CSS Tennessee (1863)

The CSS Tennessee was a casemate ironclad warship built for the Confederate States Navy during the American Civil War. Launched in Selma, Alabama, in February 1863, she was considered one of the most powerful Confederate warships. Her construction faced numerous challenges, including material shortages and labor difficulties.

The Tennessee was designed with a heavily armored casemate, a sloping, armored structure that protected her vital machinery and crew. She was armed with a mix of rifled and smoothbore cannons, capable of inflicting significant damage on Union warships. Her engines, however, proved to be unreliable.

Her active service was relatively short but impactful. She played a key role in the Battle of Mobile Bay in August 1864, where she was commanded by Admiral Franklin Buchanan. During the battle, the Tennessee engaged multiple Union warships simultaneously, inflicting damage and initially holding her own. However, her engines ultimately failed, and after a fierce fight against overwhelming odds, she was forced to surrender. Admiral Buchanan was severely wounded during the battle.

Following her capture, the Tennessee was repaired and commissioned into the United States Navy as USS Tennessee. She served with the Union fleet for the remainder of the war and was eventually sold at auction in 1867. Her career, though brief, cemented her place as a notable and formidable warship in the history of naval warfare.