When the Civil War Began, the Confederacy did not have enough gunboats. In response to this shortage, steamboats were armed and lined with bales of cotton to protect gunners, the crew, and important machinery. These ships were known as "cottonclads." Bales of cotton were difficult for the weapons of the time to penetrate, so they provided some protection, although not as much as the northern "ironclads." At the First Battle of Sabine Pass (January 21, 1863), the Davis Guards distinguished themselves from aboard the CSS Josiah H. Bell, a steamship which had been fitted out as a cottonclad | Creator: David Matheson | Source: "Colonel Ellet's Ram Fleet, 1862"
Line engraving published in Harper's WeeklyDownload Original File
Creator
David Matheson
Source
"Colonel Ellet's Ram Fleet, 1862"
Line engraving published in Harper's Weekly
