USSBaron DeKalb

For other ships with the same name, seeUSS St. Louis.

USSBaron DeKalb
History
United States
Ordered	asSt. Louis
Builder	James B. EadsYard,St. Louis, Missouri
Cost	$89,000USD
Laid down	August 1861
Launched	October 12, 1861 atCarondelet, Missouri
Commissioned	January 31, 1862
Renamed	September 8, 1862 asBaron DeKalb
Stricken	July 13, 1863
Identification	Yellow band on stacks
Fate	Sunk bymine,July 13, 1863
General characteristics
Class and type	City-class river casemate ironclad
Displacement	512 tons
Length	175 ft (53 m)
Beam	51 ft 2 in (15.60 m)
Draught	6 ft (1.8 m)
Propulsion	steam engine- Center Wheel, 2 horizontal HP engines (22 "X 6" ), 5 boilers
Speed	9 mph (14 km/h)
Complement	251 officers and enlisted
Armament	(seesection below)
Armour	2.5 in (64 mm) on the casemates, 1.25 in (32 mm) on the pilothouse

USSBaron DeKalbwas aCity-class ironcladgunboatconstructed for theUnion NavybyJames B. Eadsduring theAmerican Civil War.

USSBaron DeKalb,named afterGeneral Baron DeKalbof Hüttendorf nearErlangen,in present-dayBavaria,was originally namedSaint Louis,and was one of seven City-class ironclads built atCarondelet, MissouriandMound City, Illinois,for theWestern Gunboat Flotilla.

These ironclads were shallow draft with a center drivenpaddle wheel.They were partially armored and slow and very hard to steer in the currents of rivers. This ironclad was also vulnerable to plunging fire and also by hits in their un-armored areas. Called "Pook Turtles" for the designer, they did yeoman service through four years of war and were present at almost every battle on theMississippi Riverand its tributaries.

Built in St. Louis, Missouri in 1861

Originally built asSt. Louis,the stern wheel casemate gunboat was built byJames B. Eads,at the Union Marine Works atCarondelet, Missouri,for theU.S. War Department.She was launched inSt. Louis, Missouri,October 12, 1861 and joined theWestern Gunboat Flotilla.

Civil War service

Assigned to Union Army operations

During 1862St. Louis,under the command ofLieutenantL. Paulding USN, was attached toRear AdmiralAndrew Hull Foote's squadron and participated in theBattle of Lucas Bendand thecapture of Fort Henryon theTennessee River(February 6, 1862). She served asflagshipfor the squadron when it assisted theUnion Armyat the capture ofFort Donelsonon theCumberland River(February 14–16, 1862). Between April and June 1862, she operated againstFort Pillow, Tennessee.

St. Louiswas renamedBaron De Kalbfor the Revolutionary War generalJohann de Kalbon September 8, 1862. This change was apparently in anticipation of the vessel's transfer from the War Department to the Navy Department, there already being aSt. Louisin commission with the Navy.

Reassigned to the Union Navy

On October 1, 1862Baron De Kalbwas transferred to the Navy Department. During December 21–28 she took part in the Yazoo Expedition and participated in the action atDrumgould's Bluff(December 28). Four ofBaron De Kalb'ssailors were awarded theMedal of Honorfor their actions in the expedition: Ordinary SeamanPeter Cotton,Captain of the ForecastlePierre Leon,Boatswain's MateJohn McDonald,and Boatswain's MateCharles Robinson.

During 1863Baron De Kalbtook part in the capture ofArkansas Post(January 10–11); expedition up theWhite River(January 12–14); Yazoo Pass Expedition (February 20 – April 5); action at Fort Pemberton (March 11–13); action at Haines' Bluff (April 29–2 May, May 18); action atYazoo City, Mississippi(20–23 May); and the Yazoo River Expedition (24–31 May).

Sunk by mine

On July 13, 1863Baron De Kalbwas sunk by amine(then called a "torpedo" ) in theYazoo River,one mile below Yazoo City, Mississippi.

Chronology

• January 11, 1862 against CSN vessels nearLucas Bend, Missouri.
• February 6, 1862 attackingBattle of Fort Henry, Tennessee.
• February 14, 1862 attackingFort Donelson, Tennessee.(Hit 59 times with severe damage).
• Repaired at St. Louis.
• February 23, 1862 attackedColumbus, Kentucky,a demonstration duringBattle of Belmont.
• March 15 through April 7, 1862,Battle of Island Number 10.
• April 13, 1862, attackedFort Pillow
• May 10, 1862, involved in theFort Pillow.
• June 6, 1862,First Battle of Memphisdestroying the Confederate Mississippi river fleet with her sister ships and several"Ellet Rams"
• June 17, 1862, participated in the expedition up theWhite River (Arkansas)bombarding positions atSt. Charles, Arkansas.
• September 8, 1862, rechristenedUSSBaron De Kalb.
• November 21 through December 11, 1862; Expedition up theYazoo River.
• December 5, 1862, captured the steamerLottie.
• December 28, 1862, bombarded the batteries atDrumgold's Bluff.
• January 10–11, 1863, took part in theBattle of Fort Hindman,Arkansas
• March 11–23, 1863, took part in theBattle of Fort Pemberton,Tallahatchie River
• May 18, 1863, took part in capture of Battle ofHaynes Bluff.
• May 19, 1863, captured the steamerAlonzo Child.
• May 20–23, 1863, helped destroy the Yazoo City Navy Yard.
• May 24–31, 1863, made an expedition up the Yazoo River.
• July 13, 1863, sunk by a torpedo one mile below Yazoo City.

Armament

32-pounder (6.5-inch) Dahlgren naval guns

Like many of the Mississippi theater ironclads,Baron Dekalbhad its armament changed multiple times over life of the vessel. To expedite the entrance ofBaron DeKalbinto service, she and the other City-class ships were fitted with whatever weapons were available; then had their weapons upgraded as new pieces became available. Though the 8 in (200 mm)Dahlgrensmoothbore cannons were fairly modern most of the other original armaments were antiquated; such as the 32-pounders, or modified; such as the 42-pounder "rifles" which were in fact, old smoothbores that had been gouged out to give them rifling. These 42-pounder weapons were of particular concern to military commanders because they were structurally weaker and more prone to exploding than purpose-built rifled cannons. Additionally, the close confines of riverine combat greatly increased the threat of boarding parties. The 12-pounder howitzer was equipped to address that concern and was not used in regular combat.

Ordnance characteristics
January 1862	October 1862	December 1862	Early 1863
• 3 × 8-inch smoothbores • 4 × 42-pounder rifles • 6 × 32-pounder rifles • 1 × 12-pounder rifle	• 3 × 8-inch smoothbores • 2 × 42-pounder rifles • 6 × 32-pounder rifles • 2 × 30-pounder rifles • 1 × 12-pounder rifle	• 2 × 10-inch smoothbores • 3 × 8-inch smoothbores • 2 × 42-pounder rifles • 6 × 32-pounder rifles • 2 × 30-pounder rifles • 1 × 12-pounder rifle	• 1 × 10-inch smoothbore • 2 × 9-inch smoothbores • 2 × 8-inch smoothbores • 6 × 32-pounder rifles • 2 × 30-pounder rifles • 1 × 12-pounder rifle

See also

• Union Navy
• Anaconda Plan
• Mississippi Squadron

References

• This article incorporates text from thepublic domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.The entry can be foundhere.

External links

• Pictures of USSBaron de Kalb
• Building the City Class Ironclads Documentary