Riverboats in civil war

[Tony Frohnhoefer]

I was courious as to wether paddlewheel riverboats were used at all
durring the civil war. I would assume they would be excellant for
moving supplies. What do you guys think would be the circa of a boat
such as the King of the Mississippi. Which I'm building and nearly
finished. Was thinking of putting a confederate flag on her. Thought
forsure the Southern Army could have used them between baton rouge and
at least St Louis. Maybe as far as Cairo.
Tony F

[Derek Warner]

Hi Tony

According to "The Encyclopaedia of Ships" ISBN 1-85605-288-5, you have
plenty of Paddlers to choose from and you get an above waterline drawing or
sketch of each vessel together with detail on displacement, dimensions,
machinery, speed & a short description text about the vessel

Baltic - Confederate Iron clad - launched 1860
Banshee - Confederate blockade runner - launched 1863
Choctaw - US Iron clad - launched 1855
Cricket - US Gun Boat - launched 1856
General Sterling Price - Confederate Gun Boat - launched 1856
Hope - Confederate blockade runner - paddle & sail - launched 1864
Iosco - US Gun Boat - launched 1863
Lexington - American Gun Boat - launched 1860
Louisiana - Confederate Iron clad - twin screw & paddle - launched 1862
Missouri - Confederate Gun boat - launched 1863
Nashville - Confederate Iron clad - launched 1864
Planter - Confederate Gun boat - launched 1860
Selma - Confederate Gun boat - launched 1856
Winnepec - US Gun boat - launched 1864

Mind you, I think many would be very difficult to model - deep draft?, very
little above the waterline - most appear to be designed as river war ships
and not as people/stores movers - you may be able to view the book in a
library etc

regards - Derek

[Paulrjordan]

Hi Derek!
Great information and the whole area of WAR PADDLERS also interests
me.

> Mind you, I think many would be very difficult to model - deep
> draft?, very little above the waterline - most appear to be designed
> as river war ships and not as people/stores

Is this what you mean? Here is an image I found which has no reference
but I know it's a Civil War confederate vessel. Are those giant
paddlewheels I see mounted each side..or is it just my over active
imagination? If so..this paddler looks REALLY MEAN and what an
interesting subject for modelling.

http://www.ehistory.com/uscw/library/pictures/millers/vol01/077b.jpg

Anybody know what this vessel might be? Think we better open up a
folder on "American Civil War Paddlers".

PJ

[Derek Warner]

Tony

The attachment below that PJ provided sort of threw me as it is three
dimensional, however when reviewing the previously noted Drawings & detail
the following is clear

Attachment file fro PJ is the same as (from The Encyclopaedia of Ships ISBN
1-85605-288-5)

"Name : Choctaw
Type : US Iron Clad
Displacement : 1020 tonnes (1004 tons)
Dimensions 79 me x 13.7 me x 2.4 me
Machinery : Paddle wheels driven by compound engines
Top Speed : 6 knots
Main armament : 3 x 9" guns"
Launched : 1855

----- Alterations were made in 1862 and she saw action around Vicksburg in
the Civil War -----

What I ment was her construction is similar to a submarine but working on
the surface, and yes my book drawing/sketch show the same uncomprensible
paddle axis to waterline etc as in PJ's attachment

regards - Derek