The CSS J. A. Cotton was a Confederate gunboat that operated during the American Civil War. Originally a commercial side-wheel steamer built in 1858 at Jeffersonville, Indiana, it was pressed into service by the Confederate States Navy in 1862 to defend the waterways of southern Louisiana.
Construction and Specifications The vessel was a wooden-hulled steamboat characterized as a "cottonclad" gunboat. To provide protection against small arms and light artillery, its upper works were reinforced with compressed cotton bales and, in some sections, thin iron plating. Its armament typically consisted of one 32-pounder smoothbore gun and two 24-pounder rifled guns, though accounts of its specific battery vary across different points of its service.
Service History The CSS J. A. Cotton primarily operated in the Bayou Teche and Atchafalaya River regions. Under the command of Captain Edward W. Fuller, the vessel became a significant obstacle for Union naval and land forces attempting to gain control of the Louisiana interior.
In November 1862, the ship engaged four Union gunboats—the Kinsman, Estrella, Starlight, and Diana—near Cornay's Bridge. Despite being outgunned, the J. A. Cotton used its maneuverability and the narrow confines of the bayou to force a Union withdrawal.
Battle of Bayou Teche and Loss The vessel’s final engagement occurred during the Battle of Bayou Teche in January 1863. On January 14, Union forces under Brigadier General Godfrey Weitzel, supported by a fleet of gunboats, launched a concerted attack to destroy the J. A. Cotton. During several hours of heavy combat, the ship sustained significant damage and suffered casualties among its crew, including the wounding of Captain Fuller.
Although the J. A. Cotton remained afloat at the end of the day, its engines were badly damaged and it had nearly exhausted its ammunition. On the morning of January 15, 1863, the Confederate crew moved the ship into the middle of the channel and set it on fire to prevent its capture and to create a navigational hazard for the pursuing Union fleet. The wreck remained a submerged obstacle in the Bayou Teche for many years following the conflict.
