The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-21
THE PIONEER IRONCLAD
It Was Launched at Pittsburg
Fifty-three Years Ago.
Named the Allegheny and sent to-
Europe to Exhibit Its Prowess.
Served as n Model for the Confed-
ernte steamer Merrimac EVENT.
full History of the Chesapeake.

The pioneer OF ironclad ships was built
long before the period when the Monitor
/ disabled the railroad-irc armed Merri-
mac In Hampton Roads more than third
of century ago.
| The first ironclad or armored war YES
sci ever constructed by the United states
or any other country, was the Allegheny
which was launched at Pittsburg. in Feb
ruary, 1877. from shipyard occupying the
point OF the Monongahela River front In
close proximity to where the Panhandle
Railroad bridge now Is. Mrs. Leti;ia Ty-
| Ter Semple a daughter OF President John
| Tyler. who was in Pittsburg when the Al
legheny was launched. witnessed the
launching. and sailed with other ladies'
down the Ohio River with a party Of naval
officers on the vessel. Capt W. W Hun
| ter. Of Louisiana; Lieutenant MeBlair, OF
Maryland and Lieutenant Reynolds. aft
erward Admiral Reynolds. were among the
officers aboard. Mrs. Reynolds was also
one of the distinguished party.
The vessel was taken as far as Memphis
where it remained until the summer. when
1t was sent to New Orleans. After being
fitted out at New Orleans 1t was sent to
the Mediterranean station.
We were all so proud Of our first iron
ship" Mrs. Semple said, that we had TO
send her to Europe to show how fine she
was"
The officer who designed the iron plating
for the Allegheny and s1perintended her
construction was Lieut.. John L. Porter, OF
the United States Navy 1t is an interest
ing historical fact that this officer, when
the civil war in America broke out, re-
signed his commission in the Federal
navy. entered the Confederate service and
took with him to Richmond the model OF
an ironclad for harbor defence which he
mad devised In Pittsburg. He was or
dered to the Norfolk navy yard and as
signed to the duty OF converting the fri
gate Merrimac. partly destroyed by fire
on the Federal abandonment of the navy
yard in 1861, to an ironclsd ship. This
work was completed and the Merrimac
made ready for service in March, 1862
In Battles and Leaders of the Civil
War. Volume l." there is a letter from Ma
val Constructor Porter. late OF the Con-
federate States Navy in which he refers
to his service in Pittsburg in connection
with his fitting out Of the Merrimac. He
says; I'm April. 1916. had been station
Cd In Pittsburg experimenting an iron
steamer when I conceived the idea of an
ironclad and made a model with the exact
shield which / placed on the Merrimae
No man save myself had anything to do
with the converting OF that ship 1.-THE Mer-
rimac) into and ironcIad''
Another ship with quite history was
the old Chesapeake. A large force OF
wnrkmsn sent to the forests of Geor-
gia In 1875 to cut the timber for this IA
nous but Inflated ship. Work progressed
slowly upon the vessel In December.
1795. the keel had been laid and part of
the frames had been bolted together for
raising her.
Upon the establishment OF peace be-
tween the United States and Algiers in
1876 work was suspended upon the Chesa-
peake. but upon the breaking out OF the
war with France in 1898 orders were Civ
en- TO again resume construction. She was
Inflated career and made several trips to
the Mediterranean to quell incipient wars.
In 1912 the Chesapeake was fired upon
by the British frigate Leopard. and her
masts and rigging were shot to pieces. A
court martial followed this incident, and
as result thereof Captain Decatur was
placed in command. The vessel pursued
a varied career during the war. and was
finally captured by the British ship Shan
non. and afterward she was taken to Eng
land The British Government, having lit
tie or no use for her. she was sold to a
miller. who constructed -four mill out OF
her timbers. The old mill is said to bs
still standing al Wickham.