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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 Pittsburg (1862-1865).
Name also spelled Pittsburgh.
USS Pittsburg, a 512-ton Cairo class ironclad
river gunboat, was built at Saint Louis, Missouri. Commissioned
in January 1862 as part of the U.S. Army's Western Gunboat Flotilla,
she was damaged in action during the bombardment of Fort Donelson,
Tennessee, in February. After repairs, she took part in the successful
seiges of the Island Number Ten fortress in March and April and
Fort Pillow in May.
Late in 1862 and during the first part of 1863, following her
transfer from the Army to the Navy in October 1862, Pittsburg
participated in operations on the Yazoo River and Steele's Bayou,
Mississippi. In April 1863, she was one of the ships that ran
past the Confederate batteries at Vicksburg and attacked fortifications
at Grand Gulf. Pittsburg's later operations included participation
in the Red River expedition of March-May 1864. She was decommissioned
following the end of the Civil War and was sold in November 1865.
This page features views of USS Pittsburg and provides
links to pictures of her actions.
For additional images, showing USS Pittsburg's Civil
War actions, see:
USS Pittsburg -- Actions and
Activities.
Click on the small photograph to prompt
a larger view of the same image.
Photo #: NH 45557
USS Pittsburg (1862-1865)
On one of the Western Rivers, during the Civil War.
A second "City" class ironclad gunboat is at right.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 96KB; 740 x 525 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 59002
"Commodore Foote's Gun-boat Flotilla on the Mississippi"
Line engraving after a sketch by Alexander Simplot, published
in "Harper's Weekly", 1862.
Ships are identified below the image as (from left to right):
Mound City, Essex, Cairo, Saint Louis,
Louisville, Benton, Pittsburg and Lexington.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 78KB; 740 x 270 pixels |
 |
Photo #: 165-C-703
"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, Pittsburg 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.
Photograph from the Collections of the U.S. National Archives.
Online Image: 86KB; 740 x 620 pixels |
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Photo #: 165-C-702
"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, Pittsburg and Saint Louis.
Note flagpole in the left background.
Photograph from the Collections of the U.S. National Archives.
Online Image: 109KB; 740 x 620 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 59001
"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, Pittsburg and Saint
Louis.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 102KB; 740 x 410 pixels |
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The following photograph shows a replica of USS Pittsburg
during a parade in 1908:
Photo #: NH 91185
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Sesqui-Centennial, 1908
Civil War Navy veterans' float in the Sesqui-Centennial parade.
This float is a semi-scale replica of the Civil War ironclad
USS Pittsburg (1862-1865).
Collection of E.W. McMillin, donated by Mrs. M.R. Reardon.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 70KB; 740 x 455 pixels |
 |
For additional images, showing USS Pittsburg's Civil
War actions, see:
USS Pittsburg -- Actions and
Activities.
Return to Naval
Historical Center home page.
18 April 2000