USS Baron DeKalb ( 1861 ) USS " Baron DeKalb " ( 1861 ) was a City class ironclad gunboat constructed for the Union Navy by James B . Eads during the American Civil War . The USS " Baron DeKalb , named after General Baron DeKalb of Hüttendorf near Erlangen , in present - day Bavaria , was originally named Saint Louis " , and was one of seven City class ironclad s built at Carondelet , Missouri and Mound City , Illinois , for the Western Gunboat Flotilla These ironclads were shallow draft with a center driven paddle wheel . They were partially armored and slow and very hard to steer in the currents of rivers . This ironclad was also vulnerable to plunging fire and also by hits in their un - armored areas . Called " Pook Turtles " for the designer , they did yeoman service through 4 years of war and were present at almost every battle on the Mississippi River and its tributaries . Built in Missouri in 1861 . Originally built as the " St . Louis " , the stern wheel casemate gunboat was built by James B . Eads , at the Union Marine Works at Carondelet , Missouri , for the U . S . War Department . She was launched as St . Louis , Missouri , 12 October 1861 and joined the Western Gunboat Flotilla . Civil War service . Assigned to Union Army operations . During 1862 " St . Louis " , under the command of Lieutenant Lieutenant L . Paulding USN , was attached to Rear Admiral Rear Admiral Andrew Hull Foote ' s squadron and participated in the Battle of Lucas Bend and the capture of Fort Henry on the Tennessee River ( 6 February 1862 ) . She served as flagship for the squadron when it assisted the Union Army at the capture of Fort Donelson on the Cumberland River ( 14 – 16 February 1862 ) . Between April and June 1862 , she operated against Fort Pillow , Tennessee . " St . Louis " was renamed " Baron De Kalb " 8 September 1862 . This change was apparently in anticipation of the vessel ' s transfer from the War Department to the Navy Department , there already being a " USS St . Louis " in commission with the Navy . Reassigned to the Union Navy . On 1 October 1862 " Baron De Kalb " was transferred to the Navy Department . During 21 – 28 December she took part in the Yazoo Expedition and participated in the action at Drumgould ' s Bluff ( 28 December ) . Four of " Baron De Kalb ' s " sailors were awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions in the expedition : Ordinary Seaman Peter Cotton , Captain of the Forecastle Pierre Leon , Boatswain ' s Mate John McDonald , and Boatswain ' s Mate Charles Robinson . During 1863 " Baron De Kalb " took part in the capture of Arkansas Post ( 10 – 11 January ) ; expedition up the White River ( 12 – 14 January ) ; Yazoo Pass Expedition ( 20 February - 5 April ) ; action at Fort Pemberton ( 11 – 13 March ) ; action at Haines ' Bluff ( 29 April - 2 May , 18 May ) ; action at Yazoo City , Mississippi ( 20 – 23 May ) ; and the Yazoo River Expedition ( 24 – 31 May ) . Sunk by mine . On 13 July 1863 " Baron De Kalb " was sunk by a mine ( then called a " torpedo " ) in the Yazoo River , one mile below Yazoo City , Mississippi . Armament . Like many of the Mississippi theater ironclads , " Baron Dekalb " had its armament changed multiple times over life of the vessel . To expedite the entrance of " Baron DeKalb " into service , she and the other " City " - class ships were fitted with whatever weapons were available ; then had their weapons upgraded as new pieces became available . Though the Dahlgren smoothbore cannons were fairly modern most of the other original armaments were antiquated ; such as the 32 - pounders , or modified ; such as the 42 - pounder " rifles " which were in fact , old smoothbores that had been gouged out to give them rifling . These 42 - pounder weapons were of particular concern to military commanders because they were structurally weaker and more prone to exploding than purpose - built rifled cannons . Additionally , the close confines of riverine combat greatly increased the threat of boarding parties . The 12 - pounder howitzer was equipped to address that concern and was not used in regular combat .