Shelby Iron Works Rolling Mill – 130 Years Later

From Ethel Armes Book,

The Story of Coal and Iron in Alabama:

” … Horace Ware had built at his furnace at Shelby a large rolling mill with a capacity of twelve tons of heavy and small-size finished bar iron. This was the first and parent rolling mill plant for Alabama. … On April 4, 1860, the mill engine was started and all the machinery properly adjusted, and on April 11th, 1860, this mill turned out Alabama’s first day’s product of finished bar iron, the beginning of an era in her history as an iron manufacturing state.”

Shelby’s rolling mill was destined to become Alabama’s major supplier of Confederate iron. The mill was destroyed on March 31, 1865 by troops of General Emory Upton’s Division of Wilson’s Cavalry Corps. It was never rebuilt.
In the Spring of 1994, Dr. Jack Bergstresser, Sr. PhD and a team of archeologists from PanAmerican Consultants, Inc. began a preliminary archeological investigation of a portion of the rolling mill. Joining in the dig were students of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and members of the Historic Shelby Association.
The excavation was funded in part through a grant from the Alabama Historical Commission and partial matching funds by the Historic Shelby Association.
The photo above is the measured drawing of the portion of the rolling mill that was excavated.

Tennessee Description and Battle Damage Report

The following Official Report was hand-copied by Assistant
Engineer Ezra Jabez Whitaker of the USS LACKAWANNA and is
graciously provided by his granddaughter, Sara Whitaker Hale.

United States Steam Sloop “Richmond”
Inside of Mobile Bay, August 13th 1864

Rear Admiral D. G. Farragut
Commanding W.G.B. Squadron
US. Flag Ship Hartford

Sir: In obedience to your order of the 6th inst. hereunto
appended, we have the honor respectfully to report that we have made a strict and careful survey of the iron clad casemated steamer “Tennessee”, captured from the rebels in the engagement in the bay, on the morning of the 5th inst. by the fleet under your command, and submit as follows, namely:

Description of Tennessee’s Hull

The hull of the vessel appears to be exceedingly strongly built in every part. the materials being oak and yellow pine, with iron fastenings. Length from Stem to Stern on deck, two hundred and nine (209) feet. Greatest breadth of beam on deck, forty eight (48) feet. Mean average draft of water about fourteen feet. The
deck is covered fore and aft with wrought iron plates two (2) inches thick. The sides of the vessel are protected by an overhang, sponsoned and covered with two layers of two (2) inch wrought-iron.
This overhang extends about six feet below the water line. The sides of the vessel below the deck are beleived to be eight (8) feet thick and the distance from the knuckle, or outside of the overhang on deck,to the base of the casemate on either side, is ten (10) feet.
The vessel is provided with a strong beak or prow, which projects about two (2) feet under water, formed by the continuation of the sponsoning and covered with wrought-iorn plates.

Casemate

The casemate of the vessel is very strongly built, It is seventy eight (78) feet eight (8) inches long, and twenty eight (28) feet nine (9) ins wide inside, the sides of the vessel extending ten (10) feet from it on either side at the greatest bredth of beam
The framing consists of heavy yellow pine beams, thirteen (13) inches thick, and placed close together vertically, outside planking of yellow pine, five and a half (5 1/2) inches thick, laid on horizontally, and outside of this horizontal planking, therethere is a layer of oak timber four inches thick, bolted on vertically, upon which the iron plating is secured.
The plating or armor of the casemate forward is six (6) inches thick, consisting of three two (2) inch iron plates, of about six (6) inches wide each, and abaft, and on the sides five (5) inches thick, consisting of two (2) two (2) inch and one (1) one (1) inch iron plates of the same width.
The yellow pine framing of the casemate is planked over inside with two and a half (2 1/2) inch oak timber laid on diagonally.
The whole of the armor plating is fastened with through bolts, one and a quarter (1 1/4) inch diameter, with washers and nuts inside
The casemate is covered on top with wrought-iron gratings, composed of bars two (2) inches thick and six (6) inches wide, laid flat, and supported on wooden beams twelve (12) inches square, and about five (5) feet distant from each other. Some of these gratings are ringed and fitted to open from the inside.
There are ten (10) gun ports in the casemate, two (2) in the broadside, on either side, three (3) forward and three (3) aft.
The forward and after ports, to port and starboard, are placed so as to enable the forward and after pivot guns to be used as broadside guns. The directly forward and after ports are on a line with the Keel.
The ports are elongated and made just wide enough for the entrance of the muzzle of the guns in training, and only high enough to allow a moderate elevation and depression of the gun.
The wooden backing is cut away on each side of the ports inside of the casemate, to allow the guns to be trained about one point forward and aft. The gun ports are covered with wrought iron sliding plates or shutters five (5) inches thick; those for the four broadside guns are fitted in slides, The sliding plates or shutters for the pivot guns are pivoted on the edge, with one bolt
that can be knocked out, detaching the shutter, if necessary, and are worked by a combination of racks and pinions.

Armament

The armament of the Tennessee consists of six (6) rifled guns, called by the rebels Brook’s rifles.
The two (2) pivot guns are 7 1/8 inch bore, and the four (4) broadside guns are 6 inch bore. These guns are reinforced abaft by two wrought-iron bands two (2) inches thick, respectively, weight of projectiles ninty-five (95) pounds and one hundred ten (110) pounds solid shot.
The pivot guns are fitted on wooden slides, with a rack let into them, On an arm attached to the carriage there is a pinion for running out the gun, and by raising the arm the rack is thrown out of gear to allow the gun to recoil.
The arrangements for working the battery, and the
impliments and machinery employed appear to be very good.

Quarters for Officers and Crew

The cabin is large and comfortable for an iron-clad vessel,
The ward-room is situated directly over the engine, and is open to it, and although sufficiently commodius, we are of the opinion that it would be impossible for officers or others to preserve their health or to live there comfortably for any considerable length of time, in the absence of a better and more perfect ventilation than is at present provided.
The quarters of the crew are excellent, and exceedingly comfortable for an iron-clad vessel of her description. These quarters consist of a roomy berth deck, with rooms fitted up on
either side for the junior officers.
The berth deck communicates with the casemate by means of a large hatch, and is provided with two large ventilators through the deck, outside of the casemate.
When in port, and in moderately smooth sea: it is believed that the berth deck will be found to be sufficiently well ventilated to ensure a reasonable degree of comfort to the crew: but when the ventilators are unshipped, it is believed that the one blower now on hand (and which is also used for forcing the fires) is not sufficient to produce a proper circulation of fresh
air.
The steering arrangements appear to be very defective, and the accommodations for the pilot and helmsman bad. These defects can, however, be easily remedied and at a small cost.

Machinery

The Machenery of the vessel consists of two geared non-condensing engines. Cylinders twenty-four (24) inches diameter and seven (7) feet stroke, with poppet-valves arranged as is the usual mode on
board of western river steamers
These engines were taken out of the river steamer called the “Alonzo Child.” They are placed fore and aft in the vessel, geared to an idler shaft by spur gearing with wooden teeth, and
from the idler shaft to the propeller shaft by bevel cast-iron gear.

Boilers

There are four horizontal flue-boilers, twenty four (24) feet long, placed side by side, with one furnace under the whole of them; the products of combustion returning through the flues are delivered into one smoke pipe. The engine and fire rooms are insufferably hot and very badly ventilated.

Injuries received in the action.

The injuries to the casemate of the Tennessee from shot are very considerable. On its after side nearly all the plating is started; one bolt driven in; several nuts knocked off inside; gun-carriage of the after pivot gun damaged, and the steering rod or chain cut near that gun. There are unmistakable marks on the after part of
the casemate of not less than nine (9) eleven (11) inch solid shot having struck within the space of a few square feet in the immediate vicinity of that port. On the port side of the casemate
the armor is also badly damaged from shot. On that side, nearly amidships of the casemate, and between the two broadside guns, a fifteen (15) inch solid shot knocked a hole through the armor and backing, leaving on the inside an undetached mass of oak and pine splinters, about three (3) by four (4) feet, and projecting inside of the casemate about two (2) feet from the side. This is the only shot that penetrated the wooden backing of the casemate, although there are numerous places on the inside, giving evidence of the effect of the shot.
There are visible between forty and fifty indentations and marks of shot on the hull, deck, and casemate, varing from very severe to slight; nine of the deepest indentations on the after part of the casemate, (evidently being eleven (11) inch shot) and the marks of about thirty of other calibres on different parts of
the vessel.
There are also a few other marks, being, however, merely scratches or slight indentations of the plate.
The smoke-stack was shot away, although it is not
improbable the heavy ramming by the Monongahela, Lackawanna and Hartford, had previously prepared it for its fall.
Three of the wrought-iron port shutters or slides were so much damaged by shot as to prevent the firing of the guns.
There are no external visible marks or evidences of injury inflicted upon the hull of the Tennessee by the severe ramming by the Monongahela, Lackawanna and Hartford; but inasmuch as the decks leak badly, and when there is a moderate sea running in the bay, her reported usual leakage of three inches an hour being now increased to five or six inches an hour, it is fairly to be
inferred that the increased leakage is caused by the concussion of
the vessels.
The Tennessee is in a state to do good service now.
To restore her to the state of efficiency in which she was when she went into the action with this fleet on the fifth instant, it will be necessary to overhaul much of the iron plating on the port and after sides of the casemate, and replace some of it.
The iron gun-port slides or shutters, which were damaged, must be either removed or repaired.
A new smoke stack is required, and additional ventilators should be fitted.
Blowers are required to produce proper ventilation in the engine-room and on the berth deck.
When these small repairs and additions shall have beem made, the iron-clad Tennessee will be a most formidable vessel for harbor and river service, and for operating generally in smooth
water, both offensively and defensively.
The original of this report is accompanied by sectional views of the Tennessee and a sketch showing the effect of shot on the outside.

We are, very respectfully, your obedient servants,
(signed) Thornton A. Jenkins, Captain
(signed) James Alden, Captain
(signed) William E Leroy, Commander
(signed) T. Williamson, Chief Engineer

About the Tennessee

From: DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN FIGHTING SHIPS, Vol. II
—————————————————————————-
Navy Department,
Office of the Chief of Naval Operations
Naval History Division,
Washington, D.C.

CSS TENNESSEE
* IrcRam:
* t. 1,273;
* l. 209′;
* b. 48′;
* dr. 14′;
* cpl. 133;
* a. 2 7″ r., 4 6.4″ r.;
* type COLUMBIA, modified

TENNESSEE, a slow-moving ironclad ram, was built at Selma, Ala., where she was commissioned on 16 February 1864, Lt. J. D. Johnston, CSN, in command.
BALTIC towed her to Mobile where she fitted out for action.

TENNESSEE was laid down in October 1862, hull and other woodwork turned out by Henry D. Bassett, who launched her the following February, ready for
towing to Mobile to be engined and armed. Her steam plant came from ALONZO CHILD (q.v.); only casemate design differed materially from COLUMBIA and
TEXAS (#5 inf.) Her iron mail was the same 2″ by 10″ plate used on HUNTSVILLE and TUSCALOOSA but triple instead of double thickness. A fearsome
detail of her armament was a “hot water attachment to her boilers for repelling boarders, throwing one stream from forward of the casemate and one abaft.”

The vicissitudes implicit in creating such an ironclad are graphically conveyed by Admiral Franklin Buchanan, writing 20 September 1863 to Secretary Mallory: “The work on the TENNESSEE has progressed for some weeks past, under Mr. Pierce, as fast as the means in his power would permit. There is much delay for want of plate and bolt iron. It was impossible to iron both sponsons at the same time, as the vessel had to be careened several feet to enable them to put the iron on. Even then several of the workmen were waist deep in the water to
accomplish it-to careen her, large beams 12 feet square had to be run out of her posts and secured, on which several tons of iron had to be placed, and during the progress of putting on the sponson iron the shield iron could not be put on. The work has been carried on night and day when it could be done advantageously. I visited the NASHVILLE and TENNESSEE frequently
and, to secure and control the services of the mechanics, I have had them all conscripted and detailed to work under my orders. Previously, they were very independent and stopped working when they pleased.”

Joseph Pierce referred to was Acting Naval Constructor in the Mobile area.

TENNESSEE became flagship of Adm. F. Buchanan, and served gallantly in action in the Battle of Mobile Bay on 5 August 1864. On that morning TENNESSEE and wooden gunboats CSS GAINES, CSS MORGAN, and CSS SELMA, steamed into combat against Adm. D. G. Farragut’s powerful fleet of four ironclad monitors and 14 wooden steamers. Unable to ram the Union ships because of
their superior speed, TENNESSEE delivered a vigorous fire on the Federals at close range. The Confederate gunboats were sunk or dispersed. Farragut’s fleet steamed up into the bay and anchored. Buchanan might have held TENNESSEE under the fort’s protection but bravely steamed after the Federal
fleet and engaged despite overwhelming odds. The ram became the target for the entire Union fleet. TENNESSEE was rammed by several ships, and her steering chains were carried away by the heavy gunfire. Unable to maneuver,
TENNESSEE was battered repeatedly by heavy solid shot from her adversaries.

With two of her men killed, Admiral Buchanan and eight others wounded, and increasingly severe damage being inflicted on her, TENNESSEE was forced to surrender.

TENNESSEE was taken into the Navy and was later commissioned on 19 August 1865. She was sold at public auction in New Orleans on 27 November 1867.

The CSS Tennessee

On Friday, August 5, 1864, Admiral Franklin Buchanan and the CSS Tennessee steamed away from the protection of the guns of Fort Morgan to engage the fleet of Admiral Farragut in Mobile Bay.
The Tennessee and it’s protective covering of armor provided by Shelby Iron Works, proved a worthy opponent.
The Tennessee became the target of the entire Union armada. The ship was rammed numerous times and struck repeatedly by Union gunners. The Tennessee was hit by 40 to 50 cannon shots as evidenced by indentations in the armor plating, Of these, only one shot broke through the ship’s Shelby iron.
The Tennessee was forced to surrender after the steering chains and boiler chimney were shot away.
See additional information by clicking on “CSS Tennessee” under the heading “Categories” in the side bar.

Shelby Iron for CSS Tennessee

This is a copy of a letter dated Dec. 25, 1862, Confederate States Naval Station, Selma.
“The following is an extract from a letter this day received from Hon. S.R. Mallory, Secretary of the Navy.
“I have this day requested the Shelby Iron Works to roll the iron for “Pierce’s” vessel. And you will please see Mr. Jones, the President of the Company, and urge upon him the importance of rolling iron.”
Your early attention to the above would greatly oblige this department, as the boat is now ready to receive her plating – and an early delivery of it would enable me to order her lanuched on the first sufficient rise of the river. I would like to confer with you at your earliest convenience, when you are in this city
Yours very respectfully
E. Farrand Comd. in Charge”

Joseph Pierce was Naval Constructor for the Mobile area and supervised the building of the CSS Tennessee. The ship was laid down in October of 1862, and was launched in February of 1863.
Though the name of the ship is not mentioned, other than as “Pierce’s vessel”, this letter is in all likelihood the order for Shelby Iron to plate the CSS Tennessee.