Subject:
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Re: John E. Doolittle
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.pirates
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Date:
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Tue, 1 Feb 2000 20:33:14 GMT
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Viewed:
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4306 times
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In lugnet.pirates, Lindsay Frederick Braun writes:
(with various others, but the attribs get confusing)
> > >
> > > How about a barge-like monitor?
>
> >
> > > No sails or rigging to set afire while arguing with the bad guys. You • could
> > > tow it (a considerable distance) behind your ship, or anchor it in position
> > > and leave it. Ideal for leaving in harbour mouths.
> > >
> > > You could tow it into battle, and leave it among the bad guys. I'm
> > > thinking fireship, only better.
> >
> > Hmmm, well, that would seem to work. Don't quite know why it wasn't tried • (or
> > maybe it has been, but I haven't run across it yet). Too slow to aim,
> > especially when the target is moving?
>
> It was tried--in 1862. That was part of the theory behind the Confederate ram
> Virginia (formerly the Federal frigate USS Merrimack). It just sort of sailed • in
> and among the blockade force at Hampton Roads, and caused mayhem. However, • ships
> weren't as close together as I think we're imagining, so it really was • impossible
> to take out more than one at a time. Ammunition, after all, is limited. :) • I
> think the tactic did need to wait for a viable alternative to sail propulsion
> before it would be feasible.
Are you refering to congreaves (which is what this is primarily about) or
barge-like platforms for firing? I can't recall the Virginia using rockets,
but the civil war isn't something I really paid much attention to since the
centennial (ahhhh, all those National Geographic articles when I was a boy).
For anyone interested in the barge-monitor thingie (didn't spot anything about
them using rockets, alas, but I only skimmed the article):
http://www.thehistorynet.com/AmericasCivilWar/articles/07963_text.htm
Bruce
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Message has 2 Replies:
Message is in Reply To:
 | | Re: John E. Doolittle
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| (...) It was tried--in 1862. That was part of the theory behind the Confederate ram Virginia (formerly the Federal frigate USS Merrimack). It just sort of sailed in and among the blockade force at Hampton Roads, and caused mayhem. However, ships (...) (24 years ago, 1-Feb-00, to lugnet.pirates)
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