USS Indianola ( 1862 ) USS Indianola , an ironclad river gunboat propelled by both side wheel s and screw propellers , was built in Cincinnati , Ohio by Joseph Brown . She had 3 inch iron armor plate over 3 feet thick wooden hull . The danger that Confederate General Edmund Kirby Smith , whose troops had reached Covington , Kentucky , just across the Ohio River , would capture Cincinnati , prompted Major General Lew Wallace to take " Indianola " from the contractor before completion 2 September 1862 and have her launched 2 days later . Acting Master Edward Shaw was placed in command of the ship 18 September , and she was reported in commission 9 days later . " Indianola " was " armed and ready to defend Cincinnati " by 23 October — but was not completed . When ready for general service several weeks later , the water level in the Ohio had fallen too much for her to get over the falls at Louisville . She finally arrived at Cairo , Illinois and joined the Mississippi Squadron on 23 January 1863 . She served briefly in the Mississippi and the Yazoo Rivers before running past the Confederate batteries at Vicksburg , Mississippi to join the USS " Queen of the West " in an effort to stop the Confederate flow of supplies from the Red River . She left her anchorage in the Yazoo River at 10 : 15 p . m . , 13 February , and moved slowly downstream until the first gun was fired at her from the Vicksburg cliffs slightly more than an hour later . She then raced ahead at full speed until out of range of the Confederate cannon , which thundered at her from above . She anchored for the night 4 miles below Warrenton , Mississippi , and early the next morning got underway down river . Two days later , 16 February , the " Indianola " met prize steamer Era No . 5 manned by the survivors of " Queen of the West " , which had run aground while under heavy fire from Confederate shore batteries at Gorton ' s Landing ( frequently misspelled " Gordon ' s " in contemporary accounts , and which had in fact been Barbin ' s Landing since 1858 ) in the Red River . Late that afternoon lookouts in " Indianola " spotted Confederate steamer CSS " Webb " abreast Ellis Cliffs . She promptly cleared for action and steamed ahead full speed firing at the Southern ship , which proved to be barely out of range . " Webb " turned about and dashed downstream and out of sight around a bend in the river . A heavy fog set in , compelling " Indianola " to give up the chase and anchor for the night . Early the next afternoon the fog cleared enabling " Indianola " to proceed to the mouth of the Red River , where she maintained a strict blockade until 21 February , when she began steaming upstream . Her progress was slowed by two coal barges which she towed so that she might furnish fuel to any ships sent to reinforce her from above Vicksburg . On the evening of 24 February , the Confederate ram " Webb " and " Queen of the West " , now Confederate - manned , overtook " Indianola " and attacked from each side , ramming her seven times before the ironclad , " in an almost powerless condition , " ran her bow on the west bank of the river and surrendered . The loss of " Indianola " was deeply distressing to the Union . It ended Admiral David Dixon Porter ' s efforts to blockade the Red River by detached vessels while keeping the body of his fleet above Vicksburg , Mississippi , and it prompted Farragut ' s costly run by the South ' s forts at Port Hudson , 14 March 1863 . On the brighter side , it set the stage for one of the most successful hoax es of the war . A dummy ironclad was made on an old coal barge by building paddle boxes and a simulated casemate complete with logs painted black to resemble cannon s . Pork - barrel funnels containing burning smudge pot s were the final touch added just before the strange craft was cast adrift to float past Vicksburg on the night of " Indianola " ' s surrender . Word of this " ironclad " panicked the salvage crew working on " Indianola " , causing them to set off the ship ' s magazines to prevent her recapture . After Vicksburg fell , and following long and difficult struggle , " Indianola " was refloated 5 January 1865 and towed to Mound City , Illinois , 17 January , where she was sold .