USS Lafayette Civil War Ironclad

USS Lafayette Ironclad Riverboat

Civil War Ironclad Lafayette Steamboat Model by John Bowman.
The Civil War Ironclad steamboat Lafayette on display at West Virginia Independence Hall, Wheeling, West Virginia. The side-wheel packet Aleck Scott was built at Louisville, Kentucky and completed at St. Louis, Missouri in 1848. Aleck Scott once boarded “Mark Twain” on a trip up the Mississippi to St. Louis. Aleck Scott served as a troop transport in the Fort Henry campaign. Acquired by the USQMD May 18, 1862 she was renamed Fort Henry. At Carondelet, Missouri, Fort Henry was completely rebuilt into a Civil War Ironclad Gunboat by James Eads and commissioned USS Lafayette February 27, 1863. Lafayette’s 3″ iron plating covering 1″ thick “India Rubber” was carried to 3′ below the water line. Her iron plating was manufactured at Wheeling’s Top Mill. Lafayette’s service record: April 16, 1863 she participated in the run past Vicksburg, April 21-29 the bombardment of Grand Gulf, Mississippi. May 3-13 in the Red River Campaign. March 12-May 16, 1864 patrolling on the Red River. In June 1864, battling Confederate incursions Lafayette captured the CSS Missouri.