CSS Richmond, first of a class of six ironclad rams, was built at the Norfolk Navy Yard. Launched in early May 1862, as the Confederates prepared to evacuate the Norfolk area, she was towed up the James River to Richmond, Virginia, and completed there in July. She thereafter served in the James River Squadron, protecting the Confederacy's capital city from waterborne assault.

Richmond's combat activity mainly took place from mid-1864 into early 1865, as General Grant's Federal army pushed south to and over the James. On 13 August 1864, she bombarded Union positions at Dutch Gap in an effort to cover the movements of Confederate troops. From 29 September to 1 October, her guns supported an attack on the Federal army's Fort Harrison and protected Southern-held Chaffin's Bluff. On 22 October, while near Chaffin's Bluff, Richmond was engaged by enemy shore-based artillery.

Her final action took place on 23-24 January 1865, as the James River Squadron attempted to force its way past the obstructions at Trent's Reach to attack Federal bases below. During the passage Richmond went aground and came under heavy fire from guns ashore and from the U.S. Navy monitor Onondaga. Though some of the supporting unarmored vessels were destroyed or severely damaged in the unsuccessful operation, Richmond and the Squadron's other two ironclads were able to disengage and retreat back up the river. To prevent capture she was deliberately destroyed by burning on 3 April 1865, as the Confederate Government prepared to abandon Richmond.

This page features all our views of CSS Richmond.

Photo #: NH 75620 CSS Richmond (1862-1865) Wash drawing by R.G. Skerrett, 1900, depicting the ship underway on the James River, Virginia, during the Civil War. Courtesy of the U.S. Navy Art Collection, Washington, D.C.
Photo #: NH 58746 "The New Rebel Iron-clad 'Richmond', or Virginia No. 2' -- From Sketches found on Board the 'Teaser'." Line engraving published in "Harper's Weekly", 1862, based on sketches obtained when CSS Teaser was captured on the James River, Virginia, on 4 July 1862. It depicts CSS Richmond, which was then completing at Richmond, Virginia.
Photo #: NH 58745 CSS Richmond (1862-1865) Line engraving, published in "Harper's Weekly", 1862, depicting the ship as seen from off the bow, in plan view on the gun deck and in section through the hull. See Photo # NH 58746 for another image of Richmond that was published on the same page as these. All of these depictions, which are based on sketches captured in July 1862, are rather inaccurate.
Photo #: NH 59187 "The Rebel Iron-Clad Fleet Forcing the Obstructions in James River", 23 January 1865 Line engraving, based on a sketch by A.R. Waud, published in "Harper's Weekly", 11 February 1865, page 81. It depicts the Confederate ironclads Virginia II, Richmond and Fredericksburg attempting to run past the obstructions at Trent's Reach to attack Federal positions along the James River.