USS Louisville (1861)

History
United States
Name	USS Louisville
Ordered	7 August 1861
Builder	James Buchanan Eads
Cost	$89,000
Laid down	September 1861
Launched	October 1861
Commissioned	16 January 1862
Decommissioned	21 July 1865
Fate	Sold, 30 September 1868
General characteristics
Class and type	City-class ironclad gunboat
Displacement	512 long tons (520 t)
Length	175 ft (53 m)
Beam	51 ft (16 m)
Draft	6 ft (1.8 m)
Propulsion	Centerline paddlewheel, two horizontal steam engines
Speed	9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph)
Complement	251 officers and men
Armament	Varies (see section below)
Armor	Casemate: 2.5 in (64 mm) Pilothouse: 1.25 in (32 mm)

USS Louisville was a City-class ironclad gunboat constructed for the U.S. Army by James B. Eads during the American Civil War. (While initially owned by the Army, the City-class gunboats were commanded by U.S. Navy officers, and were eventually transferred to the Navy.)

Louisville was built at St. Louis, Missouri, by James B. Eads in 1861, under contract with the War Department for the price of $89,000. Designed by U.S. Navy "Constructor" (Naval Engineer) Samuel M. Pook, she was accepted 15 January 1862; and commissioned 16 January 1862, Commander Benjamin M. Dove, USN, in command. Despite being designed by naval personnel, budgetary concerns led the War Department to fund construction of Louisville with Army funds. As such, she was turned over to Army command upon completion and joined the Army's Mississippi River Squadron. Eventually the entire western river flotilla would be transferred to Navy command.