CSS Virginia II
CSS Virginia II was a Confederate steam-powered ironclad ram built in Richmond, Virginia, starting in 1862 under the supervision of William A. Graves. To save scarce iron, the armor casemate was shortened and the thickness reduced, which also lowered the ship’s gun count to one 11-inch smoothbore, one 8-inch rifle, and two 6.4-inch rifles.
Named after the famous CSS Virginia (the Merrimack), the project received money from Richmond’s Ladies Aid and Defense Society, led by Maria Gaitskell Clopton, which helped fund the construction—estimated at more than $30,000.
Virginia II was launched on June 29, 1863, but was not fully commissioned until May 18, 1864, when she became the flagship of the James River Squadron, replacing CSS Richmond.
Her active service began in June 1864. On June 21, she joined the attack at Trent’s Reach but mechanical trouble—caused by a chain from nearby Richmond getting tangled in her propeller—prevented her from taking part in the battle. On August 13 she took part in the Dutch Gap action, and two shots from Union ships hit her. On August 17 she helped shell Signal Hill.
From September 29 to October 1, Virginia II and the squadron attacked New Market Heights and Fort Harrison, a major operation north of the James River. The fleet also faced a mishap when the supply ship Gallego became entangled in her anchor chain and sank. On October 22 the squadron fought near Cox Hill, and Virginia II’s smokestack was damaged; her armor proved resistant, with seven direct hits from large iron bolts barely denting the plates.
On December 7, she and other ships exchanged fire with Fort Brady near Trent’s Reach until darkness fell. The final action came January 23–24, 1865, when the James River Squadron tried again to pass Trent’s Reach. Virginia II carried two gunboats—Nansemond and Torpedo—and the torpedo boat Scorpion in tow. She ran aground while maneuvering, and although the fleet tried to free her, the Union fleet arrived with heavy fire. The Onondaga, a Union monitor, pierced her armor, and the squadron retreated upriver to safety behind Battery Dantzler.
Virginia II was badly damaged, with her smokestack destroyed and her engines broken. After repairs, she and the rest of the James River Squadron were destroyed on the order of Admiral Raphael Semmes in early April 1865 to prevent capture during Richmond’s evacuation and fall. After the war, most of the wreck was raised for salvage.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 06:09 (CET).