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The Ship
At the outset of the Civil War the fledgling Confederate States Navy needed a number of ships. Much has been written about the monster ironclads and and deadly commence raiders used to good effect during the war by the South. However, the Confederacy also needed specialized craft that could do good work in the shallows and back waters of the Souths river highways. So in 1861 a small steamer Barataria (also spelled Barrataria) was converted for such use at New Orleans. The little ship was intended to carry an inch of armor over her vitals and carry up to three small guns. With her light draft of only 3.5 feet she could support Confederate operations around New Orleans and up river. But when that city fell to the Union in April 1862, the little boat would steam under a new flag.
The Union also realized the usefulness of such a craft as the Barataria and went about improving on the Confederate work. If the 1 inch armor had been incomplete, it was now fully fitted over her casemate, pilot house and engine room. In the casemate aft of the protected boilers, she mounted a single heavy 24 pound bronze howitzer on a pivoting slide carriage. This arrangement made it possible for the gun to swing around and shoot out either side of the casemate. On the for deck an armored bulwark was set up and a second howitzer mounted. Although more exposed, this forward gun could elevate to reach high bluffs along parts of the lakes rivers. An unarmored deck house with windows and skylight was built for the crews use when not in combat. At 125 feet in length, 26 foot beam and shallow draft, the little steamer could support Union troops inland just as she had intended to support Confederate troops.
After a year of doing her intended job of supply and support, the USS Barataria ran up on a snag in Lake Maurepas. She quickly came under a hot fire from Confederate irregulars, then regular Confederate Cavalry joined in. The Barataria's crew along with a company of Michigan troops on board put up a good fight as they tried to lighten the ship and float it off the snag. But as night came on, and the ship was still solidly grounded, Acting Ensign James F. Perkins had no choice but to fire his ship. He and his crew along with the Michigan soldiers quietly escaped downriver in the ships boats. A short time later the little boat that has sailed under both flags exploded and was no more.
The Union would build or convert many more steamers like the Barataria, called “tinclads” by their crews, and these steamers would help the North win the War.
This Model is a 1/250 scale model of the USS Barataria as she may have looked while in Union service. The deck house with skylight and folding iron bulwarks are conjecture, but such features were found on nearly every conversion the US Navy took into service. Paint color is also common for other tinclads in US Service. The model prints out on 4 parts paged. The test build was printed on 110 pound paper, however, lighter card stock will also work so long as the builder properly layers the heavier parts. Also included are seven detailed instruction paged and a cover page. Total parts count is approximately 220 parts with all options.