The David and the slew of similar vessels produced around Charleston, S.C. (known generically as "Davids") made up a class of semi-submersible torpedo boats designed for sneak attack on Union warships. With a length of around 50', a draft of less than 5', and only a few feet of hull and stack showing above the water, the David was a weapon of stealth. Some say the Davids' trim was adjusted by water ballast tanks; others that they carried a lot of pig-iron ballast in their bottoms. As can be seen in the cutaway drawing below, the hull was just large enough to hold the boiler and propulsion plant. The Davids certainly prefigured the Whitehead self-propelled torpedo in many ways, but they did require a crew of 2-3 to operate. An attack in a David was virtually guaranteed to be a suicide mission.
The Davids drew their name collectively from the Biblical story of David and Goliath, implying that the tiny torpedo craft could slay vessels from the powerful Union fleet. In that sense, the David myth personified the mystique of Southern arms in the war as a whole. Privately funded by Dr. St. Julian Ravenel, they were built at Stoney Landing on the Cooper River, far from prying eyes in Charleston. Our illustration is taken from Daniel Dowdey's excellent website of digital renderings of Civil War vessels, for which we thank the artist.
The David and the slew of similar vessels produced around Charleston, S.C. (known generically as "Davids") made up a class of semi-submersible torpedo boats designed for sneak attack on Union warships. With a length of around 50', a draft of less than 5', and only a few feet of hull and stack showing above the water, the David was a weapon of stealth. Some say the Davids' trim was adjusted by water ballast tanks; others that they carried a lot of pig-iron ballast in their bottoms. As can be seen in the cutaway drawing below, the hull was just large enough to hold the boiler and propulsion plant. The Davids certainly prefigured the Whitehead self-propelled torpedo in many ways, but they did require a crew of 2-3 to operate. An attack in a David was virtually guaranteed to be a suicide mission.The Davids drew their name collectively from the Biblical story of David and Goliath, implying that the tiny torpedo craft could slay vessels from the powerful Union fleet. In that sense, the David myth personified the mystique of Southern arms in the war as a whole. Privately funded by Dr. St. Julian Ravenel, they were built at Stoney Landing on the Cooper River, far from prying eyes in Charleston. Our illustration is taken from Daniel Dowdey's excellent website of digital renderings of Civil War vessels, for which we thank the artist.
Rough specifications for a typical David: 50' long OA plus spar torpedo; 9'6" beam. ~4'6" draft. Top speed: 12 kts. Crew: 2 to 6.
Being small and requiring only small engines and amounts of material, the Davids were an appropriate weapon for mass production in the technologically backward South. These were weapons of stealth, employing surprise to plant their deadly charge. As can be seen, they employed the spar torpedo as their only weapon, requiring physical contact with the target vessel: the torpedo boat would plant a charge on an enemy's wooden hull, then withdraw 100 feet or so and explode the gunpowder using a lanyard attached to the detonator. The proximity of the charge's explosion, combined with the vessels' very low freeboard, made it likely that the attacking David would be swamped or sunk even in a successful attack. A number of unsuccessful attempts were made at Charleston, where some eight 50-foot Davids were constructed, as well as two gigantic, 100-foot monsters that never saw combat.
The David is distinguished for leading an attack on the USS New Ironsides on October 5, 1863, intending to insert a torpedo under the ironclad's armor belt. She did explode her torpedo, but the damage was insufficient to sink the ship or even take her out of action for more than a few days; the damage did require a trip to the dockyard for full repairs eventually, however. The inundation following the explosion of her 100-pound torpedo quenched the David's fires and most of her people abandoned ship. However, she remained afloat, and yeoman efforts by the assistant engineer got her underway and she picked up the remaining crewmen and returned safely to port. Nothing daunted by her near-death experience, the David made another assault on a Union ironclad on the Stono River, but her torpedo charge failed to explode on this occasion. More successful spar-torpedo attacks during the War included the Hunley's submarine attack on the blockader USS Housatonic, and Federal Lt. George Cushing's daring assault on the Confederate ironclad Albemarle. In both of these cases, the torpedo craft sank its target -- and both these cases were historic firsts.
More information about the Davids, including actual-size and scale models, may be found at the Old Santee Canal Park and Berkeley County Museum near Charleston.
Being small and requiring only small engines and amounts of material, the Davids were an appropriate weapon for mass production in the technologically backward South. These were weapons of stealth, employing surprise to plant their deadly charge. As can be seen, they employed the spar torpedo as their only weapon, requiring physical contact with the target vessel: the torpedo boat would plant a charge on an enemy's wooden hull, then withdraw 100 feet or so and explode the gunpowder using a lanyard attached to the detonator. The proximity of the charge's explosion, combined with the vessels' very low freeboard, made it likely that the attacking David would be swamped or sunk even in a successful attack. A number of unsuccessful attempts were made at Charleston, where some eight 50-foot Davids were constructed, as well as two gigantic, 100-foot monsters that never saw combat.
The David is distinguished for leading an attack on the USS New Ironsides on October 5, 1863, intending to insert a torpedo under the ironclad's armor belt. She did explode her torpedo, but the damage was insufficient to sink the ship or even take her out of action for more than a few days; the damage did require a trip to the dockyard for full repairs eventually, however. The inundation following the explosion of her 100-pound torpedo quenched the David's fires and most of her people abandoned ship. However, she remained afloat, and yeoman efforts by the assistant engineer got her underway and she picked up the remaining crewmen and returned safely to port. Nothing daunted by her near-death experience, the David made another assault on a Union ironclad on the Stono River, but her torpedo charge failed to explode on this occasion. More successful spar-torpedo attacks during the War included the Hunley's submarine attack on the blockader USS Housatonic, and Federal Lt. George Cushing's daring assault on the Confederate ironclad Albemarle. In both of these cases, the torpedo craft sank its target -- and both these cases were historic firsts.
More information about the Davids, including actual-size and scale models, may be found at the Old Santee Canal Park and Berkeley County Museum near Charleston.
A Pictorial Record of the Davids
The torpedo boat CSS David sneaks up on the New Ironsides on the night of October 5, 1863. David was commanded by Lt. William T. Glassell, CSN.
The torpedo boat CSS David sneaks up on the New Ironsides on the night of October 5, 1863. David was commanded by Lt. William T. Glassell, CSN.
"The torpedo boat approached undetected. Her spar torpedo detonated under the starboard quarter of the ironclad, throwing a high column of water which rained back upon the Confederate vessel and put out her boiler fires. With her engine dead, David hung under the starboard quarter of The New Ironsides while small arms fire from the Federal ship spattered the water around the torpedo boat. Believing that their vessel was sinking, Glassell and two others abandoned her; the pilot, Walker Cannon, who could not swim, remained on board. A short time later, Assistant Engineer J. H. Tomb swam back to the craft and climbed on board. Reigniting the fires, Tomb succeeded in getting David’s engine working again, and the torpedo boat steamed up the channel to safety. New Ironsides, though not sunk, was seriously damaged by the explosion."
These two charming illustrations and the account quoted appeared in Harper's Weekly, A Journal of Civilization in November 1863.
"The torpedo boat approached undetected. Her spar torpedo detonated under the starboard quarter of the ironclad, throwing a high column of water which rained back upon the Confederate vessel and put out her boiler fires. With her engine dead, David hung under the starboard quarter of The New Ironsides while small arms fire from the Federal ship spattered the water around the torpedo boat. Believing that their vessel was sinking, Glassell and two others abandoned her; the pilot, Walker Cannon, who could not swim, remained on board. A short time later, Assistant Engineer J. H. Tomb swam back to the craft and climbed on board. Reigniting the fires, Tomb succeeded in getting David’s engine working again, and the torpedo boat steamed up the channel to safety. New Ironsides, though not sunk, was seriously damaged by the explosion."
These two charming illustrations and the account quoted appeared in Harper's Weekly, A Journal of Civilization in November 1863.
It is undoubtedly a David. What the circumstances are -- why children should be picnicking next to a lethal war machine, why it should be hauled out on the lawn -- remains clouded, one of history's mysteries.
It is undoubtedly a David. What the circumstances are -- why children should be picnicking next to a lethal war machine, why it should be hauled out on the lawn -- remains clouded, one of history's mysteries.
Drawn by Joe Hinds, profile and top views of the David.
A giant, 163' David at Charleston following the city's surrender in February 1865.
