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CSS Scorpion
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<h2 id="construction-and-characteristics">Construction and characteristics</h2> <p>During the <a href="/facts/American_Civil_War/A9FT3ksD">American Civil War</a>, the <a href="/facts/Union_blockade/B2WEqELQ">Union blockade</a> was slowly destroying the economy of the rebelling <a href="/facts/Confederate_States_of_America/jMSDM4q3">Confederate States of America</a>. The first use of <a href="/facts/Torpedo_boat/lPtPPLD2">torpedo boats</a> in attempting to break the blockade came in October 1863. The attack damaged a Union vessel, and the partial success led the Confederates to build additional torpedo boats. Multiple designs were used, including a group known as the <a href="/facts/Squib-class_torpedo_boat/JMLxqBdL"><i>Squib</i>-class</a> built at <a href="/facts/Richmond%2c_Virginia/RPT22L8B">Richmond, Virginia</a>. <a href="/facts/Lieutenant/G9BbvD6s">Lieutenant</a> Hunter Davidson playing a significant role in the design.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1"><sup>1</sup></a> </p><p>CSS <i>Scorpion</i>, one of the <i>Squib</i>-class, was constructed in late 1864, and was 46 feet (14 m) long, had a <a href="/facts/Beam_(nautical)/kG7egDLm">beam</a> of 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m), and a <a href="/facts/Depth_of_hold/b2XlMKqN">depth of hold</a> of 3 feet 9 inches (1.14 m).<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a> <a href="/facts/Tonnage/Nhp4wSQ4">Tonnage</a> for the class is unknown.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> The <i>Squib</i>-class ships were powered by two <a href="/facts/Oscillating_engine/YjD2U9Lx">oscillating condensing engines</a>, which had a 7-inch (18 cm) diameter <a href="/facts/Cylinder_(engine)/XlMRcfFl">cylinder</a> and a 6-inch (15 cm) <a href="/facts/Stroke_(engine)/whnTkDl3">stroke</a>, as well a single <a href="/facts/Boiler/uPqTq0I6">boiler</a>. According to a Union engineer, she could go at "a fair speed for a boat of her kind".<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> Her crew of five or six<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> operated steer gear that was located towards the front of the vessel.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> Her armament was a single <a href="/facts/Spar_torpedo/cW5mXnYa">spar torpedo</a> mounted to a spar shaft that measured 18 feet (5.5 m)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> or 16 feet (4.9 m) long.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> The spar could be raised or lowered by the ship's crew using a chain and tackle system.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> Thin plates of iron served as armor on the ships's sides.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="service-history">Service history</h2> <p class="note">Main article: <a href="/facts/Battle_of_Trent%2527s_Reach/KHuKp0ov">Battle of Trent's Reach</a></p> <p>After construction, <i>Scorpion</i> entered Confederate service with the <a href="/facts/James_River_Squadron/UodSPFLN">James River Squadron</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a> Under the command of Lieutenant Edward Lakin,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a> she performed guard duty in the <a href="/facts/James_River/v1b83Do9">James River</a>. Beginning on January 23, 1865, the James River Squadron began an offensive against the Union supply depot at <a href="/facts/City_Point%2c_Virginia/tyRePUQS">City Point, Virginia</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a> To reduce the chance of collisions in the narrow river, the wooden vessels of the fleet were lashed to the <a href="/facts/Ironclad/woAQJfj3">ironclads</a>. Overall, the Confederates had 11 ships present: three ironclads, three <a href="/facts/Gunboat/J8q4Iglu">gunboats</a>, three torpedo boats, and two <a href="/facts/Tender_ship/JxGjFeu5">tenders</a>. <i>Scorpion</i> was towed by the tender CSS Torpedo, which was in turn lashed to the ironclad <a href="/facts/CSS_Virginia_II/H1j3hbeY">CSS <i>Virginia II</i></a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14"><sup>14</sup></a> Moving during the night, the Confederate vessels passed a Union shore position known as Fort Brady, which fired upon them.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:15" href="#fn:15"><sup>15</sup></a> At around 09:00, the Confederate vessels reached Union obstructions in the river at Trent's Reach.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:16" href="#fn:16"><sup>16</sup></a> </p><p><i>Scorpion</i> was then sent forward to perform <a href="/facts/Depth_sounding/GjtKqKxa">depth sounding</a>, with a <a href="/facts/Maritime_pilot/awYfasC4">pilot</a> from <i>Virginia II</i> aboard. The pilot claimed that the channel was not open, but <a href="/facts/Charles_Read_(naval_officer)/Km4FgGoa">Charles Read</a>, who commanded all of the torpedo boats in the James River Squadron, found that a passage could be made; the pilot may have become unnerved by Union shore fire.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:17" href="#fn:17"><sup>17</sup></a> The ironclad <a href="/facts/CSS_Fredericksburg/xyPJt2Cw">CSS <i>Fredericksburg</i></a> then managed to clear the obstructions at around 01:30 on January 24. Read later took <i>Scorpion</i> to look for the gunboat <a href="/facts/CSS_Hampton/33tMXNcc">CSS <i>Hampton</i></a>, but after not finding her, took the ship to <i>Virginia II</i> to get a lantern for lighting the passage. <i>Virginia II</i> had run aground, and the same fate had befallen the ironclad <a href="/facts/CSS_Richmond/HlKKyu6c">CSS <i>Richmond</i></a> as well. The tender <a href="/facts/CSS_Drewry/H0BmfLzX">CSS <i>Drewry</i></a> then ran aground trying to free <i>Richmond</i>. Moving towards <i>Virginia II</i>, <i>Scorpion</i> ran into a <a href="/facts/Hawser/9y0v2ukU">hawser</a> strung between the former ship and the gunboat <a href="/facts/CSS_Beaufort/nlNuolnV">CSS <i>Beaufort</i></a>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:18" href="#fn:18"><sup>18</sup></a> losing her torpedo and spar in the process. Not long afterwards, she ran aground.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:19" href="#fn:19"><sup>19</sup></a> The torpedo boat <a href="/facts/CSS_Hornet/JMLxqBdL">CSS <i>Hornet</i></a> then ran aground trying to free <i>Scorpion</i>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:20" href="#fn:20"><sup>20</sup></a> The Confederate vessels that were not aground withdrew upriver before daylight.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:21" href="#fn:21"><sup>21</sup></a> At 06:55, the crew of <i>Drewry</i> was taken onto <i>Richmond</i>, and at 07:10, Union fire caused <i>Drewry</i> to explode. The force of the explosion knocked <i>Scorpion</i> downriver out of control; two men on board were killed and four others swept overboard.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:22" href="#fn:22"><sup>22</sup></a> After dark on January 24, Read tried to take <i>Beaufort</i> downriver to rescue <i>Scorpion</i>, but as <i>Beaufort</i> could not be controlled due to a strong wind, and a smaller vessel was sent to <i>Scorpion</i>. <i>Scorpion</i> was found to have taken on water, and after the Union illuminated the area with a <a href="/facts/Drummond_light/G68UglYM">Drummond light</a>, the efforts to rescue the vessel were abandoned.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:23" href="#fn:23"><sup>23</sup></a> She was later captured by Union forces,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:24" href="#fn:24"><sup>24</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:25" href="#fn:25"><sup>25</sup></a> and may have been burned.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:26" href="#fn:26"><sup>26</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:27" href="#fn:27"><sup>27</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="sources">Sources</h2> <ul><li>Campbell, R. Thomas (2000). <i>Hunters of the Night: Confederate Torpedo Boats in the War Between the States</i>. Shippensburg, Pennsylvania: Burd Street Press. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 1-57249-202-3.</li> <li>Coski, John M. (2005) [1996]. <i>Capital Navy: The Men, Ships, and Operations of the James River Squadron</i>. New York: Savas Beatie. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 978-1-932714-15-9.</li> <li>Pry, Peter; Zeitlin, Richard (1984). "Torpedo Boats: Secret Weapons of the South". <i>Warship International</i>. 21 (4): 384–393.</li> <li>Silverstone, Paul H. (1989). <i>Warships of the Civil War Navies</i>. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 978-0-87021-783-8.</li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>Pry & Zeitlin 1984, pp. 384–385. - Pry, Peter; Zeitlin, Richard (1984). "Torpedo Boats: Secret Weapons of the South". Warship International. 21 (4): 384–393. <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>"Scorpion". Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 27 February 2022. <a href="https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/confederate_ships/scorpion.html" target="_blank">https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/confederate_ships/scorpion.html</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Silverstone 1989, p. 219. - Silverstone, Paul H. (1989). Warships of the Civil War Navies. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-0-87021-783-8. <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Campbell 2000, p. 105. - Campbell, R. Thomas (2000). Hunters of the Night: Confederate Torpedo Boats in the War Between the States. Shippensburg, Pennsylvania: Burd Street Press. ISBN 1-57249-202-3. <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>Pry & Zeitlin 1984, p. 385. - Pry, Peter; Zeitlin, Richard (1984). "Torpedo Boats: Secret Weapons of the South". Warship International. 21 (4): 384–393. <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>Campbell 2000, p. 105. - Campbell, R. Thomas (2000). Hunters of the Night: Confederate Torpedo Boats in the War Between the States. Shippensburg, Pennsylvania: Burd Street Press. ISBN 1-57249-202-3. <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>"Scorpion". Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 27 February 2022. <a href="https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/confederate_ships/scorpion.html" target="_blank">https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/confederate_ships/scorpion.html</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>Coski 2005, pp. 125–126. - Coski, John M. (2005) [1996]. Capital Navy: The Men, Ships, and Operations of the James River Squadron. New York: Savas Beatie. ISBN 978-1-932714-15-9. <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>Coski 2005, p. 126. - Coski, John M. (2005) [1996]. Capital Navy: The Men, Ships, and Operations of the James River Squadron. New York: Savas Beatie. ISBN 978-1-932714-15-9. <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>Pry & Zeitlin 1984, p. 385. - Pry, Peter; Zeitlin, Richard (1984). "Torpedo Boats: Secret Weapons of the South". Warship International. 21 (4): 384–393. <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>Coski 2005, p. 125. - Coski, John M. (2005) [1996]. Capital Navy: The Men, Ships, and Operations of the James River Squadron. New York: Savas Beatie. ISBN 978-1-932714-15-9. <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>Campbell 2000, p. 111. - Campbell, R. Thomas (2000). Hunters of the Night: Confederate Torpedo Boats in the War Between the States. Shippensburg, Pennsylvania: Burd Street Press. ISBN 1-57249-202-3. <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:13"><p>"Scorpion". Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 27 February 2022. <a href="https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/confederate_ships/scorpion.html" target="_blank">https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/confederate_ships/scorpion.html</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:14"><p>Coski 2005, p. 198. - Coski, John M. (2005) [1996]. Capital Navy: The Men, Ships, and Operations of the James River Squadron. New York: Savas Beatie. ISBN 978-1-932714-15-9. <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:15"><p>Coski 2005, pp. 199–202. - Coski, John M. (2005) [1996]. Capital Navy: The Men, Ships, and Operations of the James River Squadron. New York: Savas Beatie. ISBN 978-1-932714-15-9. <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:16"><p>Campbell 2000, p. 111. - Campbell, R. Thomas (2000). Hunters of the Night: Confederate Torpedo Boats in the War Between the States. Shippensburg, Pennsylvania: Burd Street Press. ISBN 1-57249-202-3. <a href="#fnref:16" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:17"><p>Coski 2005, pp. 199–202. - Coski, John M. (2005) [1996]. Capital Navy: The Men, Ships, and Operations of the James River Squadron. New York: Savas Beatie. ISBN 978-1-932714-15-9. <a href="#fnref:17" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:18"><p>Coski 2005, pp. 201–203. - Coski, John M. (2005) [1996]. Capital Navy: The Men, Ships, and Operations of the James River Squadron. New York: Savas Beatie. ISBN 978-1-932714-15-9. <a href="#fnref:18" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:19"><p>Campbell 2000, p. 114. - Campbell, R. Thomas (2000). Hunters of the Night: Confederate Torpedo Boats in the War Between the States. Shippensburg, Pennsylvania: Burd Street Press. ISBN 1-57249-202-3. <a href="#fnref:19" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:20"><p>Coski 2005, pp. 201–203. - Coski, John M. (2005) [1996]. Capital Navy: The Men, Ships, and Operations of the James River Squadron. New York: Savas Beatie. ISBN 978-1-932714-15-9. <a href="#fnref:20" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:21"><p>Campbell 2000, p. 112. - Campbell, R. Thomas (2000). Hunters of the Night: Confederate Torpedo Boats in the War Between the States. Shippensburg, Pennsylvania: Burd Street Press. ISBN 1-57249-202-3. <a href="#fnref:21" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:22"><p>Coski 2005, p. 204. - Coski, John M. (2005) [1996]. Capital Navy: The Men, Ships, and Operations of the James River Squadron. New York: Savas Beatie. ISBN 978-1-932714-15-9. <a href="#fnref:22" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:23"><p>Campbell 2000, p. 114. - Campbell, R. Thomas (2000). Hunters of the Night: Confederate Torpedo Boats in the War Between the States. Shippensburg, Pennsylvania: Burd Street Press. ISBN 1-57249-202-3. <a href="#fnref:23" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:24"><p>"Scorpion". Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 27 February 2022. <a href="https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/confederate_ships/scorpion.html" target="_blank">https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/confederate_ships/scorpion.html</a> <a href="#fnref:24" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:25"><p>Coski 2005, p. 204. - Coski, John M. (2005) [1996]. Capital Navy: The Men, Ships, and Operations of the James River Squadron. New York: Savas Beatie. ISBN 978-1-932714-15-9. <a href="#fnref:25" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:26"><p>Silverstone 1989, p. 219. - Silverstone, Paul H. (1989). Warships of the Civil War Navies. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-0-87021-783-8. <a href="#fnref:26" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:27"><p>Pry & Zeitlin 1984, p. 392. - Pry, Peter; Zeitlin, Richard (1984). "Torpedo Boats: Secret Weapons of the South". Warship International. 21 (4): 384–393. <a href="#fnref:27" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>