150 Years Ago Today: November 9, 1863-- The Confederate Navy at Savannah

NOVEMBER 9TH:

Intelligence on Confederate ships in Georgia reached Union Army and Navy commanders. The CSS SAVANNAH, Cmdr. Robert F. Pinckney, had two 7-inch and two 6-inch Brooke rifled guns and a torpedo mounted on her bow as armament and two other torpedoes in her hold. Her sides were plated with 4 inches of rolled iron and her speed in smooth water was about seven knots.

The CSS ISONDIGA was a wooden steamer reported to have old boilers and "unreliable" machinery.

The frames of two other rams were on the stocks at Savannah, but no iron could be obtained to complete them.

The CSS RESOLUTE was thought to be awaiting to run the blockade and had been converted to a tender. All cotton in Savannah being transferred to Wilmington to run the blockade.

The CSS GEORGIA was a floating battery commanded by Lt. Washington Gwathmey, CSN, was anchored near Fort Jackson and reported to be a failure.

Such intelligence enabled the Union to constantly update the blockade. Obviously, with perhaps the exception of the CSS Savannah, there was no threat at Savannah and the fact that cotton was being moved to Wilmington meant that the port had successfully been closed.

--Old B-R'er