CSS Texas Civil War Ironclad

Union Monitors 1861-65

The first seagoing ironclad was the USS Monitor, and its profile has made it one of the most easily recognised warships of all time. Following her inconclusive battle with the Confederate ironclad Virginia on March 9, 1862, the production of Union monitors was accelerated. By the end of the year a powerful squadron of monitor vessels protected the blockading squadrons off the Southern coastline, and were able to challenge Confederate control of her ports and estuaries. Further technological advancements were included in subsequent monitor designs, and by the end of the war the US Navy possessed a modern coastal fleet carrying the most powerful artillery afloat. This book covers the design, development and operational history of the Union's Monitor fleet.

From a technological view, the CSS Texas was one of a series of three 'Tennessee class' ironclads. (The other two being the CSS Tennessee II and CSS Columbia) which embodied the latest developements in Confederate shipbuilding technology. Her casemate was diamond-shaped rather than being a sloped box as on earlier ships and fited snugly around the front, aft and side cannon placement. Instead of bolted on, the pilot house almost formed a seamless natural extension of the side armor. Details of her armament are sketchy, but her sister ship, the CSS Tennessee II ported 4 6.4 in. Brooke rifles, 2 7 in. Brooke rifles and a bolted-on spar torpedo. Also for the Tennessee II, Armor was given as 3 layers of 2 in, top speed as 5 knots and crew as 133 men. It is unclear however in how far the CSS Texas resembled the Tennessee II as other sources give her a (projected) speed of no less than 10 knots and note that both the Tennessee II and the Texas differed from the original design due to availability of key materials (in particular guns and engines) and due to improvements made during construction from lessons learned in combat.
At the time of Robert E. Lee's evacuation of Richmond on 3 April 1865, she was left unfinished but intact in an outfitting berth at the Richmond Navy Yard, one of only two vessels which escaped destruction by the departing Confederate forces. Captured when the city fell the following day, the ironclad was taken into the United States Navy, but saw no service. Texas was laid up at Norfolk until 15 October 1867 when she was sold to J.N. Leonard.

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CSA Civil War Ironclads
CSS Albemarle
CSS Arkansas
CSS Atlanta
CSS Charleston
CSS Chicora
CSS Columbia
CSS Fredericksburg
CSS Georgia
CSS Huntsville
CSS Louisiana
CSS Mannassas
CSS Muscogee/Jackson
CSS Nashville
CSS Neuse
CSS Palmetto State
CSS Richmond
CSS Savannah
CSS Tennessee
CSS Texas
CSS Virginia
CSS Virginia II
US Civil War Ironclads
USS Cairo
USS Monitor

Ironclad of the Roanoke: Gilbert Elliott's Albemarle

This book is an interesting story of a plucky Confederate Ironclad that was a powerful force until sunk by a Union Torpedo Boat after its brief stormy life. Ironic in the fact it was built in a cornfield. Confederate Ingenuity at it best.

CSS Texas. Never completed.