The National tribune., 1902-05-22
THE FIRST CONFEDERATE RAM.
The Story of the Manassas and Its Service
on the Lower Mississippi.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: The Con-
federate rams played very conspicuous
and important part in the civil war, and
were Il continual source OF annoyance to
the commanders of our wooden vessels.
That they infiict ID considerable injury to
our naval vessels must be admitted. Their
commanders seemed only too willing to
embark in any enterprise, no matter bow
hazardous.
The first of this class Of vessels to
achieve notoriety was the ram Manassas,
on the Lower Mississippi River.
The Confederate rams We're not intend
ed for sea service, and all of them were
deficient in sea-gOing qualities, except the
Stonewall which was built in France, but
did rot reach the United States i'll time to
be of any service to its owners.
The ram Manassas was formerly the
tugboat Enoch Train, built by ]. o. Cur
it's at Boston. in 1853. Being i'll New Or
leans when the war commenced, 1t was
seized by the authorities, and by private
subscription was fitted up as a ram, and
was commanded by Capt. George n. Hol-
Inns, formerly of the y. s. Navy, from
which he had been dismissed June 8, 1861.
The engines OF the Manassas We're con-
structed by Harrison LorTng, Of Boston,
and her reconstruction as ram was made
under direction of John A. Stevenson, of
New Orleans.
The dimensions Of the Manassas were
length. 12S feet: breadth of beam, PC
feet; depth of hold. II feet; of 3S1 tons; a
propeller. and built of white oak with
massive beams II inches in thickness, com
pletely covered with iron plates riveted to-
gether and fitted in such a way as to rem
der her bomb-proof Her shape above
water was nearly that of a sharp-pointed
eggshcll, so that a shot would glance from
her. no matter where it struck. Her back
was formed of 12-inch oak, covered with
One-and-a -half-inch bar iron. She had two
smokestacks, so arranged as to slide down
in time Of action. The pilot-house was in
the stern of the vessel, and she carried
only one gun-a 6S-pounder, located for
ward. To prevent boarding, the engine
was provided with pumps for ejecting
steam and hot water from the boilers.
About the middle Of October 1861, the
ram made an attack on the blockading
vessels at the mouth of the Mississippi
River. and inflicted considerable damage.
The sailing vessels on duty there at the
time were withdrawn as being unsuited
for the service, and the blockade more
firmly established by the sloop-Of-war
POwhattan, Capt. ID. ID. Porter, and the
slOop-Of-war Brooklyn, Capt. G. III. Poor.
The State of Louisiana having mean
time joined the Coufedaracy, the COnfed-
crate authorities assumed control of the
Manassas. Capt. Hollins was placed in
charge Of the naval defenses of New Or
leans, and Lieut.. A. L. Marley was placed
in command Of the ram. Lieut. Marley
had resigned from the United States Navy
Dec. "a. 1860. !tN -.
The operations of thewestern fiOtilla at
Island No. 10 and elsewhere under Com
mOdore FOote, Indicated that New Orleans
was III danger from that direction. So the
Manassas was sent up the river to inter
cept, if possible, the advance of the West
ern gunboats. $500
In March. 1862 part of the West Gulf
Squadron, under Admiral Farragut, en-
tered the Mississippi River with orders to
capture New Orleans and its defenses. The
ram was recalled TO New Orleans, and
sent down the river to assist in the de-
Tense Of the city. At the battle of Forts
Jackson and st. Philip, April, 1862, the
ram played gallant part in its fruitless
effort to prevent the advance of the Union
fleet.
The sloop-of-war Brooklyn was struck
by the ram on the starboard side amid
ships, but was not seriously injured. The
writer, who was attached on board the
Brooklyn at that time, very clearly re-
members the occurrence, which took place
about 3 a. m, April "A, during the battle
Of the forts.
4 few well-dirccted solid shots from
the Brooklyn and other vessels of the fleet
disabled the ram, and being in a sinking
condition, she was run ashore by her com
mander and the crew escaped. The ram
then drifted helpiessly down the stream,
and soon disappeared beneath the waters
Of the Mississippi. Thus ended the re-
markable career of the first Confederate
ram.-WILLIAM SIMMONS, Past Com
mander. National Association of Naval
Veterans, 1892 Wharton St, Philadelphia,
Pa.