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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIPS --

USS Choctaw (1863-1866)

USS Choctaw, a 1004-ton ironclad river gunboat and ram, was originally built in 1856 at New Albany, Indiana, as a side-wheel merchant steamer. Acquired by the Government in September 1862, her conversion to a warship was begun using plans by Commodore William D. Porter but these were altered while work was underway. Commissioned in March 1863, Choctaw was a singular-looking vessel, probably the most imposing in appearance of any of her Mississippi Squadron contemporaries. In actuality, however, she was weakly-armored and very slow.

Choctaw's operational career began with a bombardment of Haynes' Bluff, on the Yazoo River, Mississippi, in late April and early May 1863. She was hit 53 times in this action, with many shots penetrating her armor, but casualties among her crew were light. Later in May, she participated in the capture of Yazoo City and the destruction of the Confederate Navy Yard there. In March-May 1864, Choctaw was part of the large Naval force that took part in a major campaign on the Red River, in Louisiana. She was decommissioned in July 1865, after the end of the Civil War, and was sold in March 1866.

This page features all our views of USS Choctaw.


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.

Photo #: NH 55218

USS Choctaw (1863-1866)


Off Vicksburg, Mississippi, in 1863-65.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 98KB; 740 x 620 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 55219

USS Choctaw (1863-1866)


Off Vicksburg, Mississippi, in 1863-65.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 76KB; 740 x 515 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 55215

USS Choctaw (1863-1866)


Photographed in the Western Rivers region during the Civil War, with her crew's laundry drying from a line rigged from the foremast to the bow.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 133KB; 740 x 615 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 55216

USS Choctaw (1863-1866)


With a tug by her stern, in the Mississippi River area during 1863-65.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 69KB; 740 x 475 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 55217

USS Choctaw (1863-1866)


In the Mississippi River area, 1863-65, with a tug astern.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 48KB; 740 x 320 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 58714

"The Western Iron-clad Gun-boat Ram 'Lafayette'"


Line engraving published in "Harper's Weekly", 1863. It actually depicts USS Choctaw (1863-1866), not USS Lafayette.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 119KB; 740 x 395 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 42283

"A Gun-boat and Mortar-boat"


Line engraving from a 19th Century publication. It depicts the river ironclad USS Choctaw (1863-1866), at right, with a mortar schooner.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 173KB; 740 x 510 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 55576

USS Choctaw (1863-1866)


Crewmen on deck amidships, in 1863-65.
This view looks forward from in front of the pilothouse, with the starboard smokestack in the left background. The name "Choctaw" is visible on the cap ribbons of some of these men.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 96KB; 740 x 575 pixels

Note:
This image has been published (most notably in Miller's "Photographic History of the Civil War", Volume 6, page 211, as representing the crew of USS Lafayette. Ship structure and cap ribbons prove conclusively that it shows crewmen on USS Choctaw.

 
Photo #: NH 55577

USS Choctaw (1863-1866)


Crewmen on deck amidships, in 1863-65.
This view looks forward from in front of the pilothouse, with the starboard smokestack in the left center background. The name "Choctaw" is visible on the cap ribbons of some of these men.

Collection of Rear Admiral Ammen C. Farenholt, USN(MC), 1935.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 121KB; 740 x 585 pixels

Note:
This image has been published (most notably in Miller's "Photographic History of the Civil War", Volume 6, page 210, as representing the crew of USS Carondelet. Ship structure and cap ribbons prove conclusively that it shows crewmen on USS Choctaw.

 

Note: Photo # NH 58716, identified in its original caption as USS Choctaw, actually represents USS Lafayette (1863-1866).


If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


Return to Naval Historical Center home page.

Page made 24 June 2000
New image added 22 February 2002