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NavSource Online: "Old Navy" Ship Photo Archive

USS Carondelet (I)

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Civil War Medal

Cairo Class Centerwheel casemate Iron-clad River Gunboat :

Built in 1861 by James Eads and Co., Mound City, ILL. for the War Department

Commissioned as an Army ship, 15 January 1862, at Cairo, IL., CDR. Henry A. Walke USN in command

Assigned to the Western Gunboat Flotilla (Army), commanded by Flag Officer A. H. Foote USN

USS Carondelet participated in the capture of Forts Henry and Donelson, Plum Point Bend, Fort Pillow and Memphis between January and October 1862

Engaged CSS Arkansas 15 July 1862 and was heavily damaged, suffering 35 personnel casualties

Transferred to Navy Department control, 1 October 1862

During 1863 USS Carondelet participated in the unsuccessful Steele's Bayou Expedition in March 1863 and the Siege of Vicksburg beginning in April

During 1864 she was part of the Red River Expedition and participated in the Bell's Mill engagement

During 1865 USS Carondelet patrolled the Cumberland River until decommissioned

Decommissioned, 20 June 1865, at Mound City, IL

Final Disposition, sold for $3,600, 30 November 1865, fate unknown

Specifications:
Displacement 512 t.
Length 175'
Beam 51' 2"
Depth of Hold 6'
Draft 5'
Speed 9 mph
Complement 251

Armament

six 42-pdrs

three 8" smoothbore

four 42-pdrs rifles

one 12-pdr howitzer

Propulsion

two Thomas Merrett, Cincinnati, O. horizontal non-condensing steam engines

five 36 inches x 24 feet diameter boilers

twin propellers

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
094613606	406k	*Namesake* Carondelet - formerly a separate village in St. Louis County, Mo., it is now a neighborhood in the extreme southeastern portion of city of St. Louis, Missouri. It was incorporated as an independent city in 1851 and was annexed by the City of St. Louis in 1870. Carondelet was named after Baron Carondelet, the governor of the Spanish colony Upper Louisiana. The community also held a number of names and nicknames over the centuries, including: Delor's Village, Catalan's Prairie, Louisbourg, Vide Poche, and Sugarloaf (Wikipedia) Photo ©Onegentlemanofverona, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons	Tommy Trampp
	104k	"United States Mississippi Gun-boats being built at Carondelet, near St. Louis, Missouri". Line engraving published in "Harper's Weekly", 5 October 1861. It depicts, rather inaccurately, the construction of four of the "City" class ironclads by James Eads, including *Carondelet, Louisville, Pittsburgh* and *Saint Louis. US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 59001*	Robert Hurst
	89k	"City" Class armored gunboats under construction by James Eads, at St. Louis, Missouri, prior to October 1861. This view shows four ships being built in pairs, at two levels on the shore, with casemate side timbers largely installed. Vertical timbers extending above the slanting casemate sides are framing for the ships' paddle-wheel boxes. The four ships of this class built at St. Louis were *Carondelet, Louisville, Pittsburgh* and *Saint Louis. Note building and flagpole in the right background, timber stockpile in the foreground, and twin rudder posts at the ships' sterns with the paddle raceway between them. U.S. National Archives. Photo #: 165-C-703*	Robert Hurst
	111k	"City" Class armored gunboats under construction by James Eads, at St. Louis, Missouri, prior to October 1861. This view looks along the main deck on one gunboat, with its boilers in the foreground and casemate timbers at the sides. Another vessel is beyond, with some spar deck beams atop the casemate side timbers and upright framing in place for her wheel box. The four ships of this class built at St. Louis were *Carondelet, Louisville, Pittsburgh* and *Saint Louis. Note flagpole in the left background. U.S. National Archives. Photo #: 165-C-702*	Robert Hurst
	166k	Wood-cut engraving "WAR IN THE WEST--THE NEW GUNBOAT FLOTILLA, COMMODORE FOOTE BUILT AT CARONDELET MISSOURI, FOR THE DESCENT OF THE MISSISSIPPI", published in "Frank Leslie's Illustrated" December 1861, Left to Right; USS Louisville USS Carondelet Transport, name unknown USS Pittsburgh Transport, name unknown USS St. Louis	Tommy Trampp
	142k	USS Carondelet operating on the Western Rivers during the Civil War. with an illuminated text describing the ship and her construction. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command montage photo # NH 85476 and NH 85478. Collections of the Navy Department, 1968.	Robert Hurst
	179k	"Battle of Fort Henry, 6 February 1862." Line engraving after a drawing by Rear Admiral Henry Walke, published in the "History of the Great Rebellion", by Harper. The print depicts the Federal gunboats USS Saint Louis, USS Carondelet, USS Essex and USS Cincinnati bombarding Fort Henry. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command photo #: NH 42336. Courtesy of Paul H. Silverstone, 1981.	Robert Hurst
	77k	"The Gun-boat Attack on the Water Batteries at Fort Donelson". Line engraving, based on a sketch by Alexander Simplot, published in "Harper's Weekly", 1862, depicting the bombardment of Fort Donelson, Tennessee, by Federal warships, 14 February 1862. Many of the ships were damaged in this action. As identified on the engraving, they are (from left to right): "Timberclads" USS Tyler and USS Conestoga; "Ironclads" USS Carondelet, USS Pittsburgh, USS Louisville and USS Saint Louis. US Navy History and Heritage Command photo # NH 58898.	Robert Hurst
	474k	"The 'Carondelet' Fighting Fort Donelson, February 13, 1862." The ironclad USS Carondelet attacks as a diversion during the Battle of Fort Donelson. Line engraving from a sketch by Rear Admiral Henry Walke, "Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, being for the most part contributions by Union and Confederate officers", p. 460, 1887, based upon the "Century War Series", volume 1. by Robert Underwood Johnson and Clarence Clough Buel. Walke commanded *Carondelet* in this action, the initial warship bombardment of Fort Donelson, on the Cumberland River, Tennessee. US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # NH 2035	Robert Hurst
	132k	Explosion aboard *Carondelet, one of Pook's Turtles, during the attach on Fort Donelson from Blockade Runners and Ironclads* by Wallace B. Black, 1997, page 27	Tommy Trampp
	132k	"The Gun-Boat 'Carondelet' Running the Batteries at Island No. 10." Line engraving from Admiral David Dixon Porter's "The Naval History of the Civil War" (1886), depicting the USS Carondelet steaming past Island Number Ten on the Mississippi River, during the night of 4 April 1862. A coal barge was lashed to her port side for additional protection. US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo #: NH 2038	Robert Hurst
	89k	"The Gun-boat 'Carondelet' Running the Rebel Batteries at Island No. 10" Line engraving, based on a sketch by Alexander Simplot, published in "Harper's Weekly", 1862, depicting USS Carondelet passing the Confederate fortress at Island Number Ten, Mississippi River, during the night of 4 April 1862. She was accompanied by a coal barge, lashed to her port side to provide additional protection. US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # NH 58889	Robert Hurst
	114k	"Bombardment and Capture of Island Number Ten on the Mississippi River, April 7, 1862." Colored lithograph published by Currier & Ives, New York, circa 1862. It depicts the bombardment of the Confederate fortifications on Island Number Ten by Federal gunboats and mortar boats. Ships seen include (from left to right): USS Mound City; USS Louisville; USS Pittsburgh; USS Carondelet; USS Benton; USS Cincinnati; USS Saint Louis; USS Conestoga. US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # KN 9691	Robert Hurst
	612k	USS Carondelet running the Confederate batteries at Island No.10. Drawn by Harry Penn, after a contemporary Sketch by Admiral Walke. Image from "Abraham Lincoln and the Battles of the Civil War", author unknown, pub., The Century Co., New York, New York, 1 January 1886.	Robert Hurst
	373k	"Battle of Fort Pillow, First position" Engraving published in Rear Admiral Henry Walke's Naval Scenes and Reminiscences of the Civil War in the United States ... (1877), depicting the action between the Confederate River Defense Fleet and Federal ironclads near Fort Pillow, Tennessee, 10 May 1862. Confederate ships, seen at right, include (from left to right): CSS General Earl Van Dorn, CSS General Sterling Price, CSS General Bragg, CSS General Sumter and CSS Little Rebel. The Federal ironclads, in the center and left, are (from left to right): USS Mound City, USS Carondelet and USS Cincinnati. A Federal mortar boat is by the river bank in the lower right. US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 2049	Tommy Trampp
	126k	"Brilliant Naval Victory on the Mississippi River, Near Fort Wright, May 10th 1862." Brilliant Naval Victory on the Mississippi River, Near Fort Wright, May 10th 1862 by the Union Flotilla of 6 Gunboats, commanded by Com. C.H. Davis, and the Rebel fleet of 8 Iron-clads, under Hollins. The action lasted one hour. Two of the Rebel gunboats were blown up and one sunk, when the remainder retired precipitately under the guns of the fort. Lithograph by Currier & Ives, New York, providing a curious (and quite inaccurate) view of the action off Fort Pillow in which the Confederate River Defense Fleet, under Captain James E. Montgomery, attacked Federal gunboats. The print identifies the following ships (from left to right): CSS Mallory (non-existent vessel), shown sinking); CSS Louisiana (an ironclad that had already been destroyed by this time); USS Cincinnati; USS Benton; USS Cairo; USS Carondelet; USS Saint Louis; and USS Conestoga. US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 42365. Collection of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, April 1936	Robert Hurst
	177k	"The Great Naval Battle before Memphis, June 6, 1862". Engraving after a sketch by Alexander Simplot, published in "Harper's Weekly", depicting the action between the Confederate River Defense Fleet and Federal warships off Memphis, Tennessee. In the foreground, the print depicts the Confederate ships (from left to right): CSS General M. Jeff Thompson (shown sinking); CSS Little Rebel (shown burning); CSS General Sterling Price; CSS General Beauregard (shown being jammed by the Ellet Ram USS Monarch; CSS General Bragg (shown aground) and CSS Colonel Lovell (shown sinking). In the background are the Federal warships (from left to right): USS Queen of the West; USS Cairo; USS Carondelet; USS Louisville; USS Saint Louis; a tug; and USS Benton. The city of Memphis is in the right distance, with a wharf boat by the shore. Harpers Weekly, 28 June 1862. Sons of the South - Memphis Naval Battle US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 58891	Robert Hurst
	76k	Painting by Tom Freeman of CSS Arkansas shaves the line between USS Carondelet and USS Tyler as she exits the Yazoo River, 15 July 1862. Photo courtesy Foro Militar General.	Tommy Trampp
	326k	Naval combat between the Confederate Ironclad �Ram� CSS Arkansas and the Union gunboat USS Carondelet at the mouth of the Yazoo River on Tuesday 15 July 1862 just after sunrise. The *Carondelet* was quickly disabled with a shot through her steering mechanism, causing her to run aground. The sketch was published in Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper.	Bill Gonyo
	100k	Photograph of USS Carondelet published in Rear Admiral Henry Walke's "Naval Scenes and Reminiscences of the Civil War in the United States ..." (1877). Note five-pointed star suspended between the ship's smoke stacks. US Navy photo # NH 63376 from the collections of the US Naval History and Heritage Command	Aryeh Wetherhorn
	75k	View of USS Carondelet from astern, tied up to the river bank, on the Western Rivers during the Civil War. US Navy photo # NH 49991 from the collections of the US Naval History and Heritage Command	Aryeh Wetherhorn
	76k	An 1883 print of the Civil War depicting Union gunboats USS Louisville, USS Carondelet, USS Pittsburgh and mortar boats in Deer Creek shelling a Confederate battery during the Battle of Steele Bayou, March 14 to 27 1863.	Tommy Trampp
	358k	"Admiral Porter's Fleet Running the Rebel Blockade of the Mississippi at Vicksburg, April 16th 1863." Text under the print's title reads: "At half past ten P.M. the boats left their moorings & steamed down the river, the *Benton, Admiral Porter, taking the lead -- as they approached the point opposite the town, a terrible concentrated fire of the center, upper and lower batteries, both water and bluff, were directed upon the channel, which here ran within one hundred yards of the shore. At the same moment innumerable floats of turpentine and other combustible materials were set ablaze. In the face of all this fire, the boats made their way with but little loss except the transport Henry Clay* which was set on fire & sunk." Ships depicted are (from the front to the rear: USS Benton (flagship); USS Lafayette with USS General Price alongside; USS Louisville; USS Mound City; USS Pittsburgh; USS Carondelet; transports SS Silver Wave; SS Forest Queen; SS Henry Clay; and SS Tuscumbia. Currier & Ives, New York. Courtesy of the U.S. Naval Academy Museum, Beverley R. Robinson Collection. US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # NH 76557-KN (Color)	Robert Hurst
	48k	"Attack on Grand Gulf," 29 April 1863, from Harper's Weekly. The attack by USS Benton, USS Lafayette, USS Tuscumbia, USS Carondelet, USS Louisville, USS Mound City, and USS Pittsburgh.	Tommy Trampp
	155k	"Battle of Grand Gulf, First position, R. Ad. D.D. Porter Commanding". Engraving published in Rear Admiral Henry Walke's Naval Scenes and Reminiscences of the Civil War in the United States ... (1877), depicting U.S. Navy ironclads engaging Confederate batteries at Grand Gulf, Mississippi, 29 April 1863. US ships present, as identified on the print, are (from left-center to right): USS Benton, USS Tuscumbia, USS Pittsburgh, USS Lafayette, USS Louisville, USS Baron de Kalb, (Identified in the engraving as *St. Louis) and USS Carondelet,. US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # NH 1852*	Robert Hurst
098677402	192k	Battle of Grand Gulf, Second Position. The Battle of Grand Gulf was fought on April 29, 1863, during the American Civil War. During Major General Ulysses S. Grant's Vicksburg campaign, Union Army forces had failed in attempts to bypass the strategic city of Vicksburg, Mississippi. Grant decided move his army south, cross the Mississippi River, and then advance on Vicksburg. Seven Union Navy ironclad warships commanded by Admiral David Dixon Porter bombarded Confederate fortifications at Grand Gulf, Mississippi, in preparation for a crossing of the river. Union fire was able to silence one of the two Confederate fortifications at Grand Gulf, but the position was still strong enough that Grant decided to cross the river elsewhere. USS Benton, mislabeled as Trenton USS Lafayette, USS Tuscumbia, USS Carondelet, USS Louisville, USS Mound City, and USS Pittsburgh. From p. 592 of the 1887 book 'Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, being for the most part contributions by Union and Confederate officers, based upon �the Century War Series"', volume 3. Uploaded by the British Library to Flickr	Tommy Trampp
	124k	Colored lithograph of USS Carondelet after a sketch by L.W. Hastings, USN, published by Middleton, Strobridge & Co., Lithographers, Pike's Opera House, Cincinnati, Ohio, circa 1864-65. The text below the image includes a list of Carondelet's engagements, from February 1862 to May 1864. Courtesy of the Navy Art Collection, Washington, DC. US Navy photo # NH 93893-KN from the collections of the US Naval History and Heritage Command	Aryeh Wetherhorn
	328k	Invoice of provisions delivered by paymaster Francis Hawley to the gunboat USS Carondelet. Listed are complete provisions for the ironclad including: beef, bread, sugar beans, pork, coffee, tea and more. It also has been signed by John McLeod Murphy commander of gunboat Carondelet on March 4, 1863.	Tommy Trampp