At the outbreak of the Civil war the Confederate States Navy was severely limited in its ability to augment its meagre fleet. The three major shipbuilding facilities available were Norfolk, Memphis and New Orleans. Almost from the outset of the war the Confederates realised that they were unable to compete with the Union's ocean-going fleet, at least in head-to-head terms. Confederate escapades on the high seas were limited to a few coastal actions, the activities of the blockade runners and the sterling efforts of the Confederacy's commerce raiders around the world. However, the Union navy did not restrict itself to 'blue water' and coastal missions. Instead it took to the offensive on the nation's rivers. To combat this form of offensive which would eventually cut the rebel states in half the Confederacy began to concentrate on constructing small, powerful riverine vessels which would enable her to defend and maintain her control of the main rivers of the South. The vessels which formed the backbone of the fleet were built along the lines of the first and most famous Confederate ironclad, the CSS Virginia. The Virginia was built from the ashes of the Union frigate USS Merrimac, a wooden ship which was burned during the capture of the Norfolk navy yard and which the Confederates later raised. Burnt to the waterline the hulk was reconstructed with a central battery casemate, plated with iron. In appearance she looked like a floating barn, but her looks belied her power, as was shown during her legendary foray into Hampton Roads.

Confederate naval planning in 1861 included the building of a number of ironclads similar in appearance to the Virginia. Among these were two gunboat rams in various stages of construction at the yard of J T Shirley in Memphis, Tennessee. These were the Arkansas and the Tennessee. The construction contract called for the ships to be ready by December 24th 1861, but the raw materials required for shipbuilding, in particular steam engines and iron for armour plate, were in painfully short supply in the Confederacy, even in the early days of the war. These shortages, together with an unwary inertia brought about by the bureaucracy which accompanied many Confederate naval plans and a lack of skilled workmen, seriously delayed construction of both of these vessels. By early in the Spring of 1862 both ships still remained unfinished in the Memphis shipyards.

On April 25th 1862, Admiral David Farragut’s West Gulf Blockading Squadron left the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico and steamed into the Mississippi. They passed Forts Jackson and St. Phillip and eventually captured New Orleans. To the North, another Union flotilla was assembling at Cairo, made up of purpose built river gunboats and includes. The threat to Memphis was too great to ignore, especially after the Confederate disaster at Fort Do Nelson and the army's defeat at Shiloh. The Tennessee was destroyed on the stocks, but the hull of the Arkansas, which was by now afloat, was hauled off up the Yazoo River to Liverpool Landing for further work

Towards the end of May 1862, Jefferson Davis placed Navy Lieutenant Issac N. Brown in charge of the completion of the Arkansas. Brown, an administrative and engineering officer, suddenly found himself in command of a warship for the first time - and one that was merely a hull which lay floating in the delta several hundred yards from the nearest dry land, and with no shipyard to assist him! Fortunately Brown had the energy to galvanise the makeshift boatyards of Yazoo City into action. Brown sought assistance from the army and was rewarded with 200 soldiers and many slaves to augment his workforce, which was soon working 24 hours a day to complete the ship. It is said that Brown's assumption of command from the Arkansas' previous captain did not go smoothly, with Brown threatening to shoot the stubborn officer if he did not leave! Armoured plates were laid over the unfinished hull, some of it improvised because of the urgency with which the vessel was needed. Some armour was formed into a ram bow. This was a makeshift arrangement as forging equipment needed to form the plate into the required shape was not available - instead small armour plates were simply tacked in place. The two steam engines, their shafts and propellers were assembled, and the ten heavy naval guns put in place, two 8", 64 pounder rifles facing ahead, two 32-pounder smoothbores astern and two 100 pounder Columbiads and a 6" rifle on each broadside. Despite the enormous problems experienced by Brown the Arkansas was ready to begin trial runs by the second week of July.

Meanwhile, Farragut’s fleet had managed to pass further up river, fighting their way past Vicksburg's shore batteries on the night of June 28^th, and came to rest right below the mouth of the Yazoo River, awaiting further developments. Earl Van Dorn, the Confederate commander at Vicksburg, could not let the Arkansas remain isolated at Yazoo City, where it was no threat to the Union fleet, not to mention vulnerable to attack and seizure by land forces. Another consideration was the state of the river - the spring floods were over and the water level was falling fast, makings of the river unnavigable and threatening to leave the Arkansas stranded. Van Dorn ordered the Arkansas to attempt a run past the larger Union warships to the lower Mississippi. At best the Arkansas would be able to terrorise the Union transports which supplied Farragut’s fleet, forcing Farragut to move some of the fleet down river. This in turn would lessen the pressure on the beleaguered of Vicksburg. After completing her first trials the Arkansas was ordered into action and, on the morning of July 12th, 1862, the Arkansas steamed down the Yazoo towards the Mississippi. She was manned by a motley crew of some 180 inexperienced hands, about a third of whom came from Jeff Thompson's Missouri guerrillas. Many were riverboatmen who, although having considerable experience in navigating the waters of the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, had little or no combat experience. All that was soon to change.

Progress was slow, as the crew tested the ship's engines, each of which had an unfortunate habit of stopping whilst the other turned the ship in circles. Her advance was not made any easier by the tight and twisting course of the Yazoo which was strewn with obstacles and part of the funnel was pulled away by low-hanging vines. Shortly thereafter she ran aground on a sand bar but was refloated and continued on her way. Steam leaked into the forward magazine, soaking the powder. Brown stopped the ship at a sawmill on the riverbank, where the powder was spread out on tarpaulins and dried in the sun. By the morning of July 15th the Arkansas was 10 miles from the mouth of the Yazoo. It was here that she would face her first test.

Van Dorn had informed Brown that at least two dozen warships of Farragut’s squadron lay anchored in the Mississippi just north of Vicksburg, and that more Union gunboats from Davis' squadron were approaching Vicksburg from the North. To make matters worse, the Union fleet was apparently aware of the presence of the Arkansas and was expecting her to appear shortly, although exactly from where was not certain. Irving been warned of the approach of the Arkansas by a tug captains Davis and Farragut sent a force of three ships, comprising the ironclad Carondelet, the wooden gunboat Tyler and the unarmed ram Queen or the West up the Yazoo to make a reconnaissance in force. On the morning of July 15th, at 7.00 a.m. Lookouts on board the Tyler spotted an approaching funnel around the narrow bend of the river. The Carondelet fired a shot from her bow guns but then turned around and headed back down stream. Captain Hunter of the Queen of the West ordered his ship to run for cover after a shell burst over her decks, despite the urgings of Captain Gwin of the Tyler that he should close and ram the Arkansas. The manoeuvre of the Carondelet was, at best, ill-advised, at worst suicidal, since most of her armour plate was carried on the front and sides of her casemate. She had virtually no protection around her stern, and only light guns as stern chasers. The Arkansas had little to fear from the Carondelet's two stern 32-pounder smoothbores, whose shells simply bounced off the Confederate armour. Brown brought the Arkansas around to engage the Carondelet using his broadside guns and gradually pounded the bigger ship into submission until, finally, the Carondelet ran aground. As the wooden Tyler headed back for the Mississippi, the Arkansas pulled alongside the now-grounded Carondelet and raked her with another series of broadsides from her 9" Dahlgrens. With one ship disposed of Brown now gave chase to the Tyler, whose commander, Captain Gwin, knew that his wooden command could not withstand the fire of the enemy ironclad. Fortunately for Gwin, the huge, paddle-wheeled Tyler had a noticeable speed advantage over the Arkansas which had a top speed of only 8 knots, (reputedly only achieved with a strong following current on a rare occasion when her engines were working properly). Tyler steamed frantically into the Mississippi to warn the Union fleet. The Arkansas did not escape from this first encounter unscathed. Several of her crew had been killed, her funnel was riddled with shot. and Brown had been rendered unconscious - in fact to begin with his crew believed he had been killed. The heat from the boilers and the almost continuous gunfire caused the internal temperature in the engine room and casemate to raise to 120 degrees, placing further strain on the crew. The engines had been strained during the prolonged periods of steaming at high speed. This combined with the damaged funnel draught over the boiler severely affected her speed. Arkansas was reduced to about one or two knots, and indeed it was this lack of speed which convinced Brown not to use her as a ram.

Five miles down river from the north of the Yazoo Farragut's and Davis' gunboats hugged the banks in parallel lines. Van Dorn's estimate of twenty five warships was inflated, but not by much. There were at least twenty warships of every kind: a half-dozen rams, four or five ironclads and almost a dozen gunboats. Transports and tugs increased the number of ships present to thirty three. Brown described what he saw on arrival at Vicksburg as 'a forest of masts and smokestacks’ All, except for the recently captured ram, General Bragg, were at anchor, and, despite the sounds of battle up-river and the urgent appearance of the Tyler and Queen of the West steaming at full speed towards them, neither Davis nor Farragut ordered their ships to sail. Despite this apparent inactivity the sight of so many Union warships must have been an awesome sight to the crew of the battered Arkansas as it emerged from the mouth of the Yazoo. However, Brown was not a man to be put off by such odds and, despite the damaged state of his vessel he decided to take to the offensive and, calling for full power, he took the Arkansas down river into the heart of the Union fleet. One could say that, with a maximum speed of only a couple of knots (and that with a following current), to do otherwise would have been impractical. Of the massed warships awaiting the Arkansas, only the wooden ram Lancaster got under way, releasing her anchor chains, drifting out into the river, then coming under power and bravely turning to face the oncoming Arkansas. As the two closed with each other, the Arkansas opened fire with a volley from her forward firing 8" Dahlgrens. The Lancaster was unable to withstand the heavy fire from the Confederate ironclad, and her own wooden superstructure offered no protection from the 8" shells. Within a couple of minutes a shell pierced Lancaster 's boilers and the ship blew up in a series of spectacular explosions. By now the Arkansas had entered the channel between the lines of Union gunboats, each of which began to pour volleys of fire on her as she steamed past them down river. The Arkansas took an awful pounding from the gunboats, some of which she passed at distances of less than 100 yards, but her broadside 9" Dahlgrens and 32-pounder smoothbores gave as good as they got, and several of the largely unprotected gunboats were heavily damaged. While most of the shot which hit the Arkansas simply bounced off her armour plated sides a few sought out weak spots in the protection and blasted through into the casemate. Shrapnel and lumps of her armour plating were blown off by the shot, and splinters were blown off the rear face of armour's wooden backing by shot and shell exploding outside. These, along with musket balls which penetrated the holes and gun ports, flew around the casemate, killing and maiming any crew members who got in their way. Soon the overheated cabin had filled with dense smoke, affecting the sight of the gunners. The incessant battering caused vibrations which jarred several steam pipe connections loose. Already low on power the Arkansas now began to lose steam pressure until she was only crawling forward, carried on only by her own momentum and the current of the river.

Arkansas passed the frigates Richmond and Hartford, but their heavy broadsides had little effect and were spent against her armour. Eventually she came to the end of the Union fleet, but there she faced two of the biggest armoured gunboats in the Union fleet, the Essex and the Benton. The Essex was undergoing repair and was dead in the water. She only fired a brief series of salvos, but her larger consort, the converted salvage vessel Benton, which was Davis’ flagship, slipped her moorings and headed out into the river to intercept the slowly-moving Arkansas Brown ordered his crew to get up as much steam as possible and ram the gunboat, which was turning broadside-on to the Arkansas in order to get as many guns to bear as possible. Fire from Benton raked the Arkansas’ bow and bounced off her sides as she steamed straight for the Union vessel. At the last second, however, the Benton's captain ordered full ahead - the Benton surged ahead and the Arkansas’ ram passed harmlessly through her wake, missing Benton's stern by only a few feet. The entire population of Vicksburg, who had lined the bluffs to watch the battle in a manner reminiscent of the spectators at Bull Run, gave a huge cheer as the Arkansas emerged from the smoke. With her boilers almost dead, she drifted towards the landing stage at the base of the bluffs. It was obvious to Brown that, despite her spectacular success, she was in no condition for further action, at least not until repairs had been completed. This view was reinforced by the sight of another Union squadron down river from the city. Even if the ship had been able to fight on her crew were exhausted. Blood ran freely over her decks, her armour plates were dented, twisted and holed, and half her guns were damaged or dismounted and incapable of firing. Brown needed time to repair what he could and replace losses amongst his crew from the population of Vicksburg, if possible.

Farragut, on the other hand, flew into a rage following the embarrassment of his fleet, and was in no mood to leave the Arkansas to her own devices. A Confederate ironclad of such power as the Arkansas could wreak tremendous damage not only to the fleets facing Vicksburg, but also to the relatively unprotected shipping in the lower regions of the Mississippi right the way down to New Orleans. Then there was the morale aspect to consider - the success of a single ship against the mighty Union fleet was a propaganda coup for the hard pressed Confederates of the highest magnitude. Farragut was in no doubt, the Arkansas had to be destroyed. That night he moved fourteen of his gunboats down river to join the lower fleet. Each of the gunboats fired at the Arkansas as they passed under the guns of Vicksburg. In the darkness most shots missed but a 160-pounder shell did find its mark, bursting n the engine room, killing six men and causing even more damage to the ironclad. In return, fire from the Arkansas and the Vicksburg batteries killed thirty two Union sailors, although damage to the ships involved was minimal. Farragut now changed tack and was content to rest for a few days. To keep up the pressure he ordered a mortar shelling of the Arkansas, which lasted on and off for several days although no hits were scored.

Then, on the 22nd of July, Farragut made another move, sending the Essex and the Queen of the West upstream to attack. The Essex reached the middle of the river directly opposite the Arkansas, spun to port, opened fire with her bow guns and headed directly for the centre of the stationary Confederate. Brown ordered the mooring lines to be cast off and the Arkansas was brought around to meet the Essex head on, causing the Essex to pass down her starboard side. Essex let loose a broadside, which tore through Arkansas’ armour and casemate, creating new carnage on the gun deck. However, the Essex, her captain's attention diverted by the firing, ran aground on the shallow banks. The Arkansas, as well as the Confederate shore batteries, now concentrated their fire on the hapless Essex, which just barely managed to pull herself off the mud and head back downstream to safety. The Arkansas now turned to face the oncoming Queen of the West. The Union ram crashed into the bow of the Arkansas and maintained power, trying to push Arkansas over on her side. But the Union ram could not overcome the weight of her target and instead was subjected to a full broadside from the ironclad. The Queen of the West, her captain and crew blinded by the smoke, bounced off the Arkansas, swung aside and hit the shore. Brown now tried to bring the Arkansas around to rake the foundering Queen of the West, but she, like the Essex, managed to extricate herself and moved away to safety, this time moving upstream.

By now the Arkansas had survived three encounters with Union vessels in the space of a week, but her effective crew was reduced to about twenty men, and the ship was now in no fit state to proceed anywhere. As a result of his efforts Brown had been promoted to Captain, but had to be sent home to recover from his wounds. Lieutenant Henry Stevens was placed in temporary command pending the return of Brown, and was charged with repairing the vessel and making her 'in all respects ready for action'. Stevens was allowed to do this in relative peace, since Farragut had moved his seagoing fleet downstream, whilst Davis prepared to move his riverine force north to Memphis, leaving Vicksburg alone. Van Dorn saw an opportunity to use the Arkansas to support a relief operation he had planned against the Union held city of Baton Rouge. Van Dorn ordered Stevens to make the Arkansas ready for a passage to Baton Rouge, 125 miles down stream from Vicksburg. On arrival he was to clear away the five Union vessels which Farragut had left to guard the city. These were the '90 day' gunboats Kineo, Katahdin and Cayuga, the former Confederate ram Sumter and the Arkansas’ old rival the Essex, having dispatched the Union forces on the river, Stevens was to support the land assault on the city, led by Breckinridge. Both Brown and Stevens complained that the Arkansas was too damaged to take part in such an operation, and that extensive repairs were required to her engines. However, Van Dorn insisted that the operation should go ahead as planned. Stevens redouble the efforts of his repair teams. By August 3rd 1862 the Arkansas was as ready as she could be, and that evening headed off downstream for Baton Rouge. It was a passage she would never complete.

It was obvious from the start that the hasty repairs to her engines were not able to endure the strain put on them by continuous steaming. Instead, the Arkansas stopped twice to allow the engines to rest. The crew took the opportunity afforded by these stops to make minor repairs and to prepare themselves for the coming battle. The following morning she halted a third time about 25 miles north of Baton Rouge while she underwent a final inspection. This time her engineer proudly reported to Stevens that, barring any excessive strain, the engines would definitely last until they reached Baton Rouge. Stevens, now confident that they would reach their destination in one last leg, ordered the Arkansas on until, by late afternoon she was within sight of the city. Stevens anchored the ship to replenish her coal supply, but as this was begun one of her engines failed. Her crew spent the night in a frantic effort to repair it. Repairs were competed by 9:00 a.m. on the 5th and, with the sounds of the ongoing battle for Baton Rouge echoing from down river, the Arkansas, steamed out into the centre of the Mississippi and headed into action. The first Union vessel she encountered was to be her old enemy, the Essex, which turned upstream to meet her. As the Essex opened fire with her bow guns disaster struck. Arkansas’ recalcitrant port engine ripped from its mooring and blew up. There was no hope of repair, leaving the Arkansas able to only steam in circles. As the Essex bore down on the now circling Arkansas, Stevens ordered the ship to be run aground. The Arkansas was brought to a halt against the bank and her crew jumped ashore while the gunners loaded every working gun. Stevens was the last man ashore, setting a torch to the wreck. Once ashore Stevens ordered the hulk to be pushed once more into the current. As he and his gallant crew watched in tears, the Arkansas drifted down river towards Baton Rouge, wreathed in smoke and flames. Within a few minutes the fire set off her guns in a massive final volley, sending the Essex hurrying for safety. Minutes later, the Arkansas, the 'Scourge of the Mississippi' was torn asunder in a massive explosion of flames, iron and splintering wood and sank silently to the bottom of the river.

Principal Warship Data

Ship	Displt (tons)	Dimensions (I w h in feet)	Speed (knots)	Armament	Notes
Arkansas	600	165 x 35 x 11.5	8	2x 8" rifles 4x 100pdr smoothbores 2x 6" rifles 2x 32pdr smoothbores	2" iron plate on all sides 12" wood backing on sides 18" wood backing fore and aft
Essex	640	160 x 47 x 6	6	3x 11 " smoothbores 1x 10" smoothbore lx 32pdr smoothbore lx 12pdr howitzer	3" armour on casemate Originally named 'New Era '
Tyler	575	180 x 45 x 6	9	6x 8" smoothbores lx 32pdr smoothbore	No armour
Queen of the West	406	180 x 37.5 x 8'	7	none	No armour
Hartford	2900	225 x 44 x 17	14	20x 9" smoothbores 2x 100pdr rifles	No armour
Oneida	1488	201 x 34 x 8	12	2x 9" smoothbores 3x 30pdr rifles 4x 32pdr rifles	No armour
Iroquois	1016	199 x 34 x 13	11	2x 11" smoothbores 1x 50pdr rifle 4x 32pdr rifles	No armour
Richmond	2700	225 x 42 x 17	10	1x 80pdr rifle 20x 9" smoothbores 1x 30pdr rifle	No armour
Katahadin, Kineo Cayuga, Sciota Winona, Pinola Wissahickon	507	158 x 28 x 9.5	11	lx 20pdr rifle 2x 24pdr howitzers	No armour Sciota Class 90 day gunboat'
Sumter	400	150 x 30 x 6	6	2x 32pdr smoothbores	No armour Captured June 1862
Benton	633	202 x 73 x 6	6	2x 9" Smoothbores 4x 42pdr rifles 8x 32pdr smoothbores 2x 50pdr rifles I x 12pdr howitzer	2.5" armour on casemate. Converted salvage tug.
Lancaster	400	175 x 36 x 8	7	none	No armour
Carondelet, Louisville	888	175 x 51 x 6	8	3x 7" rifles 3x 8" smoothbores 6x 32pdr smoothbores lx 30pdr Parrott rifle	2.5" armour on casemate ‘Cairo’ class
General Bragg	1043	208 x 33 x 12	10	1x 30pdr Parrott rifle 1x 32pdr smoothbore 1x 12pdr rifle	1" armour over front

References

R. U. Johnson, 'Battles and Leaders of the American Civil War’ C. C. Buel, 'Century' magazine, 1887

Bern Anderson, 'By Sea and By River - The Naval History of the Civil War’ Knopf, 1962,

William N. Still Jr., 'Iron Afloat’ , University of South Carolina Press, 1985,

H W Wilson, 'Ironclads in Action’ Sampson, Low and Marston, 1896

Robert Gardiner 'Steam, Steel and Shellfire’, Conways 1992,

Philip Van Doren Stern, 'The Confederate Navy - A Pictorial History’ Doubleday. 1962,

William C. Davis, 'The Photographic History of the Civil War’ National Historical Society 1982

Gosnell, H. Allen. ‘Guns on the Western Waters’. Louisiana State University Press, 1993.

Wargaming the Epic of the Arkansas

In a naval war where the majority of actions saw warships engaging shore defences the epic of the Arkansas is a golden opportunity for engaging in a mini campaign or in a series of battles. The episodic nature of the Arkansas’ brief operational life make the latter option particularly attractive. Apart from the mortar bombardment the various actions in which the Arkansas took place can be divided into four separate actions.

Episode 1 - Arkansas vs. Union Vanguard 7:00, July 15th 1862 - Map 1

Confederate Player - CSS Arkansas

Union Player - USS Essex, USS Tyler, USS Queen of the West

Episode 2a - Arkansas vs. Farragut’s Squadron, July 15th 1862 - Map 2

The Arkansas begins this action with any damage inflicted in the previous game still extant. The Union fleet is at anchor in three lines (arranged at the Union player’s choice), but leaving enough space for a ship to pass between. Only the General Bragg is mobile at the beginning of the scenario. No Union ships may move during the first 10 turns. On turn 11 the Benton becomes mobile. On turn 15 the Union player may roll for one ship per turn - that ship becomes mobile on a roll of 10.

The aim of the Confederate player in this scenario should be to pass the Union fleet as quickly as possible. Hanging around to cause extra damage whilst the Union ships are immobile might pay off, but as time passes the chance of a crippling hit or more activated Union warships increases.

Confederate Player - CSS Arkansas

Union Player -

a) West Gulf Blockading Squadron (Farragut)

USS Hartford, USS Sciota, USS Richmond, USS Winona, USS Oneida, USS Pinola, USS Wissahickon, USS Iroquois,  Sumpter

b) Mississippi Flotilla (Davis)

Benton, General Bragg, Lancaster, Louisville, Cincinnati,

c) Auxiliaries

6 mortar rafts, 9 transports

Episode 2b - Grand Fleet vs Vicksburg, July 15th 1862 - Map 3

Farragut’s fleet passing Vicksburg and engaging Arkansas and the batteries. This time it is the Union’s turn to pass the batteries as quickly as possible, but inflicting as much damage on the Arkansas as possible. Note that this scenario takes place at night.

Confederate Player

CSS Arkansas

Vicksburg batteries as follows:

1st Battery: Two 24pdr smoothbores, Two 24pdr rifles	Battery D: One 42pdr Smoothbore
2nd Battery: One 9" smoothbore, three 8" smoothbores, 1 18pdr rifle	Battery E: One 10" Smoothbore
3rd Battery: Two 32pdr rifles, four 42pdr smoothbores	Battery F: Two 32pdr Rifle
Battery A: One 10" Smoothbore	Battery G: One 12pdr Rifle
Battery B: Two 32pdr Rifle	Battery H: One 32pdr Rifle
Battery C: One 8" Smoothbore	Battery I: One 12pdr Rifle

The batteries are ranged along the river as shown on map 3 (the numbers and letters in circles on the map denote the various batteries). All batteries are heavily protected by earthworks, and were very difficult to spot from the Union ships - single and twin gun batteries count as Very Small targets, multiple gun batteries count as Small targets. All batteries except the 3rd Battery (the "Hospital Battery") were located high on the bluffs around the city and are eligible for plunging fire on the Union ships.

Union Player -

USS Hartford, USS Winona, USS Pinola, USS Wissahickon, USS Richmond, USS Oneida, USS Iroquois, Sumpter, USS Sciota

Note: The current is running at three knots. After all movement has been completed move all ships not at anchor downstream a distance equating to three knots of speed under the rules in use.

Episode 3 - Arkansas at Vicksburg, July 22nd 1862 - Map 3

Confederate Player - CSS Arkansas

Vicksburg batteries

The Arkansas begins this action with 75% of hull damage repaired. There is a 75% chance that guns, boilers and other systems damaged in the previous action are repaired. Guns lost by the Vicksburg batteries are replaced on a roll of 4+ on a d6, otherwise are still out of action.

Union Player - USS Essex, USS Queen of the West

Note that these two vessels were involved in the first action with the Arkansas. If they survived they are present at this action, with all damage repaired. If they were lost the Union player may replace them with similar vessels listed in the order of battle for scenario 2, which survived that action or scenario 2a.

Again, a 3 knot current is running. After all movement has been completed move all ships not at anchor downstream a distance equating to three knots of speed under the rules in use.

Episode 4 - Arkansas at Baton Rouge - 4th August 1862 - Map 4

Confederate Player - CSS Arkansas

This time all damage inflicted in previous scenarios is assumed to be repaired. Although it would be historically accurate to inflict severe mechanical penalties on the Arkansas at this stage, to do so would impose an intolerable penalty. Players may opt to do so if they wish, but it may be preferable to examine what might have happened if the Confederate ironclad had been allowed to go into action in a good state of repair.

Union Player - USS Essex, USS Katahadin, USS Cayuga, USS Sumter, USS Kineo

Again, vessels used in previous scenarios are present with all damage repaired. If any of the named ships have been lost they may be replaced with similar vessels. Note that replacement is only possible from ships listed in the Union flotilla for scenario 2 which survived the action.

Current running in this scenario is 2 knots. After all movement has been completed move all ships not at anchor downstream a distance equating to 2 knots of speed under the rules in use.

Alternative Histories

The preceding scenarios assume that history unfolded pretty much as it did in the Summer of 1862, but there are some intriguing possibilities which can be used to vary the course of the campaign.

1) Farragut’s Passage of the Vicksburg Defences, June 28th

An optional first action could be the passage of Farragut’s fleet upstream past Vicksburg on the night of June 28th. In this case the following Union ships are involved:

USS Richmond	USS Sciota
USS Hartford	USS Winona
USS Brooklyn*	USS Pinola
USS Iroquois	USS Katahadin*
USS Oneida	USS Kennebec*
USS Wissahickon

They enter Map 3 at the lower end of the river, point C and must exit at point A. All ships which successfully exit at Point A are considered part of Farragut’s squadron in Scenario 2a of the main scenarios. Any ships which are damaged begin that action with 75% of hull damage repaired. There is a 75% chance that guns, boilers and other systems damaged in the previous action are repaired. In scenario 2b all guns lost by the Vicksburg batteries are replaced.

Data for the three additional ships marked * above is given in the table below. Note all three ships failed to pass the Vicksburg batteries on the night of June 28th due to an error.

Ship	Displt (tons)	Dimensions (I w h in feet)	Speed (knots)	Armament	Notes
Brooklyn	2532	233 x 43 x 16	11	22x 9" smoothbores	No armour
Kennebec, Katahadin	507	158 x 28 x 9.5	11	lx 20pdr rifle 2x 24pdr howitzers	No armour Sciota Class 90 day gunboat'

2) The Tennessee

A more tentative ‘what if’. Suppose the Union advance had been delayed, allowing the Tennessee to be completed? Details on her are sketchy, but she had the same overall dimensions as Arkansas, although only pierced for 6 guns. Tennessee may be added at the start of the campaign; instead of operating alone the Confederates now operate with both ships together. Treat her as follows:

Ship	Displt (tons)	Dimensions (I w h in feet)	Speed (knots)	Armament	Notes
Tennessee	600	165 x 35 x 11.5	8	2x 8" rifles 2x 100pdr smoothbores 2x 6" rifles 2x 32pdr smoothbores	2" iron plate on all sides 12" wood backing on sides 18" wood backing fore and aft

Tennessee uses the same repair rules as for the Arkansas when considering repairs between scenarios

The ship data tables accompanying this article give the basic information required by most sets of ACW and ironclad naval rules to generate vessel statistics. There are a number of suitable rules on the market, such as Peter Pig's "Hammerin' Iron", Canis Publishing’s "Smoke on the Water" and my own "Iron and Fire" from A&A Game Engineering, any of which would be suitable.

Models of all the major protagonists are available in the UK in 1/1200 from Langton Miniatures, Navwar and Skytrex. Houston's Ships in the US also have a large 1/1200 range. In the larger 1/600 scale models are available from Rod Langton and Peter Pig in the UK and Thoroughbred Miniatures in the US. There seems to be a difference of opinion amongst various manufacturers as to the exact arrangement of the Arkansas’ casemate - Navwar and Thoroughbred show the ship with vertical sides, whereas other models show her with the sloping sides more usually seem in Confederate designs. Certainly the contemporary illustrations and descriptions of the various actions suggest a vessel with sloping sides. However, "Guns On The Western Waters" quotes George Gift, a lieutenant on the Arkansas, as follows:

"What she was designed for no man probably knows. I imagine that she was intended for a powerful iron-clad gunboat, with an iron beak for poking, and several heavy guns for shooting. But, before she had arrived at anything like a state of completion, the plan was altered, and she was made into a hermaphrodite iron-clad. That is to say (I am speaking for the benefit of those learned in naval matters), instead of finishing the ship with an ordinary rail and bulwark all round, her sides were 'built on' amidships for fifty or sixty feet in length, so as to give an apology for protection to three guns in each broadside. The sides, it must be understood, were perpendicular. The ends of this 'castle,' or 'gun-box' as Captain Brown dubbed it, were sloping or inclined..."

Also, quoting Captain Brown from "Battles And Leaders" (also quoted in "Guns Of The Western Waters"):

"The straight sides of the box, a foot in thickness, had over them one layer of railroad iron; the ends closed by timber one foot square, planked across by six inch strips of oak, were then covered by one course of railway iron laid up and down at an angle of thirty-five degrees. The ends deflected overhead all missiles striking at short range, but would have been of little security under a plunging fire."

So it appears the front and rear were sloped but the sides were vertical, and the conclusion is that the Navwar and Thoroughbred models are accurate. If anyone has any further information I’d be glad to hear from them.

Finally…

Thanks to Bill Armintrout of The Miniatures Page for his assistance with information on the design of the Arkansas.