William A. Webb
Encyclopedia
William A. Webb was an American sailor
and Mexican-American War veteran who resigned his United States Navy
commission after more than 20 years of service to join the Confederate States Navy
in the American Civil War
. Webb was decorated for his service as Captain
of the CSS Teaser
, part of the James River Squadron
, during the Battle of Hampton Roads
(1862).
In 1863, his orders sent him to Savannah
, where he commanded a squadron that included the ironclad CSS Atlanta. He was captured in June 1863 and imprisoned in Boston
. He was released as part of a prisoner exchange in October 1864 and returned to action on the CSS Richmond
.
. He joined the United States Navy at an early age and attained the rank of Midshipman on January 26, 1838. His young wife Elizabeth Ann Webb endured the lonely life of a navy spouse. He was the brother-in-law to another naval officer John Randolph Tucker
On July 2, 1845, Webb was promoted to Passed Midshipman. He served in the Mexican-American War on the 6-gun storeship USS Southampton
. Webb departed from Norfolk
, Virginia on February 7, 1847, traveling to the Pacific Ocean
by way of Cape Horn
, eventually reaching Japan
in 1854. He was afterwards appointed as Master on October 9, 1853 and Lieutenant on June 12, 1854.
Station from 1861 to 1862.
In early 1862, First Lieutenant Webb was made commander of the armed gunboat CSS Teaser
(or Teazer.) Prior to the secession it was the property of the Virginia State Navy
(then called the York River). The 64 ton, 80 by 18 foot tugboat was armed with a 32 and a 12 pounder rifled cannon. The CSS Teaser was part of the James River Squadron, operating on the homonymous river from Norfolk. The squadron's chieftain was Flag-Officer Franklin Buchanan
, on the ironclad steamer
CSS Virginia
(ex-Merrimack
). The squadron consisted of 3 steamers (24 guns in all) and 3 supporting gunboats, each with one gun.
On March 8–9, 1862, at the Battle of Hampton Roads
, the Confederate flotilla tried to break a blockade maintained by two wooden Union frigate
s, the USS Cumberland
and the USS Congress
. The Union ships were escorted by some gunboats and backed by shore batteries. Buchanan wrote later: "The general order under which the gunboat squadron went into action required that, in the absence of all signals, each commanding officer was to exercise his own judgment and discretion in doing all the damage he could to the enemy and to sink before surrendering." To support the CSS Virginia in this action, Capt. John Randolph Tucker, commanding the rest of the James River Squadron, ran past the shore batteries to join the battle, with the CSS Teaser "puffing with all the energy of a short-winded tug." They arrived just as the CSS Virginia had managed to sink the USS Cumberland.
The squadron immediately joined in the battle with the CSS Virginia against the Union blockade and shore batteries. One eye witness described the "little Teaser... pushed her way in between the Patrick Henry and Jamestown, and advancing close to the shore fired her one gun in face of the battery of sixty guns. Probably her insignificance saved her, for now every shot seemed concentrated upon the [Virginia]..." The Confederate squadron now concentrated their fire on the USS Congress and forced its surrender. When the Confederate ships charged with accepting the surrender and escorting the captured officers were fired upon by Union shore batteries, Buchanan then ordered another boat to burn her, with Webb's Teaser as cover. When they were also fired upon, Buchanan then ordered his men to destroy the USS Congress using "hot shot and incendiary shell".
The arrival of the USS Monitor
on the following day resulted in the "world's first battle between ironclads". Neither the CSS Virginia, nor the USS Monitor suffered major damage. However, the Monitor's arrival forced the Confederate ships eventually to retreat without having broken the blockade.
Webb was reported later as "slightly wounded" during the battle. Buchanan took pride in his gunboats: "Their judgment in selecting their positions for attacking the enemy was good; their constant fire was destructive, and contributed much to the success of the day." The Confederate Congress also "thanked" Webb.
station for "special duty." This term was typically used to denote activity that was of a secret nature. In this case, Webb was made commander of the "Special Expedition", a squadron of small boats manned by sixty officers and men, on February 19, 1863. The squadron was stationed behind Fort Sumter
in order to stop any Union ships that made it past the obstructions. What made this flotilla unusual, and hence its appellation of "special", was that the boats were armed with spar torpedo
es, a highly controversial weapon of war that some considered "uncivilized". Webb assembled this squadron with a few cutters and a lot of canoes and skiffs, all armed with 20-foot long poles with a 60-pound torpedo.
The only thing the small flotilla was lacking were steamers and Capt. John Randolph Tucker
ordered Webb to contact a local merchant and acquire the steamers "quietly and pleasantly if possible" or seize them, if not.
While present when Admiral Du Pont
's fleet crossed the Charleston Bar
on April 6, 1863, Webb's squadron was not called into action that day. Eager to make use of the torpedoes, Tucker, Gen. Beauregard and Webb hatched a plan on April 10 that would "shake Abolitiondom to [its] foundation." They decided to attack each of the seven Union ironclads by three torpedo boats, but in the several days it took to get the extra boats required, the Union ironclads had left Charleston.
Commodore Josiah Tattnall
, Flag Officer
commanded the southern region of the Confederate States, especially Savannah
, Georgia
. He was expected to repeat his success commanding the CSS Virginia
in crushing the wooden Union ships in the James River. Tattnall was handicapped in bringing this to fruition because of the blockade. In May 1863, Webb replaced Tatnall as commander of the CSS Atlanta ironclad, launched in 1862, and flag officer of the Savannah Squadron, with "the implied condition of his appointment being that he should 'do something' with her..." Webb proclaimed that "the whole abolition fleet" had "no terror" for him.
Considered by the citizens of Georgia to be the most powerful Confederate warship because of its fast speed of 7 knots, as well as its armament of four Brooke
rifles, the Atlanta was difficult to maneuver. Special difficulties were caused by its 16-feet draft
in the shallow waters surrounding Savannah. Another problem was the scarce airflow of its tight, armored roof, which caused profound heat and humidity. The Atlanta suffered profuse leaking. The ship's helm
was already difficult to steer because it was simply unwieldy: the ship frequently stalled into sand banks along the side of the river. Webb marshaled the CSS Atlanta, though, removing the boat of unnecessary comfort - including sanitation and ventilation, as well as fully outfitting it with weaponry. Webb also had to deal with inexperienced sailors, most of whom were recruited from the Confederate Army around the mountainous regions of Georgia. For instance, his pilots arrived just two weeks before the ship engaged in the Battle of Wassaw Sound
.
Although beset by problems, Webb was still excited about his prospects. He formulated ambitiously elaborate plans for the CSS Atlanta' s first mission to clear the region of nearby Union forces. Webb was supposed to await reinforcement: the Confederate Congress voted to reinforce his squad with another ship still under construction: the CSS Savannah
ironclad. Webb, however, waged action in Wassaw Sound
against orders on June 17, 1863. He was escorted by two wooden steamers, the CSS Isondiga
and the CSS Resolute
. A percussion torpedo was attached to a large, projecting ram, which Webb later described: "I knew [it] should do its work to my entire satisfaction, should I but be able to touch the Weehawken."
The Union noticed Webb's bold move and dispatched Captain John Rodgers
in the USS Weehawken
, escorted by the USS Nahant
. The Atlanta suddenly ran aground and swayed at an angle which made it difficult to shoot. The USS Weehawken held fire until it was at 300 yards and then pounded the immobile ship, basically turning into target practice for the Union ship. After receiving five of the Weehawken' s 350-pound shots, which knocked a hole in her casemate, crushed the pilot house and port shutter and severely wounded its pilots and several helmsmen, Webb was compelled to surrender immediately. The "battle" lasted only a few minutes, and the Atlanta became the first Confederate ironclad to surrender to the Union. He told his crew: "I most earnestly wish that it had happened otherwise, but Providence, for some good reason, has interfered with our plans ..." Meanwhile, the two boats escorting the Atlanta scurried upriver for safety. The USS Nahant had watched the action without firing a shot.
However, the news stunned the South and Webb faced criticism even after the war from experienced naval officers. He was brave, yes, but lacked good sense. Criticism also fell on Secretary of the Navy, Stephen R. Mallory for his policy of replacing older officers with younger ones and for not firmly opposing Webb in his decision.
The CSS Atlanta suffered the sole fatality of the battle, as well as 16 wounded. From 136 to 165 men were taken captive and moved to the ships USS Cimarron
and USS Oleander. These travelled to Fort Lafayette
, in New York
harbor, and arrived in late June at Fort Warren
on Georges Island in Boston Harbor
.
Fort Warren was a relatively modern jail where the prisoners were registered and photographed. However, they were deprived of blankets, food, and clothing. Among the captive sailors, there were 12 deaths due to injuries, as well as death by pneumonia
and dysentery
, caused by the poor conditions in which they were held. Three healthy crew members escaped. Webb was the first to gain parole
, in September 1864, and was later exchanged in October of the same year.
Webb was paroled on September 28, 1864, and exchanged at Cox's Wharf, Virginia on October 18, 1864. He was then again fighting on the James River, as Commander of the CSS Richmond
from October through November 1864. Webb was in command of the Richmond, when the James River Squadron
, of which Richmond was a member, during a routine patrol of the James River, were surprised on the morning of October 22, 1864, when the Union Army revealed their new battery at Boulware House, two miles from Chaffin's Bluff
. To cover the retreat of the wooden vessels of the fleet, the flagship Virginia II
approached the battery, followed by the Richmond and Fredericksburg
, and effected the retreat upstream to Chaffin's Bluff
. 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 Richmond the results were favorable: her armor withstood the fire, though her smokestack was shot off.
Sailor
A sailor, mariner, or seaman is a person who navigates water-borne vessels or assists in their operation, maintenance, or service. The term can apply to professional mariners, military personnel, and recreational sailors as well as a plethora of other uses...
and Mexican-American War veteran who resigned his United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
commission after more than 20 years of service to join the Confederate States Navy
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...
in the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Webb was decorated for his service as Captain
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
of the CSS Teaser
CSS Teaser
CSS Teaser had been the aging Georgetown, D.C. tugboat York River until the beginning of the American Civil War, when she was taken into the Confederate States Navy. Later, she was captured by the United States Navy and became the first USS Teaser.-CSS Teaser:Teaser was built at Philadelphia,...
, part 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...
, during the Battle of Hampton Roads
Battle of Hampton Roads
The Battle of Hampton Roads, often referred to as either the Battle of the Monitor and Merrimack or the Battle of Ironclads, was the most noted and arguably most important naval battle of the American Civil War from the standpoint of the development of navies...
(1862).
In 1863, his orders sent him to Savannah
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
, where he commanded a squadron that included the ironclad CSS Atlanta. He was captured in June 1863 and imprisoned in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. He was released as part of a prisoner exchange in October 1864 and returned to action on 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...
.
Early life and career
William A. Webb grew up in VirginiaVirginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. He joined the United States Navy at an early age and attained the rank of Midshipman on January 26, 1838. His young wife Elizabeth Ann Webb endured the lonely life of a navy spouse. He was the brother-in-law to another naval officer John Randolph Tucker
John Randolph Tucker (1812-1883)
John Randolph Tucker , who served as an officer in the navies of three nations, was born in Alexandria, Virginia...
On July 2, 1845, Webb was promoted to Passed Midshipman. He served in the Mexican-American War on the 6-gun storeship USS Southampton
USS Southampton (1841)
The first USS Southampton was a store ship in the United States Navy during the Mexican-American War.Southampton was laid down at Norfolk, Virginia as a side wheel steamer in October 1841, but her machinery proved to be unsatisfactory and was removed. Apparently purchased by the United States...
. Webb departed from Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, Virginia on February 7, 1847, traveling to the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
by way of Cape Horn
Cape Horn
Cape Horn is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile, and is located on the small Hornos Island...
, eventually reaching Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in 1854. He was afterwards appointed as Master on October 9, 1853 and Lieutenant on June 12, 1854.
Civil War
Webb resigned his commission on May 17, 1861, four months after the Secession, enrolling instead in the Confederate Navy as a First Lieutenant in June. He served at Fernandina, Florida) in mid-1861 and then RichmondRichmond, 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...
Station from 1861 to 1862.
CSS Teaser and the Battle of Hampton Roads
CSS Teaser
CSS Teaser had been the aging Georgetown, D.C. tugboat York River until the beginning of the American Civil War, when she was taken into the Confederate States Navy. Later, she was captured by the United States Navy and became the first USS Teaser.-CSS Teaser:Teaser was built at Philadelphia,...
(or Teazer.) Prior to the secession it was the property of the Virginia State Navy
Virginia State Navy
A Virginia State Navy existed twice. During the American Revolutionary War, the provisional government of the Virginia Colony authorized the purchase, outfitting, and manning of armed vessels to protect the colony's waters from threats posed it by the Royal Navy.Early in the American Civil War,...
(then called the York River). The 64 ton, 80 by 18 foot tugboat was armed with a 32 and a 12 pounder rifled cannon. The CSS Teaser was part of the James River Squadron, operating on the homonymous river from Norfolk. The squadron's chieftain was Flag-Officer Franklin Buchanan
Franklin Buchanan
Franklin Buchanan was an officer in the United States Navy who became an admiral in the Confederate Navy during the American Civil War, and commanded the ironclad CSS Virginia.-Early life:...
, on the ironclad steamer
Steamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
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...
(ex-Merrimack
USS Merrimack
USS Merrimack, or variant spelling USS Merrimac, may be any one of several ships commissioned in the United States Navy and named after the Merrimack River.*USS Merrimack , 1798–1801, later known as the Monticello, sunk off Cape Cod...
). The squadron consisted of 3 steamers (24 guns in all) and 3 supporting gunboats, each with one gun.
On March 8–9, 1862, at the Battle of Hampton Roads
Battle of Hampton Roads
The Battle of Hampton Roads, often referred to as either the Battle of the Monitor and Merrimack or the Battle of Ironclads, was the most noted and arguably most important naval battle of the American Civil War from the standpoint of the development of navies...
, the Confederate flotilla tried to break a blockade maintained by two wooden Union frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
s, the USS Cumberland
USS Cumberland
Three ships of the United States Navy have been named Cumberland, after the Cumberland River.*The , a 50-gun sailing frigate launched in 1842.*The , a steel-hulled sailing bark, was launched 17 August 1904....
and the USS Congress
USS Congress (1841)
USS Congress — the fourth United States Navy ship to carry that name — was a sailing frigate, like her predecessor, .Congress served with distinction in the Mediterranean, South Atlantic Ocean, and in the Pacific Ocean...
. The Union ships were escorted by some gunboats and backed by shore batteries. Buchanan wrote later: "The general order under which the gunboat squadron went into action required that, in the absence of all signals, each commanding officer was to exercise his own judgment and discretion in doing all the damage he could to the enemy and to sink before surrendering." To support the CSS Virginia in this action, Capt. John Randolph Tucker, commanding the rest of the James River Squadron, ran past the shore batteries to join the battle, with the CSS Teaser "puffing with all the energy of a short-winded tug." They arrived just as the CSS Virginia had managed to sink the USS Cumberland.
The squadron immediately joined in the battle with the CSS Virginia against the Union blockade and shore batteries. One eye witness described the "little Teaser... pushed her way in between the Patrick Henry and Jamestown, and advancing close to the shore fired her one gun in face of the battery of sixty guns. Probably her insignificance saved her, for now every shot seemed concentrated upon the [Virginia]..." The Confederate squadron now concentrated their fire on the USS Congress and forced its surrender. When the Confederate ships charged with accepting the surrender and escorting the captured officers were fired upon by Union shore batteries, Buchanan then ordered another boat to burn her, with Webb's Teaser as cover. When they were also fired upon, Buchanan then ordered his men to destroy the USS Congress using "hot shot and incendiary shell".
The arrival of the USS Monitor
USS Monitor
USS Monitor was the first ironclad warship commissioned by the United States Navy during the American Civil War. She is most famous for her participation in the Battle of Hampton Roads on March 9, 1862, the first-ever battle fought between two ironclads...
on the following day resulted in the "world's first battle between ironclads". Neither the CSS Virginia, nor the USS Monitor suffered major damage. However, the Monitor's arrival forced the Confederate ships eventually to retreat without having broken the blockade.
Webb was reported later as "slightly wounded" during the battle. Buchanan took pride in his gunboats: "Their judgment in selecting their positions for attacking the enemy was good; their constant fire was destructive, and contributed much to the success of the day." The Confederate Congress also "thanked" Webb.
"Special duty"
During 1862-1863, Webb was stationed at CharlestonCharleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
station for "special duty." This term was typically used to denote activity that was of a secret nature. In this case, Webb was made commander of the "Special Expedition", a squadron of small boats manned by sixty officers and men, on February 19, 1863. The squadron was stationed behind Fort Sumter
Fort Sumter
Fort Sumter is a Third System masonry coastal fortification located in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. The fort is best known as the site upon which the shots initiating the American Civil War were fired, at the Battle of Fort Sumter.- Construction :...
in order to stop any Union ships that made it past the obstructions. What made this flotilla unusual, and hence its appellation of "special", was that the boats were armed with spar torpedo
Spar torpedo
A spar torpedo is a weapon consisting of a bomb placed at the end of a long pole, or spar, and attached to a boat. The weapon is used by running the end of the spar into the enemy ship. Spar torpedoes were often equipped with a barbed spear at the end, so it would stick to wooden hulls...
es, a highly controversial weapon of war that some considered "uncivilized". Webb assembled this squadron with a few cutters and a lot of canoes and skiffs, all armed with 20-foot long poles with a 60-pound torpedo.
The only thing the small flotilla was lacking were steamers and Capt. John Randolph Tucker
John Randolph Tucker (1812-1883)
John Randolph Tucker , who served as an officer in the navies of three nations, was born in Alexandria, Virginia...
ordered Webb to contact a local merchant and acquire the steamers "quietly and pleasantly if possible" or seize them, if not.
While present when Admiral Du Pont
Samuel Francis du Pont
Samuel Francis Du Pont was an American naval officer who achieved the rank of Rear Admiral in the United States Navy, and a member of the prominent Du Pont family; he was the only member of his generation to use a capital D...
's fleet crossed the Charleston Bar
Charleston Bar
Charleston Bar is a series of submerged shoals lying about eight miles southeast of Charleston, South Carolina, United States.-See also:* Battle of Sullivan's Island...
on April 6, 1863, Webb's squadron was not called into action that day. Eager to make use of the torpedoes, Tucker, Gen. Beauregard and Webb hatched a plan on April 10 that would "shake Abolitiondom to [its] foundation." They decided to attack each of the seven Union ironclads by three torpedo boats, but in the several days it took to get the extra boats required, the Union ironclads had left Charleston.
CSS Atlanta
Josiah Tattnall
Commodore Josiah Tattnall, Jr. was an officer in the United States Navy during the War of 1812, the Second Barbary War, and the Mexican-American War. He later served in the Confederate Navy during the American Civil War....
, Flag Officer
Flag Officer
A flag officer is a commissioned officer in a nation's armed forces senior enough to be entitled to fly a flag to mark where the officer exercises command. The term usually refers to the senior officers in an English-speaking nation's navy, specifically those who hold any of the admiral ranks; in...
commanded the southern region of the Confederate States, especially Savannah
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. He was expected to repeat his success commanding 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...
in crushing the wooden Union ships in the James River. Tattnall was handicapped in bringing this to fruition because of the blockade. In May 1863, Webb replaced Tatnall as commander of the CSS Atlanta ironclad, launched in 1862, and flag officer of the Savannah Squadron, with "the implied condition of his appointment being that he should 'do something' with her..." Webb proclaimed that "the whole abolition fleet" had "no terror" for him.
Considered by the citizens of Georgia to be the most powerful Confederate warship because of its fast speed of 7 knots, as well as its armament of four Brooke
Brooke rifle
The Brooke rifle was a type of rifled, muzzle-loading naval and coast defense gun designed by John Mercer Brooke, an officer in the Confederate States Navy. They were produced by plants in Richmond, Virginia and Selma, Alabama between 1861 and 1865 during the American Civil War...
rifles, the Atlanta was difficult to maneuver. Special difficulties were caused by its 16-feet draft
Draft (hull)
The draft of a ship's hull is the vertical distance between the waterline and the bottom of the hull , with the thickness of the hull included; in the case of not being included the draft outline would be obtained...
in the shallow waters surrounding Savannah. Another problem was the scarce airflow of its tight, armored roof, which caused profound heat and humidity. The Atlanta suffered profuse leaking. The ship's helm
Ship's wheel
A ship's wheel is the modern method of adjusting the angle of a boat or ship's rudder in order to cause the vessel to change its course. Together with the rest of the steering mechanism it forms part of the helm. It is typically connected to a mechanical, electric servo, or hydraulic system...
was already difficult to steer because it was simply unwieldy: the ship frequently stalled into sand banks along the side of the river. Webb marshaled the CSS Atlanta, though, removing the boat of unnecessary comfort - including sanitation and ventilation, as well as fully outfitting it with weaponry. Webb also had to deal with inexperienced sailors, most of whom were recruited from the Confederate Army around the mountainous regions of Georgia. For instance, his pilots arrived just two weeks before the ship engaged in the Battle of Wassaw Sound
Battle of Wassaw Sound
The Battle of Wassaw Sound was an American Civil War naval battle between the Confederate ram CSS Atlanta and the Passaic-class ironclad monitors USS Weehawken and USS Nahant, which took place on 17 June 1863 in Wassaw Sound, a bay in the present day state of Georgia...
.
Although beset by problems, Webb was still excited about his prospects. He formulated ambitiously elaborate plans for the CSS Atlanta
CSS Savannah (ironclad)
CSS Savannah was a Richmond-class casemate ironclad in the Confederate States Navy during the American Civil War.Savannah was built by H. F. Willink for the Confederacy at Savannah, Georgia in 1863. On June 30, 1863 she was transferred to naval forces in the Savannah River under the command of Flag...
ironclad. Webb, however, waged action in Wassaw Sound
Wassaw Sound
Wassaw Sound is a bay of the Atlantic Ocean on the coast of Georgia, United States near Savannah where which the Wilmington River flows.-American Civil War naval battle:...
against orders on June 17, 1863. He was escorted by two wooden steamers, the CSS Isondiga
CSS Isondiga
CSS Isondiga was a small wooden gunboat without masts that served in the Confederate States Navy during the American Civil War.Isondiga operated in waters around Savannah, Georgia, and in Saint Augustine Creek, Florida, from April 1863 to December 1864, Lieutenant Joel S. Kennard commanding...
and the CSS Resolute
CSS Resolute
CSS Resolute was a tugboat built in 1858 at Savannah Georgia as the Ajax which served in the Confederate States Navy during the American Civil War....
. A percussion torpedo was attached to a large, projecting ram, which Webb later described: "I knew [it] should do its work to my entire satisfaction, should I but be able to touch the Weehawken."
John Rodgers (naval officer, Civil War)
John Rodgers was an admiral in the United States Navy.-Early life and career:Rodgers, a son of Commodore John Rodgers, was born near Havre de Grace, Maryland. He received his appointment as a Midshipman in the Navy on 18 April 1828...
in the USS Weehawken
USS Weehawken (1862)
The first USS Weehawken was a Passaic-class ironclad monitor in the United States Navy during the American Civil War.Weehawken was launched on 5 November 1862 at Jersey City, New Jersey by Zeno Secor & Company; sponsored by Ms. Nellie Cornstock; and commissioned on 18 January 1863, Captain John...
, escorted by the USS Nahant
USS Nahant (1862)
The first USS Nahant was a Passaic-class ironclad monitor of the United States Navy that saw service in the American Civil War and the Spanish-American War....
. The Atlanta suddenly ran aground and swayed at an angle which made it difficult to shoot. The USS Weehawken held fire until it was at 300 yards and then pounded the immobile ship, basically turning into target practice for the Union ship. After receiving five of the Weehawken
However, the news stunned the South and Webb faced criticism even after the war from experienced naval officers. He was brave, yes, but lacked good sense. Criticism also fell on Secretary of the Navy, Stephen R. Mallory for his policy of replacing older officers with younger ones and for not firmly opposing Webb in his decision.
The CSS Atlanta suffered the sole fatality of the battle, as well as 16 wounded. From 136 to 165 men were taken captive and moved to the ships USS Cimarron
USS Cimarron (1862)
The first USS Cimarron was a sidewheel double-ended steam gunboat of the United States Navy that served during the American Civil War....
and USS Oleander. These travelled to Fort Lafayette
Fort Lafayette
Fort Lafayette was an island coastal fortification in the Narrows of New York Harbor, built offshore from Fort Hamilton at the southern tip of what is now Bay Ridge in the New York City borough of Brooklyn...
, in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
harbor, and arrived in late June at Fort Warren
Fort Warren (Massachusetts)
Fort Warren is a historic fort on the Georges Island at the entrance to Boston Harbor. The fort is pentagonal, made with stone and granite, and was constructed from 1833–1861, completed shortly after the beginning of the American Civil War...
on Georges Island in Boston Harbor
Boston Harbor
Boston Harbor is a natural harbor and estuary of Massachusetts Bay, and is located adjacent to the city of Boston, Massachusetts. It is home to the Port of Boston, a major shipping facility in the northeast.-History:...
.
Fort Warren was a relatively modern jail where the prisoners were registered and photographed. However, they were deprived of blankets, food, and clothing. Among the captive sailors, there were 12 deaths due to injuries, as well as death by pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
and dysentery
Dysentery
Dysentery is an inflammatory disorder of the intestine, especially of the colon, that results in severe diarrhea containing mucus and/or blood in the faeces with fever and abdominal pain. If left untreated, dysentery can be fatal.There are differences between dysentery and normal bloody diarrhoea...
, caused by the poor conditions in which they were held. Three healthy crew members escaped. Webb was the first to gain parole
Parole
Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole . Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their...
, in September 1864, and was later exchanged in October of the same year.
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...
from October through November 1864. Webb was in command of the Richmond, when 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...
, of which Richmond was a member, during a routine patrol of the James River, were surprised on the morning of October 22, 1864, when the Union Army revealed their new battery at Boulware House, two miles from 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...
. To cover the retreat of the wooden vessels of the fleet, the flagship Virginia II
CSS Virginia II
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...
approached the battery, followed by the Richmond and 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...
, 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...
. 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 Richmond the results were favorable: her armor withstood the fire, though her smokestack was shot off.