Lancaster was a 257-ton side-wheel towboat built at Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1855. While in civilian use, she had also been named Lancaster Number 3 and Kosciusko. In March-May 1862, she was converted to a ram by Colonel Charles Ellet for his U.S. Ram Fleet. Lancaster was present in the background during the naval action off Memphis, Tennessee, on 6 June 1862, and subsequently took part in operations against the Confederate fortress at Vicksburg, Mississippi. On 15 July 1862 she was disabled in action with the enemy ironclad CSS Arkansas. Returning to the Vicksburg area after repairs, Lancaster joined her sister ram Switzerland in a daring run past the fortress on 25 March 1863. Hit in her steam drum and hull by Confederate cannon fire, Lancaster was sunk during this operation.
This page features our only views of the U.S. Ram Lancaster.
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
22 March 2000