Major John Johnson Describes the Charleston Confederate Ironclads

From his book "The Defense of Charleston Harbor."  Pages 33-35

Two ironclad steamers were built in Charleston along the general plan of the the CSS Virginia with slanting casemate sides by the end of 1862.  They were intended for harbor defense.

The first launched was the CSS Palmetto State with iron plating four inches thick.It had an 80-pdr. rifle forward, a 60-pdr rifle aft and one 8-inch shell gun on each broadside.

The next was the Chicora, armed with six guns, two 9-inch  smoothbore and four 60-pdr. rifles.

Both were well built, but their steam power insufficient for the speed required of rams and their engines were constantly needing to be repaired.  Their crews numbered between 120 and 150.

--Old B-Runner