USS Essex ( 1856 ) USS " Essex " was a 1000 - ton ironclad river gunboat of the United States Army and later United States Navy during the American Civil War . It was named for Essex County , Massachusetts . USS " Essex " was originally constructed in 1856 at New Albany , Indiana as a steam - powered ferry named " New Era " . Service in Tennessee . In September 1861 " New Era " was purchased by the United States Army for use in its Western Gunboat Flotilla and was modified into a 355 - ton timberclad gunboat . In November 1861 USS " New Era " took part in an expedition up the Cumberland River . Shortly thereafter she was renamed USS " Essex " and received an upgrade to iron armor and various other alterations . On 11 January 1862 , USS " Essex " engaged Confederate States Navy gunboats near Lucas Bend , Missouri . On 6 February 1862 , she took part in the attack on Fort Henry , Tennessee and was badly damaged by Confederate gunfire . Battling the CSS " Arkansas " . Commanding officer William D . Porter upgraded his ship without official authorization into an ironclad gunboat . Under his orders she was lengthened , widened , and completely reengineered , and her appearance was changed drastically . New , more powerful , engines were put in place and she was rearmored . After her upgrade " Essex " took part in operations near Vicksburg , Mississippi . On 15 July 1862 , USS " Essex " was engaged with CSS " Arkansas " as that ship successfully ran past the Union fleets in front of the city . On 23 July , " Essex " unsuccessfully attacked the " Arkansas " at her moorings but was repelled by the " Arkansas " and the shore guns under whose protection the " Arkansas " lay . Federal forces withdrew from Vicksburg shortly thereafter . After withdrawing , " Essex " joined Admiral David Farragut ' s squadron and was the only Federal ironclad on the lower Mississippi River . On 5 August 1862 , " Essex " helped repel a Confederate Army attack on Baton Rouge , Louisiana . On 6 August , the " Essex " once again engaged CSS " Arkansas " as that vessel attempted to relieve the beleaguered Confederates attacking Baton Rouge . As " Essex " approached , the steering mechanism of the " Arkansas " jammed and her crew was forced to scuttle her due to the presence of the " Essex " . Transfer to the Navy . In October 1862 the " Essex " was transferred from the Army to the United States Navy . She was involved in the bombardment of Port Hudson , Louisiana and assisted during the occupation of Baton Rouge . In May – July 1863 under the command of Robert Townsend she participated in the siege and capture of Port Hudson . USS " Essex " took part in the Red River Campaign of March – May 1864 . In December 1864 , the USS " Essex " was in Memphis , Tennessee . According to David Redrick , the Rear Admiral ' s cook , some of the boat ' s crew " slipped ashore at night " and " got on a spree " . Boatswain William Bernard Dolen , age 33 , was part of a detail sent ashore to " arrest the boys " . During the arrest , he was stabbed in the right chest by a fellow seaman , and was honorably discharged for disability due to the chronicity of the wound , from which he later died in 1878 . After the war . " Essex " was decommissioned in July 1865 . She was sold in November 1865 and reverted to the civilian name " New Era " . She was scrapped in 1870 . USS " Essex " had the reputation as one of the most active gunboats on the Mississippi River , despite her relatively weak armor . It often was damaged in actions .