CSS Albemarle was a steam-powered casemate ironclad ram of the Confederate Navy, named for an estuary in North Carolina which was named for General George Monck, the first Duke of Albemarle and one of
A drawing of Albemarle
Albemarle's ram sinks Southfield
The encounter at Albemarle Sound, May 5, 1864. From left to right are USS Commodore Hull, USS Wyalusing, USS Sassacus, CSS Albemarle, USS Mattabesett and CSS Bombshell
A spar torpedo is a weapon consisting of a bomb placed at the end of a long pole, or spar, and attached to a boat. It was used by driving the spar directly into an enemy vessel. These torpedoes often
CSS Albemarle
…Sassucus's boilers; though live steam was roaring through the ship, she was able to break away and drift out of range. Miami first tried to use her spar torpedo and then to tangle the Confederate ram's screw propellers and rudder with a seine net, but neither ploy succeeded. More than 500 shells were fired at…
A steamboat with a spar torpedo, in transport position
The Confederate torpedo boat CSS David showing the spar torpedo mounted to the bow
Explosive charge lashed to the boom of a spar torpedo