Ironclads and civil war boats

[Craig Popovich]

We are a little more serious than hobby but would like to tap you all as a resourse. I noticed someone had done a model of the CSS Charleston. We are a theming business and we are in the middle of building a full size model of the WaterWitch, a steam powered sailing ship, for the Port Columbus Civil War Museum in Columbus GA. They have a web camera set up so you can watch the progress. To put the size in prospective, the water wheels are 18 feet in diameter and the steam pipe 63 feet tall from the ground.
We are possibly going to build two ironclads for another museum that will float, also full size (but made of fiberglass not wood and iron). One is the CSS Charleston and the other the USS (?)Passaic. It is really tough finding information on what they looked like inside and outside and I really appreciated the heads up on "Charleston's Maritime History" as a source. If anyone knows of any other resourse books available out there, I would appreciate the help.

 

[paperboy]

hi Craig

I built the CSS Charleston as well as the Palmetto State and the Columbia. Kind of on a theme. P.C. Cokers book" Charleston Maritime Heritage is the best place to look for info on the CSS Charleston that I have found.
But as for the interior of an octagonal casemate inronclad you can do no better than the exhibit at Port Columbus or the Confederate Naval Museum as I still call it. Also in Kinston N.C. a group has built a replica of the CSS Neuse and they have a website that is very interesting. The US Naval Academy is rumored to have a model of the Charleston as well. Hope this tidbit helps you. By the way who has commisioned the C.S.S.Charleston?

Vernon S.