CSS Tennessee (1862)

The first CSS "Tennessee" was an ironclad ram, built for the Confederate States Navy.

"Tennessee" was begun by John T. Shirley and Company, at Memphis, Tennessee, under fixed price contract for $76,920. Chief constructor of the twin-screw ironclad was a Mr. Prime Emerson.

In correspondence with Major General Leonidas Polk, CSA, throughout January 1862, seeking Army workmen from Columbus, Kentucky, Secretary Stephen Mallory promised for "Tennessee" and her sister, "Arkansas", building at Shirley's yard, that "with such aid as mechanics under your command can afford, they may be completed, I am assured, in 60 days." The desired "shipwrights, carpenters and joiners in the Army" were refused—"on furlough or otherwise" —although the general was reminded that, "One of them at Columbus would have enabled you to complete the annihilation of the enemy . . . Mr. Shirley," Mallory prophesied correctly, "will fail in completing them within the stipulated time entirely from the difficulty of obtaining workmen", although they "would be worth many regiments in defending the river."

Little more is known of the first "Tennessee", which was never completed. She was burned on the stocks by order of the provost marshal, 5 June 1862, to escape capture.

See CSS "Tennessee" for other ships of this name.