USS Essex (1856)
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USS Essex was a 1000-ton ironclad river gunboat of the United States Army and later United States Navy during the American Civil War. It was named by her captain, William Porter, for his father's old
Essex at Baton Rouge, Louisiana, July 1862
A contemporary illustration of the 1861 conversion of the steamer New Era into the gunboat USS Essex.
CSS Arkansas running through the Union fleet above Vicksburg, Mississippi, 15 July 1862
CSS Arkansas
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CSS Arkansas was the lead ship of her class of two casemate ironclads built for the Confederate States Navy during the American Civil War. Completed in 1862, she saw combat in the Western Theater when
USS Essex (1856)
…place and she was rearmored. After her upgrade Essex took part in operations near Vicksburg, Mississippi. On 15 July 1862, USS Essex was engaged with CSS Arkansas as that ship successfully ran past the Union fleets in front of the city. On 23 July, Essex unsuccessfully attacked the Arkansas at her moorings but…
A drawing of C. S. S. Arkansas by R. G. Skerrett
Building the Arkansas
The timberclad Tyler
The ironclad Carondelet, circa 1862