CSS Clarence
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{{Infobox ship image | Ship image = | Ship caption = The CSS Clarence drawn by computer. }} {{Infobox ship career | Hide header = | Ship country = Confederate States | Ship flag = {{shipboxflag|Confederate States of America|naval}} | Ship name = Clarence | Ship namesake = | Ship owner = | Ship operator = | Ship registry = | Ship route = | Ship ordered = | Ship awarded = | Ship builder = | Ship original cost = | Ship yard number = | Ship way number = | Ship laid down = | Ship launched = 1857 | Ship sponsor = | Ship christened = | Ship completed = | Ship acquired = | Ship commissioned = | Ship recommissioned = | Ship decommissioned = | Ship maiden voyage = | Ship in service = | Ship out of service = | Ship renamed = | Ship reclassified = | Ship refit = | Ship struck = | Ship reinstated = | Ship homeport = | Ship identification = | Ship motto = | Ship nickname = | Ship honours = | Ship honors = | Ship captured = May 6, 1863 by the CSS Florida and converted to the CSN | Ship fate = Burned to prevent capture on June 12, 1863 | Ship notes = | Ship badge = }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Header caption = | Ship class = | Ship type = | Ship tonnage = | Ship displacement = | Ship tons burthen = | Ship length = {{convert|114|ft|m|abbr=on}} | Ship beam = {{convert|24|ft|m|abbr=on}} | Ship height = | Ship draught = | Ship draft = {{convert|11|ft|m|abbr=on}} | Ship depth = | Ship hold depth = | Ship decks = | Ship deck clearance = | Ship ramps = | Ship ice class = | Ship power = | Ship propulsion = | Ship sail plan = | Ship speed = | Ship range = | Ship endurance = | Ship test depth = | Ship boats = | Ship capacity = | Ship troops = | Ship complement = 4 officers, 17 men | Ship crew = | Ship time to activate = | Ship sensors = | Ship EW = | Ship armament = 1 6-pounder boat howitzer, several Quaker guns | Ship armour = | Ship armor = | Ship aircraft = | Ship aircraft facilities = | Ship notes = }} |
CSS Clarence, also known as Coquette, was originally a brig from Baltimore captured by the Confederate cruiser CSS Florida during the American Civil War and converted into a Confederate cruiser for commerce raiding.
Built in 1857 for Baltimore, Maryland fruit dealer J. Crosby, it was transporting a cargo of coffee from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to Baltimore when the CSS Florida captured the Clarence off the coast of Brazil. Lt. Charles W. Read was appointed commander and a sufficient number of the Florida
Lieutenant Read had requested that, rather than burn Clarence, he might try, with the ship's papers, to sail into Hampton Roads, Virginia, and if possible destroy or capture a Union gunboat and burn Union merchant vessels congregated at Fortress Monroe. Florida
In its brief career as a Confederate cruiser it captured a number of ships: The Whistling Wind, Kate Stewart, Mary Alvina, Mary Schindler were burned, and the Alfred H. Partridge was bonded. Its final capture was the bark Tacony on June 12, 1863, which being a better ship suited for commerce raiding, the crew and armaments were transferred to it and the Clarence was destroyed.{{cite book | title=History of the Confederate States Navy: From the Organization to the Surrender of Its Last Vessel|publisher=Gramercy Books | location=New York, NY | year=1996 | author=J. Thomas Scharf | isbn=0-517-18336-6}}
Officers and crew
- Lt. Charles W. Read, commander
- Billups, Matthewson, and Pride, master's mates
- Brown, engineer
- 16 men
Notes and references
{{reflist}}
{{CSN cruisers}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clarence}}
Category:Cruisers of the Confederate States Navy
Category:Raids of the American Civil War