CSS Virginia II
Encyclopedia
CSS Virginia II was a Confederate Navy steam-powered ironclad ram laid down in 1862 at the William Graves' shipyard in Richmond, Virginia
. Acting Constructor William A. Graves, CSN
, was the superintendent in charge of her building. In order to conserve scarce iron plating, he ordered the ship's armored casemate
shortened from the specifications given in John L. Porter
's original building plans; in addition, the ship's iron-plating, while six inches thick on the casemate's forward face, was reduced to five inches on her port, starboard, and aft faces.
The Virginia II was named after the more famous Confederate ironclad, the CSS Virginia
, also referred to as the Merrimack
because of its origins. In fact, the original Virginias success caused "gunboat associations" to emerge around the South, mainly driven by women, and their efforts helped with the construction of the Virginia II.
By November 1862, John Mercer Brooke
was able to report that she was "pretty well advanced, frames up, clamps in, etc... She will be a strong and fine vessel."
However, after this promising start, significant delays plagued the new ironclad. It was not until more than a year after she was laid down that the Virginia II was finally launched without incident on June 29, 1863. "She glided into the water 'like a thing of life' amid the prolonged cheers of the spectators." However, she suffered from further delays in being fitted out and was not fully commissioned until May 18, 1864, almost a year later, and was made the flagship of the James River Squadron
(replacing CSS Richmond
in this role).
Robert B. Pegram, CSN, went into action on 21 June 1864 as flagship of Commodore
John K. Mitchell, CSN, during the engagement between the Confederate James River Squadron
and Federal ships in Trent's Reach, however she suffered from mechanical trouble and problems with her propeller when the chain of the CSS Richmond
got caught up in it and so could not participate in this battle.
On August 13, the Virginia II participated in the attack on the Union forces at Dutch Gap. The USS Maugus and her gunboats joined in the battle but could not effectively train her guns, though they did manage to get two shots that hit Virginia II. On August 17, she participated in the capture of Signal Hill
, shelling the Union defenses from 3 PM until 9 PM.
From September 29 through October 1, the Virginia II and the rest of the squadron attacked New Market Heights and Fort Harrison
in conjunction with the Confederate Army in what was the largest operation north of the James River
since Cold Harbor
, and would remain so until the end of the war. Once again, though, the Virginia II suffered some difficulty which delayed her entrance into the battle. She had just received a new gun and in the rush to leave the dock, got the supply ship Gallego caught in her anchor chain, causing the Gallego to sink.
In their routine patrol of the James River, the squadron was surprised on the morning of October 22 to discover that the Union Army had finished fortifying Cox Hill. To cover the retreat of the wooden vessels of the fleet, the Virginia II approached the battery, followed by the other two ironclads, and effected the retreat upstream to Chaffin's Bluff
. During this, the Virginia II' s smokestack was riddled by shells. Though they were caught by surprise, this small action helped determine the effectiveness of the ironclads' casemates against close rifled fire, and in the case of the Virginia II the results were favorable: her armor withstood 7 hits by 100-pound conical bolts, which barely dented its surface.
On December 7, the Virginia II, along with the Fredericksburg and Richmond, came down to Fort Brady near Trent's Reach, and exchanged fire with the fort near sunset until darkness approached.
, including ironclads Virginia II, CSS Richmond
and CSS Fredericksburg
, with five smaller vessels, made a second unsuccessful attempt to circumvent obstructions in Trent's Reach. A reliable report indicated that there was a passage through, as a result of a freshet of melting ice. To avoid the risk of collision, the gunboats and tenders were lashed to the starboard sides of the ironclads - Virginia accreted the gunboats Nansemond and Torpedo, with the torpedo boat Scorpion
in tow, to her bulk. After passing the Union batteries at Fort Brady sometime after 8 PM, the Virginia II accidentally beached the Torpedo by cutting too close to the shore. The captain of the Nansemond, untied his ship from Virginia II in an attempt to free the Torpedo. The fleet continued on and reached the obstructions at Trent's Reach.
Again Virginia II ran into trouble, this time running aground and the smaller ships tried to free her for three hours. Only two ships made it through, the rest were either running aground or helping the ones who had. Dawn came with most of the squadron in full view of the Union fortifications at Battery Parsons, and they had to suffer the fire until the water was able to rise high enough to allow them to retreat. Just as the water rose high enough to float the Virginia II in late morning, the Union fleet arrived and added to the fire, this time more deadly, as the double-turretted monitor USS Onondaga
was able to pierce her armor. She and the rest of the squadron retreated upstream until they were out of the way and under cover of the Confederate batteries at Battery Dantzler. They attempted to try again that night, but the Union soldiers had erected a huge light illuminating the obstructions, and combined with several other factors, decided to abandon the attempt.
When leaving, the Hampton managed to catch her propeller in Virginia II' s anchor chain. They suffered more fire on their return upriver from Fort Brady
and Virginia II ran aground again before making it to the safety of Chaffin's Bluff
. Virginia II had at least 6 killed and more than a half dozen wounded from the action, and also suffered damage which required extensive repairs. Her smokestack was destroyed, her engines were faulty and the iron shielding and wooden framework were damaged. Her repairs had just been finished, when the Virginia II was one of the ships destroyed in the James River before the evacuation of Richmond on 3 April 1865.
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
. Acting Constructor William A. Graves, CSN
Confederate States Navy
The Confederate States Navy was the naval branch of the Confederate States armed forces established by an act of the Confederate Congress on February 21, 1861. It was responsible for Confederate naval operations during the American Civil War...
, was the superintendent in charge of her building. In order to conserve scarce iron plating, he ordered the ship's armored casemate
Casemate
A casemate, sometimes rendered casement, is a fortified gun emplacement or armored structure from which guns are fired. originally a vaulted chamber in a fortress.-Origin of the term:...
shortened from the specifications given in John L. Porter
John L. Porter
John Luke Porter , whose father was a shipwright at Portsmouth, Virginia, was born in 1813. He became a United States Navy civilian employee during the 1840s and a Naval Constructor in 1859. After resigning from the U.S. Navy in May 1861, he began working for the Confederate States Navy at the...
's original building plans; in addition, the ship's iron-plating, while six inches thick on the casemate's forward face, was reduced to five inches on her port, starboard, and aft faces.
The Virginia II was named after the more famous Confederate ironclad, the CSS Virginia
CSS Virginia
CSS Virginia was the first steam-powered ironclad warship of the Confederate States Navy, built during the first year of the American Civil War; she was constructed as a casemate ironclad using the raised and cut down original lower hull and steam engines of the scuttled . Virginia was one of the...
, also referred to as the Merrimack
USS Merrimack (1855)
USS Merrimack was a frigate and sailing vessel of the United States Navy, best known as the hull upon which the ironclad warship, CSS Virginia was constructed during the American Civil War...
because of its origins. In fact, the original Virginias success caused "gunboat associations" to emerge around the South, mainly driven by women, and their efforts helped with the construction of the Virginia II.
Construction
Money to help with the construction of this ironclad was largely contributed by the Richmond chapter of the "Ladies Aid and Defense Society" called the "National Defense Association" which adopted this ironclad in early April 1862 for the defense of Richmond. The chairman was Maria Gaitskell Clopton. It is estimated that the society contributed more than $30,000 towards its construction.By November 1862, John Mercer Brooke
John Mercer Brooke
John Mercer Brooke was an American sailor, engineer, scientist, and educator. He was instrumental in the creation of the Transatlantic Cable, and was a noted marine and military innovator.-Early life and career:...
was able to report that she was "pretty well advanced, frames up, clamps in, etc... She will be a strong and fine vessel."
However, after this promising start, significant delays plagued the new ironclad. It was not until more than a year after she was laid down that the Virginia II was finally launched without incident on June 29, 1863. "She glided into the water 'like a thing of life' amid the prolonged cheers of the spectators." However, she suffered from further delays in being fitted out and was not fully commissioned until May 18, 1864, almost a year later, and was made the flagship of the James River Squadron
James River Squadron
The James River Squadron was formed shortly after the secession of the State of Virginia as part of the Virginia State Navy. The squadron is most notable for its role in patrolling the James River, which was the main water approach to the Confederate capital, Richmond...
(replacing CSS Richmond
CSS Richmond
CSS Richmond, an ironclad ram, was built at Gosport Navy Yard to the design of John L. Porter with money and scrap iron collected by the citizens of Virginia, whose imagination had been captured by the ironclad CSS Virginia. Consequently she was sometimes referred to as Virginia II, Virginia No. 2...
in this role).
Career
Virginia II, CommanderCommander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
Robert B. Pegram, CSN, went into action on 21 June 1864 as flagship of Commodore
Commodore (rank)
Commodore is a military rank used in many navies that is superior to a navy captain, but below a rear admiral. Non-English-speaking nations often use the rank of flotilla admiral or counter admiral as an equivalent .It is often regarded as a one-star rank with a NATO code of OF-6, but is not always...
John K. Mitchell, CSN, during the engagement between the Confederate James River Squadron
James River Squadron
The James River Squadron was formed shortly after the secession of the State of Virginia as part of the Virginia State Navy. The squadron is most notable for its role in patrolling the James River, which was the main water approach to the Confederate capital, Richmond...
and Federal ships in Trent's Reach, however she suffered from mechanical trouble and problems with her propeller when the chain of the CSS Richmond
CSS Richmond
CSS Richmond, an ironclad ram, was built at Gosport Navy Yard to the design of John L. Porter with money and scrap iron collected by the citizens of Virginia, whose imagination had been captured by the ironclad CSS Virginia. Consequently she was sometimes referred to as Virginia II, Virginia No. 2...
got caught up in it and so could not participate in this battle.
On August 13, the Virginia II participated in the attack on the Union forces at Dutch Gap. The USS Maugus and her gunboats joined in the battle but could not effectively train her guns, though they did manage to get two shots that hit Virginia II. On August 17, she participated in the capture of Signal Hill
Signal Hill
-Places:in Canada * Signal Hill, Calgary, neighborhood and hill in Calgary, Alberta* Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi, provincial electoral district for the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly, Canada...
, shelling the Union defenses from 3 PM until 9 PM.
From September 29 through October 1, the Virginia II and the rest of the squadron attacked New Market Heights and Fort Harrison
Fort Harrison
Fort Harrison was an important component of the Confederate defenses of Richmond during the American Civil War. Named after Lieutenant William Harrison, a Confederate engineer, it was the largest in the series of fortifications that extended from New Market Road to the James River that also...
in conjunction with the Confederate Army in what was the largest operation north of the James River
James River (Virginia)
The James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is long, extending to if one includes the Jackson River, the longer of its two source tributaries. The James River drains a catchment comprising . The watershed includes about 4% open water and an area with a population of 2.5 million...
since Cold Harbor
Battle of Cold Harbor
The Battle of Cold Harbor was fought from May 31 to June 12, 1864 . It was one of the final battles of Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign during the American Civil War, and is remembered as one of American history's bloodiest, most lopsided battles...
, and would remain so until the end of the war. Once again, though, the Virginia II suffered some difficulty which delayed her entrance into the battle. She had just received a new gun and in the rush to leave the dock, got the supply ship Gallego caught in her anchor chain, causing the Gallego to sink.
In their routine patrol of the James River, the squadron was surprised on the morning of October 22 to discover that the Union Army had finished fortifying Cox Hill. To cover the retreat of the wooden vessels of the fleet, the Virginia II approached the battery, followed by the other two ironclads, and effected the retreat upstream to Chaffin's Bluff
Chaffin's Bluff
Chaffin's Bluff is located in Henrico County, Virginia, United States, along the James River. Chaffin's Bluff on the north side of the river opposite Drewry's Bluff, long-considered a major defense point of the river below Richmond...
. During this, the Virginia II
On December 7, the Virginia II, along with the Fredericksburg and Richmond, came down to Fort Brady near Trent's Reach, and exchanged fire with the fort near sunset until darkness approached.
Battle of Trent's Reach
Her final action took place on January 23-January 24, 1865 when the Confederate squadron in the James RiverJames River (Virginia)
The James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is long, extending to if one includes the Jackson River, the longer of its two source tributaries. The James River drains a catchment comprising . The watershed includes about 4% open water and an area with a population of 2.5 million...
, including ironclads Virginia II, CSS Richmond
CSS Richmond
CSS Richmond, an ironclad ram, was built at Gosport Navy Yard to the design of John L. Porter with money and scrap iron collected by the citizens of Virginia, whose imagination had been captured by the ironclad CSS Virginia. Consequently she was sometimes referred to as Virginia II, Virginia No. 2...
and CSS Fredericksburg
CSS Fredericksburg
CSS Fredericksburg was an ironclad of the Confederate States Navy during the American Civil War.Fredericksburg was built at Richmond, Virginia in 1862-63. The CSS Fredericksburg was the second ironclad to be completed in Richmond. On November 30, 1863 she was reported completed and awaiting armament...
, with five smaller vessels, made a second unsuccessful attempt to circumvent obstructions in Trent's Reach. A reliable report indicated that there was a passage through, as a result of a freshet of melting ice. To avoid the risk of collision, the gunboats and tenders were lashed to the starboard sides of the ironclads - Virginia accreted the gunboats Nansemond and Torpedo, with the torpedo boat Scorpion
CSS Scorpion
CSS Scorpion was a Squib-class torpedo boat procured late in 1864 by the Confederate States Navy and armed with a spar torpedo fitted to her stem. She performed picket duty in the James River under command of Lieutenant E. Lakin, CSN....
in tow, to her bulk. After passing the Union batteries at Fort Brady sometime after 8 PM, the Virginia II accidentally beached the Torpedo by cutting too close to the shore. The captain of the Nansemond, untied his ship from Virginia II in an attempt to free the Torpedo. The fleet continued on and reached the obstructions at Trent's Reach.
USS Onondaga (1864)
USS Onondaga was a monitor acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. Onondaga spent her entire active career with the James River Flotilla, covering the water approaches to Richmond, Virginia, during the Civil War's last year...
was able to pierce her armor. She and the rest of the squadron retreated upstream until they were out of the way and under cover of the Confederate batteries at Battery Dantzler. They attempted to try again that night, but the Union soldiers had erected a huge light illuminating the obstructions, and combined with several other factors, decided to abandon the attempt.
When leaving, the Hampton managed to catch her propeller in Virginia II
Fort Brady
Colonel Hugh Brady established Fort Brady at Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan Territory in 1822 to guard against British incursions from Canada.The garrison at the fort protected exclusive American sovereignty over the northern frontier...
and Virginia II ran aground again before making it to the safety of Chaffin's Bluff
Chaffin's Bluff
Chaffin's Bluff is located in Henrico County, Virginia, United States, along the James River. Chaffin's Bluff on the north side of the river opposite Drewry's Bluff, long-considered a major defense point of the river below Richmond...
. Virginia II had at least 6 killed and more than a half dozen wounded from the action, and also suffered damage which required extensive repairs. Her smokestack was destroyed, her engines were faulty and the iron shielding and wooden framework were damaged. Her repairs had just been finished, when the Virginia II was one of the ships destroyed in the James River before the evacuation of Richmond on 3 April 1865.
Commanders
The commanders of the CSS Virginia II were:- Commander Robert B. Pegram (May 1864-around August 1864)
- Lieutenant Oscar F. Johnston (August 1864, commanding pro tem)
- Lieutenant Francis E. Shepperd (September 24, 1864-around December 1864)
- Lieutenant John W. Dunnington (December 1864-end of war)