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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 Clifton (1862-1863).
Was the Confederate gunboat Clifton in 1863-64
USS Clifton, an 892-ton light-draft side-wheel gunboat,
was built in 1861 at Brooklyn, New York, as a civilian ferryboat.
She was purchased by the Navy in early December of that year and
placed in commission after conversion for combat service. Clifton
steamed from New York to the Gulf of Mexico in February-March
1862. In April she towed mortar schooners into the Mississippi
River and supported them as they bombarded the Confederate fortifications
below New Orleans. After the forts and city fell later in the
month, she operated with Rear Admiral Farragut's squadron during
its drive up the river to Vicksburg, Mississippi. There, on 28
June 1862 Clifton was damaged by enemy gunfire.
In October 1862, Clifton took part in the capture of
Galveston, Texas. She helped seize Fort Burton, at Butte a la
Rose, Louisiana, in April 1863. In mid-July, her crew assisted
in capturing the sailing bark H. McGuin. Later in the month
she fired on Confederate batteries on the Atchafalaya River, Louisiana.
On 8 September 1863, during a Federal attack on Sabine Pass, Texas,
Clifton grounded while under intense cannon fire and was
captured.
Entering Confederate service with the Texas Marine Department,
Clifton was employed as a gunboat for some months. On 21
March 1864, she ran aground off Sabine Pass while attempting to
run the blockade. After attempts to refloat the ship failed, Clifton
was burned by her crew to prevent capture by Federal warships.
This page features all the views we have related to USS
Clifton.
Click on the small photograph to prompt
a larger view of the same image.
Photo #: NH 63707
USS Clifton (1862-1863)
Watercolor by Erik Heyl, 1962, painted for use in his book "Early
American Steamers", Volume IV.
She was originally the civilian ferryboat Clifton, built
in 1861. After she was captured on 8 September 1863, she became
the Confederate gunboat and blockade runner Clifton and
was destroyed on 21 March 1864.
Courtesy of Erik Heyl.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 48KB; 740 x 415 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 59059
"Commodore Farragut's Squadron and Captain Porter's Mortar
Fleet entering the Mississippi River"
Line engraving based on a sketch by an officer of USS Mississippi,
published in "Harper's Weekly", 1862, depicting the
scene at the Southwest Pass of the Mississippi, circa 7 April
1862.
Features identified in the engraving's title lines include (from
left to right): Light-house on Southwest Pass; USS Colorado
(in left foreground); USS Pensacola on the bar; USS Westfield
(seen nearly stern-on); Porter's mortar fleet, heading up the
river; USS Mississippi on the bar; USS Harriet Lane
(side-wheel steamer at the rear of the mortar fleet); USS Connecticut
(in right foreground); USS Clifton; town of Banona.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 131KB; 740 x 560 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 59065
"Fire-raft Sent Down by the Rebels, April 17"
Line engraving published in "Harper's Weekly", 1862,
depicting USS Clifton playing a fire hose on the Confederate
fire raft, as it drifted past Union ships on the lower Mississippi
River on 17 April 1862.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 67KB; 740 x 270 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 59095
"Engagement at Butte la Rose"
Line engraving after a sketch by H. Holtz, published in "Harper's
Weekly", 1863, depicting the U.S. Navy gunboats Estrella,
Calhoun, Arizona and Clifton (listed clockwise
from lower right) engaging the Confederate gunboat J.A. Cotton
off Butte a la Rose, Louisiana, on 20 April 1863. Confederate
Fort Burton (shown at left) was captured on the same day.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 111KB; 740 x 305 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 59143
"The Disabling and Capture of the Federal Gunboats 'Sachem'
and 'Clifton', in the Attack on Sabine Pass, Texas, September
8th, 1863."
Line engraving published in "The Soldier in our Civil War",
Volume II. USS Clifton is shown to the left, aground and
returning fire from the Confederate fortifications. USS Sachem
is at the right.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 127KB; 740 x 565 pixels |
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Page made 11 November 2001