CSS Palmetto State - Page 2

**Ironcladman** · #11 03-23-2011, 03:09 PM

Hi,

Ok, here is a new pic of the version of top I think the CSS Palmetto State would have had according to all the information available and input.

I added the smokestack, hatches and grates. I don't know if they are correct since the pic I started with is a nice pic, but it has alot of errors. That is what got me diggin. So anybody got the original plans for the CSS Palmetto State or CSS Chicora. .....Raliegh, Charleston, heck all ironclads I want them all!

I have started the CSS Chicora, it will have the semi rectangular top. Will be posting that soon.

I also have a question about the length of these two, what were they? I have conflicting info that the CSS Palmetto State was ~170' or 150', and the CSS Chicora was 150'. In the paintings and drawings the CSS Palmetto State is always longer than the CSS Chicora.

Ok, back to the lab!

**paperboy** · #12 03-24-2011, 01:15 AM

I like the last view of the Palmetto State. I think thats probably the best guesstimation possible. Chicora supposedly had a square casemate and the pilot house was up front of the stack re: Porters plans. I read somewhere that the 150 Ft was from stem to sternpost with the overall length 160 to 170 ft. Does that coorespond to your information? Have you seen the drawing of Charlestons torpedo boom? If not I'll scan it from CMH by Coker and post it. Keep up the good work and I will get the plans together for you. When you're through with them if others want them pass them along to anyone in the forum and they can be of service to all here. I have Arkansas and I think Fredricksburg. It's been so long since I've pulled them from the tube.

The Paperboy

**Ironcladman** · #13 03-24-2011, 12:16 PM

Hi,

Well, from all available information, documentation, drawings, paintings, pics, and plans, this would be the most accurate depiction of the CSS Palmetto State.

I will be building the CSS Chicora upon the last veiw with the semi rectangular top, all the documentation shows that is what it would have been like.

Yes, that is probably what the differences in length info I have found is from, but if you look at the drawings and paintings from back then they do always show the CSS Palmetto State to be longer than the CSS Chicora. So that bugs me.

A question for everyone, were these two ironclads built from the ground up or were they converts from another ship? That will give information about the hulls and lengths if they were converts of another ship.....if they were ground up builds then the lengths are still questionable.

Like the CSS Virginia was built on top of the hull of the USS Merrimack so we can use the plans of the USS Merrimack to get accurate length, and plans for the hull.....not to mention there are plans of the CSS Virginia conversion.

Quote:

Originally Posted by paperboy

I like the last view of the Palmetto State. I think thats probably the best guesstimation possible. Chicora supposedly had a square casemate and the pilot house was up front of the stack re: Porters plans. I read somewhere that the 150 Ft was from stem to sternpost with the overall length 160 to 170 ft. Does that coorespond to your information? Have you seen the drawing of Charlestons torpedo boom? If not I'll scan it from CMH by Coker and post it. Keep up the good work and I will get the plans together for you. When you're through with them if others want them pass them along to anyone in the forum and they can be of service to all here. I have Arkansas and I think Fredricksburg. It's been so long since I've pulled them from the tube.

The Paperboy

**Ironcladman** · #14 03-24-2011, 12:28 PM

Hi,

The boom would be good too!

Quote:

Originally Posted by paperboy

I like the last view of the Palmetto State. I think thats probably the best guesstimation possible. Chicora supposedly had a square casemate and the pilot house was up front of the stack re: Porters plans. I read somewhere that the 150 Ft was from stem to sternpost with the overall length 160 to 170 ft. Does that coorespond to your information? Have you seen the drawing of Charlestons torpedo boom? If not I'll scan it from CMH by Coker and post it. Keep up the good work and I will get the plans together for you. When you're through with them if others want them pass them along to anyone in the forum and they can be of service to all here. I have Arkansas and I think Fredricksburg. It's been so long since I've pulled them from the tube.

The Paperboy

**Ironcladman** · #15 03-24-2011, 12:39 PM

Hi,

Kazziga!!!!! I downloaded that PDF you spoke of and got it to open with a newer version of adobe and OMG! look at Porter's Harbor Defense ship and then look at my 1861 Norris II ironclad I am building as a modification from the 1861 Norris gunboat that CT did.....I have never seen the Harbor Defense ship, and was just imagining what a simple mass production ironclad could be like.....the similarities are juzzzzzz freaky!

PS I will be buildin this Harbor Defense cause it's cool!

**paperboy** · #16 03-24-2011, 08:06 PM

Both ironclads were purpose built though used boilers from other ships. The Palmetto State was begun first at Marsh and
Sons shipyard at the foot of Market Street in Charleston A second ironclad was then begun at Eason Shipyard located at the foot of Exchange Street. This shipyard was considered the State of SC's shipyard.Chicora was launched on 8/23/62 and commissioned in Saptember. These 2 ironclads were built from John Portes plans for the socalled Richmond class ironclad. The ships recieved plating from Tredegar mill in the form of 25 ft long,7 inches wide and 2 inches thick. The armor was first laid hor then vert. The decks and to 5ft below the waterline had 1 in of armor. I was in error here thinking that the decks were unarmored and natural pine. The ships were armed with 2-6.4 Brookes fore and aft and 2- 8 inch Dahlgrens in broadside batteries. This info is from Charleston's Maritime Heritage by PC Coker. I'll post you some pics that I've found for you. Vernon

**paperboy** · #17 03-24-2011, 08:15 PM

Pics of Charlestons plan, Torpedo boom, cutout of Chicora and orig photo of Chicora.\

Note the cutout model of Chicora built by Coker who builds museum quality models has booms, cradles and davits as well as the signaling flags on the stack.

**Ironcladman** · #18 03-25-2011, 12:10 PM

Hi,

Super Dooper info, hey what is the ISDN of the books those come from. I have started a list of books on ironclads and want to put it on my website so people can use the interlibrary loan resources to get the books sent to there local library or on the internet. There are alot of good books out there, and I have bought many I have seen at the library.

I see I am going to have to redo me hulls on these guys.....I see by the drawing why my measurements were not matching up because the bottom of the armor bands was inset to the prop post fore and aft.

I see many difference between the pic of the CSS Chicora and that guys model, but they are legitimate extrapolations of parts that would be there. Course as the picture says the "recently finished", so now that gives us license to add all the goodies!

The CSS Charleston plans are fantastiqcooooo!

That photo of the CSS Chicora has been mislabeled as other stuff on the net so many times as the CSS Palmetto State.

All the info is Super!

Quote:

Originally Posted by paperboy

Pics of Charlestons plan, Torpedo boom, cutout of Chicora and orig photo of Chicora.\

Note the cutout model of Chicora built by Coker who builds museum quality models has booms, cradles and davits as well as the signaling flags on the stack.

**Kazziga** · #19 03-25-2011, 12:54 PM

The ISBN number for "Charleston's Maritime Heritage 1670-1865 an illustrated history" by P.C. Coker III is as follows:

ISBN 0-914432-03-6

I'm lucky to have my own copy

**Ironcladman** · #20 03-25-2011, 04:15 PM

Hi,

Why thankyou my good man! I will add it to the list!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kazziga

The ISBN number for "Charleston's Maritime Heritage 1670-1865 an illustrated history" by P.C. Coker III is as follows:

ISBN 0-914432-03-6

I'm lucky to have my own copy