V. H. IVY, see IVY VELOCITY Sch: t. 87; a. 2 12-pdr. how. VELOCITY was a British blockade runner captured by USS KENSINGTON at Sabine Pass, Tex., 30 September 1862 taken to Pensacola and Key West as a prize and finally returned armed as a blockader with two Dahlgrens. Recaptured by CSS BELL and UNCLE BEN in the same locality, 21 June 1863, VELOCITY is believed to have continued to serve as a gunboat; one of her guns was recognized by Union naval officers when captured two years later in the fast Confederate privateer schooner ANNA DALE (q.v.) by USS PINOLA, 19 February 1865, in Pass Cavallo, Tex., but when it was transferred from VELOCITY or for what reason has not been explained in available records. VICKSBURG, see LOUISVILLE VICKSBURG SwStr: t. 635 VICKSBURG, sometimes noted as CITY OF VICKSBURG, was built in 1857 at New Albany, Ind., and owned and home ported in New Orleans. With the coming of the war she was evidently seized or bought for use on the river. A report of 19 February 1862 tells of her carrying guns up river to the forts above Memphis. At Natchez, Miss. in May 1862, five Union ships were before the city. They had sent in a flag of truce. At this time, VICKSBURG came down river with troops for the defense of Natchez. Brig. General C. G. Dahlgren, CSA, was on shore at the time and fired a musket to warn her off. She put about and went up river, being chased by two shots from gunboat USS ONEIDA. VICKSBURG made good her escape. In July 1862 she was spotted on the Black River in company with a Confederate gunboat, probably carrying troops and supplies. Early next year, February 1863, she was "lying at the landing" of the city of Vicksburg. Admiral Porter ordered his ram QUEEN OF THE WEST to run the defenses of Vicksburg, and attack the steamer VICKSBURG in passing down. Under the daring and gallant Col. Charles R. Ellet, QUEEN OF THE WEST got underway, after delays, and early in the morning of 2 February 1863, came in sight of VICKSBURG. The Confederates opened a heavy fire on QUEEN OF THE WEST, which was partially turned to make a better angle to deflect projectiles. In so doing, way was lost and the current took charge. But, with guns shotted with incendiary projectiles, Ellet directed a fire on VICKSBURG and rammed her. "The VICKSBURG," reported Ellet, "was the largest and strongest steamer on this river, and I think they were preparing to use her against our transports, being very fleet." Deserters reported a large hole knocked in the side of VICKSBURG. She was discovered to be on fire, and only held afloat by being buoyed up with coal barges. Machinery removed, VICKSBURG remained at Vicksburg as a wharf boat. On 29 March 1863, Federal units were sent to quarters, just after midnight. A steamer had been reported coming down river. The weather was squally, and VICKSBURG had gone adrift. She passed by, "a harmless hulk," but was totally burned by three men who were seen chasing after her along the shore. VICKSBURG didn't die easily. The Federals sent a party to inspect the "totally consumed" hulk and found no machinery aboard. But, in December 1863, a report to Secretary of War E. M. Stanton gave intelligence of a "very formidable vessel" being finished near Mobile. Said the report: "This vessel is said to contain the machinery of the steamer VICKSBURG, which was taken overland from Vicksburg to Mobile. These engines were constructed partially under my superintendence at New Albany, when the steamer VICKSBURG was constructed, and I know the engine to be as powerful as any now on the Mississippi River." VICTOR, see RAPPAHANNOCK VICTORIA SwStr: t. 405; l. 222'; b. 32' 6"; dr. 5' 10" VICTORIA, built in 1858 at Elizabeth, Pa., served the Confederate forces faithfully as a transport in the Mississippi until 6 June 1862 when captured by Union forces under Commodore C. H. Davis after the battle of Memphis. Following capture she was used as a storeship, wharf and inspection boat, with name changed to USS ABRAHAM. SwStr: t. 487; dph. 9' 6"; dr. 8' VICTORIA, a seagoing steamer built at Mystic, Conn., in 1859, is cited in official records as owned or managed by Southern S. S. Co. at the outbreak of war and was one of 14 of their New Orleans ships inspected by Comdr. W. W. Hunter for possible conversion to a gunboat. Although he judged VICTORIA, "one of the best for that purpose we have inspected," there is no evidence of her being so altered or armed for river defense. Instead, VICTORIA put to sea as a Government-operated blockade runner under Captain Lambert and appears to have been successful in getting Texan cotton into Havana; she disappeared after the fall of 1862 but survived the war and was lost in 1866. VICTORIA (ex-LOUISIANA, ex-OSACCA) see under TEXAS (corvette) Page 579 VIRGINIA IrcRam: l. 275'; b. 38' 6"; dr. 22'; s. 9 k.; cpl. 320; a. 2 7" r., 2 6" r., 6 9", 2 12-pdr. how. CSS VIRGINIA was built at Boston Navy Yard as the frigate MERRIMACK, commissioned 20 February 1856, Capt. G. J. Pendergrast, USN, in command. Departing Boston she cruised in West Indian and European waters in 1856- 57. Following brief repairs she sailed in October 1857 as flagship of the Pacific Squadron, cruising the Pacific coasts of South and Central America until November 1859. Returning east she decommissioned at Norfolk 16 February 1860. On 20 April 1861 retiring Union forces burned MERRIMACK to the water line and sank her to preclude capture. The Confederates, in desperate need of ships, raised MERRIMACK and rebuilt her as an ironclad ram, according to a design prepared by naval constructor Lt. J. M. Brooke, CSN. Commissioned on 17 February 1862, as CSS VIRGINIA, the ironclad was the hope of the Confederacy to wreak havoc among the wooden ships in Hampton Roads and end the blockade's strangulation. Despite all-out effort to complete her, VIRGINIA still had workmen on board when she sailed out into Hampton Roads, 8 March 1862, tended by CSS RALEIGH and BEAUFORT, accompanied by PATRICK, JAMESTOWN, and TEASER. Flag Officer F. Buchanan, CSN, commanding VIRGINIA, singled out as first victim the sailing sloop CUMBERLAND, anchored west of Newport News, to test VIRGINIA's armor against a 70-pounder rifle. In taking position VIRGINIA passed CONGRESS and exchanged broadsides, suffering no injury while causing considerable. She crossed CUMBERLAND's bows, raking her with a lethal fire, finishing off the wooden warship with a thrust of her iron ram to conserve scarce gunpowder. CUMBERLAND sank with colors flying, taking 121 men, one third of her crew, and part of VIRGINIA's ram down with her. VIRGINIA then turned her attention to CONGRESS, which grounded while attempting to evade. Opening fire from a distance, assisted by the lighter ships of the James River Squadron, VIRGINIA forced CONGRESS to haul down her colors. As CSS BEAUFORT and RALEIGH approached CONGRESS to receive the surrender of her crew, Federal troops ashore, not understanding the situation, opened a withering fire and wounded Buchanan, who retaliated by ordering hot shot and incendiary shell to be poured into CONGRESS. The latter, ablaze and unable to bring a single gun to bear, hauled down her flag for the last time. She continued to burn far into the night and exploded about midnight. VIRGINIA did not emerge unscathed. Her stack was riddled causing loss of power-and she was initially underpowered. Two large guns were out of order, her armor loosened and her ram lost. Nevertheless, he went on to attack MINNESOTA, but because of depth of water could not close the range to do that steam frigate serious damage. VIRGINIA anchored that night at Sewell's Point for repairs. Flag Officer Buchanan was taken ashore to the hospital and Lt. C. ap R. Jones, CSN, who had conned the ironclad after Buchanan had been wounded, assumed command. On the following morning VIRGINIA returned to battle. In the night the Union ironclad MONITOR, after a hazardous trip from New York had arrived in the nick of time to save the fleet in Hampton Roads. The ensuing inconclusive battle, the first ever fought between powered ironclads, revolutionized warfare at sea. Flag Officer J. Tattnall, CSN, was ordered on 25 March 1862 to command in VIRGINIA waters with the ironclad as his flagship. She and USS MONITOR continued to checkmate each other for the next several weeks. However, MERRIMACK continued a major threat to Union military operations acting as an important deterrent to the Union Army's advance. When forced to evacuate Norfolk, the Confederates tried to take VIRGINIA up the James River but her draft prevented it. The crew ran her ashore near Craney Island, fired and destroyed her on 11 May 1862. [Before VIRGINIA II was built, CSS RICHMOND was constantly referred to by Union Officers in their dispatches as VIRGINIA II, VIRGINIA NO. 2 or MERRIMACK No. 2 and sometimes YOUNG MERRIMACK, NEW MERRIMACK or YOUNG VIRGINIA. The preceding VIRGINIA (ex-MERRIMACK) henceforth became VIRGINIA I.] "VIRGINIA", see GEORGIA (cruiser) VIRGINIA II IrcStSlp: l. 197'; b. 47' 6"; dr. 14'; s. 10 k.; cpl. 150; a. 1 11", 1 8" r., 2 6.4" r. CSS VIRGINIA II was laid down at the Confederate Navy Yard at Richmond in 1863. Acting Constructor William A. Graves, CSN, superintended her building, but in order to conserve scarce metal, shortened the casemate called for in the original Porter plans; armor was 6" thick on the forward face and 5" on the sides and after face. VIRGINIA II, Comdr. Robert B. Pegram, CSN, went into action on 21 June 1864 as flagship of Commodore J. K. Mitchell, CSN, during the engagement between the Confederate James River Squadron and Federal ships in Trent's Reach. On 13 August and 22 October Page 580 she exchanged fire with the enemy at Dutch Gap and on 17 August participated in the capture of Signal Hill. Her final action took place on 23-24 January 1865 when the Confederate squadron in the James River, 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. VIRGINIA II suffered damage which required extensive repairs. VIRGINIA II was one of the ships destroyed in the James River before the evacuation of Richmond, Va., on 3 April 1865. She was raised by the United States after the war. VIRGINIA II, see RICHMOND VIRGINIA NO. 2, see RICHMOND VOLUNTEER SwStr: t. 209; d. 5' VOLUNTEER, acting under orders of the Depot Quartermaster's Office, CSA, Natchez, Miss., to procure and transport forage, was captured 25 November 1863 off Natchez Island, Miss., by Acting Volunteer Lieutenant Pearce, commanding USS FORT HINDMAN. VOLUNTEER was purchased by the Navy from the Springfield, Ill., prize court and served as USS VOLUNTEER until sold at Mound City, Ill., 29 November 1865.