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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060
Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIPS --
USS Choctaw (1863-1866)
USS Choctaw, a 1004-ton ironclad river gunboat and ram,
was originally built in 1856 at New Albany, Indiana, as a side-wheel
merchant steamer. Acquired by the Government in September 1862,
her conversion to a warship was begun using plans by Commodore
William D. Porter
but these were altered while work was underway. Commissioned in
March 1863, Choctaw was a singular-looking vessel, probably
the most imposing in appearance of any of her Mississippi Squadron
contemporaries. In actuality, however, she was weakly-armored
and very slow.
Choctaw's operational career began with a bombardment
of Haynes' Bluff, on the Yazoo River, Mississippi, in late April
and early May 1863. She was hit 53 times in this action, with
many shots penetrating her armor, but casualties among her crew
were light. Later in May, she participated in the capture of Yazoo
City and the destruction of the Confederate Navy Yard there. In
March-May 1864, Choctaw was part of the large Naval force
that took part in a major campaign on the Red River, in Louisiana.
She was decommissioned in July 1865, after the end of the Civil
War, and was sold in March 1866.
This page features all our views of USS Choctaw.
Click on the small photograph to prompt
a larger view of the same image.
Photo #: NH 55218
USS Choctaw (1863-1866)
Off Vicksburg, Mississippi, in 1863-65.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 98KB; 740 x 620 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 55219
USS Choctaw (1863-1866)
Off Vicksburg, Mississippi, in 1863-65.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 76KB; 740 x 515 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 55215
USS Choctaw (1863-1866)
Photographed in the Western Rivers region during the Civil War,
with her crew's laundry drying from a line rigged from the foremast
to the bow.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 133KB; 740 x 615 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 55216
USS Choctaw (1863-1866)
With a tug by her stern, in the Mississippi River area during
1863-65.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 69KB; 740 x 475 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 55217
USS Choctaw (1863-1866)
In the Mississippi River area, 1863-65, with a tug astern.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 48KB; 740 x 320 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 58714
"The Western Iron-clad Gun-boat Ram 'Lafayette'"
Line engraving published in "Harper's Weekly", 1863.
It actually depicts USS Choctaw (1863-1866), not USS Lafayette.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 119KB; 740 x 395 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 42283
"A Gun-boat and Mortar-boat"
Line engraving from a 19th Century publication. It depicts the river ironclad USS Choctaw (1863-1866), at right, with a mortar schooner.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 173KB; 740 x 510 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 55576
USS Choctaw (1863-1866)
Crewmen on deck amidships, in 1863-65.
This view looks forward from in front of the pilothouse, with
the starboard smokestack in the left background. The name "Choctaw"
is visible on the cap ribbons of some of these men.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 96KB; 740 x 575 pixels
Note: This image has been published (most notably
in Miller's "Photographic History of the Civil War",
Volume 6, page 211, as representing the crew of USS Lafayette.
Ship structure and cap ribbons prove conclusively that it shows
crewmen on USS Choctaw. |
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Photo #: NH 55577
USS Choctaw (1863-1866)
Crewmen on deck amidships, in 1863-65.
This view looks forward from in front of the pilothouse, with
the starboard smokestack in the left center background. The name
"Choctaw" is visible on the cap ribbons of some of
these men.
Collection of Rear Admiral Ammen C. Farenholt, USN(MC), 1935.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 121KB; 740 x 585 pixels
Note: This image has been published (most notably
in Miller's "Photographic History of the Civil War",
Volume 6, page 210, as representing the crew of USS Carondelet.
Ship structure and cap ribbons prove conclusively that it shows
crewmen on USS Choctaw. |
 |
Note: Photo # NH 58716, identified in its original caption as USS Choctaw, actually represents USS Lafayette (1863-1866).
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Page made 24 June 2000
New image added 22 February 2002