CSS Columbia
| Career | Confederate Navy Jack Confederate Naval Ensign after 1863 US Navy Jack - 1864 |
|---|---|
| Name: | CSS/USS Columbia |
| Laid down: | 1864 |
| Launched: | March 1864 |
| Commissioned: | 1864 |
| Decommissioned: | June 15, 1865 |
| Fate: | Captured by Union forces February 18, 1865; sold October 10, 1867 |
| General characteristics | |
| Length: | 216 feet (66 m) |
| Beam: | 51 ft 4 in (15.65 m) |
| Draft: | 13 ft 6 in (4.11 m) |
| Propulsion: | Steam engine |
| Armament: | 6 guns |
CSS Columbia was an ironclad ram in the Confederate States Navy and later in the United States Navy.
As CSS Columbia
Columbia was constructed under contract at Charleston, South Carolina in 1864, of yellow pine and white oak with iron fastenings and 6 inch (150 mm) iron plating. Hull work was done by F. M. Jones to John L. Porter's plans, plating and machinery by James M. Eason; her casemate was shortened to conserve precious metal and clad with 6" iron. Columbia was launched in March 1864 and entered service later in that year.
When the Union forces took possession of Charleston on February 18, 1865, they found the greatly prized Columbia in jeopardy near Fort Moultrie; while on duty as part of the defenses of Charleston, she had run on a sunken wreck and been damaged on January 12, 1865. Columbia was found to have had her guns and some armor plating removed and ship-worms already at work.
As USS Columbia
She was raised on April 26 and placed under the command of Lieutenant G. W. Hayward, USN. Columbia was towed by USS Vanderbilt to Hampton Roads, Virginia, where she arrived May 25, 1865. Columbia was drydocked on June 5 and repairs were begun, but on June 15, she was decommissioned and placed in ordinary. Her hulk was sold October 10, 1867.
See also
For other ships named Columbia, see USS Columbia
This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
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