United States Ram Fleet

United States Ram Fleet
Side Wheel Ram
Active	1862 - 1864
Country	United States
Branch	United States Army
Commanders
Notable commanders	Charles Ellet, Jr. - Alfred W. Ellet

The United States Ram Fleet was a small group of rams on the Mississippi River during the American Civil War.

Formation

In March 1862, the U.S. Army authorized the noted civil engineer Charles Ellet, Jr., to establish a flotilla of steam rams for employment on the Western Rivers. Ellet converted several powerful river towboats, heavily reinforcing their hulls for ramming. These ships had light protection for their boilers, engines and upper works (upper works were protected with wood and cotton). They were originally given no artillery, later they were fitted with several guns. With the rank of colonel, Ellet led his force in action during the Battle of Memphis on June 6, 1862, where rams played an important role in the Union victory against the Confederate River Defense Fleet. However, Colonel Ellet died several days later of a wound received at that action.

Mississippi Marine Brigade

After Charles Ellet's death, his younger brother Alfred W. Ellet took command of the rams. The unit was reorganized as the Mississippi Marine Brigade in early 1863. Under the younger Ellet's leadership, the rams figured prominently in actions around and below Vicksburg, Mississippi, into 1863. Ellet's ram fleet was under the command of the army even after the transfer of the Western Gunboat Flotilla to the navy and was always somewhat independent of navy command. The Ellet fleet was disestablished in August 1864, and its surviving ships were transferred to other duties.

Ships

Line engraving published in Harper's Weekly, 1862, illustrating members of the fleet. Ships in the foreground are: Monarch (letter "M" between stacks), Queen of the West (with letter "Q") and Lioness (letter "L"). In the left background are: Switzerland (with letter "S" on paddle box), Samson and Lancaster.

The Ram Fleet included the following ships:

• USS Lancaster
• USS Monarch
• USS Queen of the West
• USS Switzerland
• USS Lioness
• USS Mingo
• USS Samson
• USS Fulton
• USS T. D. Horner

See also

• Union Navy
• Anaconda Plan
• United States Navy
• List of United States Navy ships

References

• Crandall, Warren D.; Isaac D. Newel (1907). History of the Ram Fleet and the Mississippi Marine Brigade in the War for the Union on the Mississippi and its tributaries : the story of the Ellets and their men. St. Louis: Buschart Bros.

External links

•  This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Naval History & Heritage Command.