# CSS Chicora

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History Confederate States Name Chicora Namesake Chicora Ordered 1862 Laid down March 1862 Commissioned November 1862 Fate Burned 18 February 1865 General characteristics Displacement approximately 850 tons Length 172.5 ft (52.6 m) Beam 35 ft (11 m) Draft 14 ft (4.3 m) Propulsion Steam engine Speed 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) Complement 150 officers and men Armament 2 x 9 in (229 mm) smoothbores 4 x 6 in (152 mm) 32-pounder muzzle loading rifles

**CSS *Chicora*** was a [Confederate](/source/Confederate_States) [ironclad](/source/Ironclad) ram that fought in the [American Civil War](/source/American_Civil_War). It was built under contract at [Charleston](/source/Charleston%2C_South_Carolina), [South Carolina](/source/South_Carolina) in 1862. [James M. Eason](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=James_M._Eason&action=edit&redlink=1) built it to [John L. Porter](/source/John_L._Porter)'s plans, using up most of a $300,000 State appropriation for construction of marine batteries; Eason received a bonus for "skill and promptitude." Its iron shield was 4 inches (102 mm) thick, backed by 22 inches (559 mm) of oak and pine, with 2-inch (51 mm) armor at its ends. [Keeled](/source/Keel) in March, it was [commissioned](/source/Ship_commissioning) in November, [Commander](/source/Commander) [John Randolph Tucker](/source/John_Randolph_Tucker_(naval_officer)), [CSN](/source/Confederate_States_Navy) assuming command.

In thick, predawn haze on January 31, 1863, *Chicora* and [CSS *Palmetto State*](/source/CSS_Palmetto_State) raided the Federal blockading force of unarmored ships lying just outside the entrance to Charleston Harbor. With ram and gun, *Palmetto State* forced [USS *Mercedita*](/source/USS_Mercedita) to surrender, then disabled [USS *Keystone State*](/source/USS_Keystone_State_(1853)), who had to be towed to safety. *Chicora* meanwhile engaged other [Union](/source/United_States) ships in a long-range gun duel, from which it emerged unscathed to withdraw victoriously to shelter inside the harbor.

CSS *Chicora* and *Palmetto State* at anchor in Charleston Harbor

It took part in the defense of the forts at Charleston on April 7 when they were attacked by a squadron of ironclad monitors under [Rear Admiral](/source/Rear_admiral_(United_States)) [Samuel Francis du Pont](/source/Samuel_Francis_du_Pont), [USN](/source/United_States_Navy). The Federal ships were forced to retire for repairs and did not resume the action.

*Chicora* was actively employed in the fighting around Charleston during 1863 and 1864. Its valuable services included the transporting of troops during the evacuation of [Morris Island](/source/Morris_Island), and the bombardment of Forts [Sumter](/source/Fort_Sumter), [Gregg](/source/Fort_Gregg), and [Wagner](/source/Fort_Wagner). In August 1863 she had the distinction of furnishing the first volunteer officer and crew for the Confederate Submarine Torpedo Boat [*H. L. Hunley*](/source/CSS_Hunley).

*"A Lieutenant's commission in the Confederate States Navy was conferred on me, with orders to report for duty on the ironclad Chicora at Charleston. My duties were those of a deck officer, and I had charge of the first division. On the occasion of the attack upon the blockading squadron ... It was my part, on the memorable morning, to aim and fire one effective shell into the Keystone State while running down to attack us, which (according to Captain LeRoy's report), killing twenty-one men and severely wounding fifteen, caused him to haul down his flag in token of surrender. The enemy now kept at a respectful distance while preparing their ironclad vessels to sail up more closely. Our Navy Department continued slowly to construct more of these rams, all on the same general plan, fit for little else than harbor defense."* -- William T. Glassell, Lt. CSN

It was destroyed by the Confederates when Charleston was evacuated on February 18, 1865.

## References

### Notes

### Bibliography

- Bisbee, Saxon T. (2018). *Engines of Rebellion: Confederate Ironclads and Steam Engineering in the American Civil War*. Tuscaloosa, Alabama: University of Alabama Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-81731-986-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-81731-986-1).

- Canney, Donald L. (2015). *The Confederate Steam Navy 1861-1865*. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Publishing. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-7643-4824-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-7643-4824-2).

- Koehler, R. B. & Sileo, Thomas (2008). "Question 40/43: Fates of Confederate Ironclads". *Warship International*. **XLV** (4): 276–277. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0043-0374](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0043-0374).

- Olmstead, Edwin; Stark, Wayne E. & Tucker, Spencer C. (1997). *The Big Guns: Civil War Siege, Seacoast, and Naval Cannon*. Alexandria Bay, New York: Museum Restoration Service. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-88855-012-X](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-88855-012-X).

- Silverstone, Paul H. (2006). *Civil War Navies 1855–1883*. The U.S. Navy Warship Series. New York: Routledge. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-415-97870-X](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-415-97870-X).

- Silverstone, Paul H. (1984). *Directory of the World's Capital Ships*. New York: Hippocrene Books. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-88254-979-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-88254-979-0).

- Still, William N. Jr. (1985) [1971]. *Iron Afloat: The Story of the Confederate Armorclads*. Columbia, South Carolina: University of South Carolina Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-87249-454-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-87249-454-3).

- Coker, PC, "Charleston's Maritime Heritage 1670–1865", Charleston, CokerCraft Press 1987

- Prisoners of the Civil War; The Paragon Agency, Publishers; 2001

- *This article incorporates text from the [public domain](/source/Public_domain)*[Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships](/source/Dictionary_of_American_Naval_Fighting_Ships)*.*

## External links

- Media related to [CSS Chicora (ironclad)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:CSS_Chicora_(ironclad)) at Wikimedia Commons

v t e Ironclad warships of the Confederate States Navy Albemarle Arctic Arkansas Atlanta Baltic Charleston Chicora Columbia Fredericksburg Georgia Huntsville Louisiana Manassas Mississippi I Missouri Muscogee Nashville Neuse North Carolina II Palmetto State Phoenix Raleigh Richmond Savannah Stonewall Tennessee I Tennessee II Texas Tuscaloosa Virginia Virginia II Wilmington List of ships of the Confederate States Navy

v t e Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in 1865 Shipwrecks 1 Jan: San Jacinto 12 Jan: CSS Columbia 15 Jan: Patapsco 24 Jan: CSS Drewry 24 Jan: CSS Scorpion 26 Jan: Dai Ching c. Jan: Lelia 6 Feb: Favorita 15 Feb: Merrimac 18 Feb: CSS Charleston 18 Feb: CSS Chicora 18 Feb: CSS Indian Chief 18 Feb: CSS Palmetto State 18 Feb: CSS Peedee 18 Feb: Daring 25 Feb: CSS Chickamauga 27 Feb: Arizona 1 Mar: Harvest Moon 2 Mar: CSS Rob Roy 12 Mar: Althea 14 Mar: CSS Neuse 28 Mar: Milwaukee 29 Mar: Osage Mar: CSS Spray 1 Apr: Bertrand 1 Apr: Rodolph 3 Apr: CSS Beaufort 3 Apr: CSS Fredericksburg 3 Apr: CSS Hampton 3 Apr: CSS Patrick Henry 3 Apr: CSS Richmond 3 Apr: CSS Roanoke 3 Apr: CSS Virginia II 12 Apr: CSS Huntsville 12 Apr: CSS Tuscaloosa 13 Apr: USS Ida 14 Apr: Sciota 17 Apr: CSS Chattahoochee 17 Apr: CSS Jackson 22 Apr: Black Hawk 24 Apr: O. M. Pettit 24 Apr: CSS Webb 27 Apr: Sultana c. Apr: Rose 8 May: Glasgow 12 May: Fiery Star 20 May: City of Dunedin c. May: Race Horse 8 Jun: Admiral Du Pont 8 Jun: Jequitinhonha 28 Jun: Brunswick Jun: USS Bloomer 4 Jul: Agnes 30 Jul: Brother Jonathan 4 Aug: Smerch 9 Aug: Pewabic 18 Aug: Hugh Lindsay 23 Aug: Commodore McDonough 16 Sep: Lone Star 22 Sep: Pink 7 Oct: Duncan Dunbar 25 Oct: Republic 6 Nov: Jacob Bell 10 Nov: Patroon 13 Nov: Aenid 19 Nov: City of Launceston 27 Nov: Fairlie 3 Dec: Indian River 5 Dec: Neptune 16 Dec: USS New Ironsides 30 Dec: Huntress 31 Dec: Goldena Other incidents 4 Jan: HMS Cadmus 14 Jan: HMS Geyser 14 Jan: HMS Terrible 3 Mar: HMS Niger 13 Jul: HMS Eclipse 9 Aug: Ipswich 10 Oct: HMS Sepoy 10 Nov: HMS Bristol 1 Dec: HMS Research 20 Dec: Tararua Unknown: Ironsides ← 1864 1866 →

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [CSS Chicora](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CSS_Chicora) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CSS_Chicora?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.