CSS Selma (1861-64), named Florida in 1861-62.---Later named USS Selma (1864-65).
CSS Selma, 320-ton side-wheel gunboat, was built in 1856 at Mobile, Alabama, as the civilian coastal steamer Florida. Taken over by the Confederate Government in April 1861, she was converted to a war ship, retaining the name Florida. She served in New Orleans, Lake Ponchatrain, Mississippi sound and Mobile Bay areas throughout her career, successfully engaging the USS Massachusetts on 19 October 1861 and the USS Montgomery on 4 December that year. The gunboat was renamed Selma in July 1862. She was sunk by a snag near Mobile in February 1863, but was quickle repaired and returned to service. During the battle of Mobile Bay on Aug. 5th 1864, Selma, commanded by 1st Lt. Peter U. Murphey, was one of three Confederate ships that joined CSS Tennenssee in fighting the Union fleet as it passed FT. Morgan. After the Union fleet had entered Mobile Bay, USS Metacomet was sent in chase of Selma. Following an hours pursuit, the Confederate ship was hit by gun fire and forced to surrender. Immediately taken into U.S. Navy service as USS Selma, she helped bombard Ft. Morgan later in August and served in the Mobile Bay until January 1865, when she was transferred to New Orleans, Louisiana. Selma decommissioned in July 1865 and was so;d to civilian owners. She thereafter operated as a merchant steamer under the same name. On 24 June 1868, the SS Selma foundered off the mouth of the Brazos River, Texas.
CSS Tennessee (1864-1864)
in the Battle of Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864
When Federal warships steamed into Mobile Bay on the morning of 5 Aug. 1864, Confederate Admiral Franklin Buchanan station CSS Tennessee, his flagship, and her unarmored consorts, gunboats Morgan, Gaines, and Selma at the head of the channel. as the enemy moved up, exchanging fire with Ft. Morgan, Buchanan's ships shot at them from ahead. The Union monitor
Techumseh, manuvering to engage Tennessee, struck a mine and sank, temporily throwing the Federal column into confusion. Rear admiral Farragut's flgship, USS Hrtford, forged ahead and drove off Confederate gunboats, but Tennessee remained in the battle zone, firing on the U.S. Navy ships as theyt passed and doing considerable damage the last in line, USS Oneida.
With the enemy safely inside Mobile Bay, Buchanan understood that the Confederate forts at the bay's entrance would soon be untenable unless the Union ships could somehow be destroyed. In a desperate, solitary effort, Tennessee, steamed toward Farragut's ships. As she slowly moved along, the sloops of war USS Monogahela and Lakawanna repeatedly rammed her, doing more damage to them selves than thier target.
When Tennessee reached the Federal anchorage area, she was also rammed by the Hartford and subjected to a terrific cannonade. The U.S. monitors Chickasaw and Manhattan then engaged her at close range with their heavy guns , while other Union ships fired from a distance. Tennessee's smokestack and most of her other exposed fittings were hammered away, furhter reducing her never very great speed; her gunport shutter chains were cut, closing her ports so the Conferederates could not shoot back; and her exposed steering chains were severed, leaving her unmanageable. The Manhattan blew a hole in Tennessee's armor with her massive 15 inch gun. The twin turret monitor Chickasaw stationed herself off the beleagered ships stern, firing her 11 inch guns "like pocket pistols" and seriously weakening the after end of Tennessee's armored casemate.
With his flagship unable to fire her guns, steam or steer, and with the collapse of the casemate seemingly imminent, Admiral Buchannan, who had been wounded in the battle, authorized her surrender. The ship's Commanding Officer, Commander James D. Johnston poked a white flag up from the casemate. Firing soon ceased, though USS Ossipee, coming on fast in another ramming attempt and unable to stop in time, struck a post surrender blow. Federal Navy officers soon took possession of thier battered prize, effectively concluding the Battle of Mobile Bay.
