USS Louisville (1861)

USS Louisville
History
United States
NameUSS Louisville
Ordered7 August 1861
BuilderJames Buchanan Eads
Cost$89,000
Laid downSeptember 1861
LaunchedOctober 1861
Commissioned16 January 1862
Decommissioned21 July 1865
FateSold, 30 September 1868
General characteristics
Class and typeCity-class ironclad gunboat
Displacement512 long tons (520 t)
Length175 ft (53 m)
Beam51 ft (16 m)
Draft6 ft (1.8 m)
PropulsionCenterline paddlewheel, two horizontal steam engines
Speed9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph)
Complement251 officers and men
ArmamentVaries (see section below)
Armor
  • Casemate: 2.5 in (64 mm)
  • Pilothouse: 1.25 in (32 mm)
Ironclad gunboat USS Louisville on the Red River

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.