CSS Savannah
Ironclad Ram · Confederate States · Lost 1864 · The Georgia & South Carolina Coast
The Confederate ironclad that defended Savannah was blown up by her own crew in the river as Sherman's army closed in, December 1864.
The Vessel and Her Loss
CSS Savannah was a casemate ironclad built at Savannah, Georgia, to defend the city and the river approaches during the Civil War. She served as the flagship of the Savannah Squadron. When Confederate forces evacuated Savannah ahead of General Sherman's army in December 1864, her crew set her afire and she was destroyed by the resulting explosion in the Savannah River. She remains one of the notable Confederate ironclad losses of the war.
Vessel
- 1863
- Willink shipyard
- Savannah, Georgia
- Iron-clad wood/iron composite
- 150 ft
- 34 ft
- Not established
- Steam, twin screw
- Confederate States Navy
Loss
- December 21, 1864
- Intentional sinking
- Savannah River, off Savannah, Georgia
- Savannah River
- Not established
- Not established
- Not established
- Not established
- Commander Thomas W. Brent (commanding officer of the Savannah Squadron at the time of evacuation)
The Wreck Today
- Not established
- Reported broken up by the explosion and fire; remnants are believed to lie in the Savannah River channel.
- Not established
- Not established
- Not established
Position
- Not established
- Position not established
- Savannah River, Savannah, Georgia
Evidence
Overall confidence: Partially documented (70/100)
Precise wreck location, present condition, and full salvage history are not firmly established in the sources reviewed.
Naval History and Heritage Command
Construction, service as flagship of the Savannah Squadron, and self-destruction in December 1864.
Georgia Historical Society
Context of the Savannah evacuation and destruction of naval vessels in the river.
