Wasp|CSS ''Wasp'']] was towed by ''Drewry'', and ''Scorpion'' was towed by ''Torpedo''.{{sfn|Coski|2005|p=198}} Moving during the night, the Confederate vessels passed a Union shore position known as Fort Brady, which fired upon them.{{sfn|Coski|2005|pp=199{{endash}}202}} At around 09:00, the Confederate vessels reached Union obstructions in the river at [[Trent's Reach]].{{sfn|Campbell|2000|p=111}}

''Scorpion'' was then sent forward to perform [[depth sounding]], with a [[maritime pilot|pilot]] from ''Virginia II'' aboard. The pilot claimed that the channel was not open, but [[Charles Read (naval officer)|Charles Read]], who commanded all of the torpedo boats in the James River Squadron, found that a passage could be made; the pilot may have become unnerved by Union shore fire.{{sfn|Coski|2005|pp=199{{endash}}202}} The ironclad [[CSS Fredericksburg|CSS ''Fredericksburg'']] then managed to clear the obstructions at around 01:30 on January 24. Read later took ''Scorpion'' to look for the gunboat [[CSS Hampton|CSS ''Hampton'']], but after not finding her, took the ship to ''Virginia II'' to get a lantern for lighting the passage. ''Virginia II'' had run aground, and the same fate had befallen the ironclad [[CSS Richmond|CSS ''Richmond'']] as well. The tender [[CSS Drewry|CSS ''Drewry'']] then ran aground trying to free ''Richmond''. Moving towards ''Virginia II'', ''Scorpion'' ran into a [[hawser]] strung between the former ship and the gunboat [[CSS Beaufort|CSS ''Beaufort'']],{{sfn|Coski|2005|pp=201{{endash}}203}} losing her torpedo and alsospar in the process. Not long afterwards, she ran aground.{{sfn|Campbell|2000|p=114}} The torpedo boat [[CSS Hornet|CSS ''Hornet'']] then ran aground trying to free ''Scorpion''.{{sfn|Coski|2005|pp=201{{endash}}203}} The Confederate vessels that were not aground withdrew upriver before daylight.{{sfn|Campbell|2000|p=112}} At 06:55, the crew of ''Drewry'' was taken onto ''Richmond'', and at 07:10, Union fire caused ''Drewry'' to explode. The force of the explosion knocked ''Scorpion'' downriver out of control; two men onboardon board were killed and four others swept overboard.{{sfn|Coski|2005|p=204}} After dark on January 24, Read tried to take ''Beaufort'' downriver to rescue ''Scorpion'', but as ''Beaufort'' could not be controlled due to a strong wind, and a smaller vessel was sent to ''Scorpion''. ''Scorpion'' was found to have taken on water, and after the Union illuminated the area with a [[Drummond light]], the efforts to rescue the vessel were abandoned.{{sfn|Campbell|2000|p=114}} She was later captured by Union forces.,<ref name="DANFS" />{{sfn|Coski|2005|p=204}} and may have been burned.{{sfn|Silverstone|1989|p=219}}{{Sfn|Pry|Zeitlin|1984|p=392}}

==References==

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==Sources==

* {{cite book |last=Campbell |first=R. Thomas |title=Hunters of the Night: Confederate Torpedo Boats in the War Between the States |publisher=Burd Street Press |date=2000 |___location=Shippensburg, Pennsylvania |isbn=1-57249-202-3}}

* {{cite book |last=Coski |first=John M. |title=Capital Navy: The Men, Ships, and Operations of the James River Squadron |publisher=Savas Beatie |date=2005 |orig-year=20061996 |___location=New York |isbn=978-1-932714-15-9}}+

* {{cite journal |last1=Pry |first1=Peter |last2=Zeitlin |first2=Richard |title=Torpedo Boats: Secret Weapons of the South |journal=Warship International |date=1984 |volume=21 |issue=4 |pages=384{{endash}}393}}

* {{cite book |last=Silverstone |first=Paul H. |title=Warships of the Civil War Navies |publisher=Naval Institute Press |___location=Annapolis, Maryland |date=1989 |isbn=978-0-87021-783-8}}

{{Squib class torpedo boat}}

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{{CSN torpedo boats}}

{{1865 shipwrecks}}

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[[Category:Torpedo boats of the Confederate States Navy]]

[[Category:Shipwrecks of the American Civil War]]

[[Category:Shipwrecks inof riversthe James River]]

[[Category:Captured ships]]

[[Category:Maritime incidents in January 1865]]

[[Category:Squib-class torpedo boats]]