The American Civil War (1861-1865) provided for a commitment to maritime supremacy and land warfare. Both sides understand the importance of access to the Atlantic for British supplies, medicines and newly named warships. Thus, with the laying of the ironclads as soon as possible, the naval program in the north flourished significantly.
On July 3, 1862, the USS Dunderberg became a product of this period, an iron fort. The contract was awarded to New York City-based builder William H. Weber, whose keel was laid around October 3, 1862.
The ship was designed to be a deep-sea battleship not limited to coastal operations, which gave her some tactical flexibility. Her form factor is consistent with the iron armor of the era - a flat design, a mid-mounted chimney, and iron turrets with sloping sides to divert shells away from key components.
The warship displaces 7,060 tons, is 377.3 feet long, has a beam of 72.9 feet, and has a draft of 21 feet. Inside, she carried around 600 men. Armor protection ranges from 3.5 inches at the waterline to 4.7 inches at the turret.
Their installed power includes 6 x tube boilers and 2 x horizontal retrospective steam engines producing 4,000 hp on a single shaft. The maximum speed (under ideal conditions) is almost 15 knots and the range is up to 2,200 km.
Despite her propulsion scheme, she retained a brig sail arrangement, which gave the vessel a technically unlimited range of use - albeit at a greatly reduced speed.
Armament is concentrated on 4 x 15" front-loading Dahlgren and 8 x 11" Dahlgren on the turret. A solid oak ram was fitted to her bow, as was customary for ironclads of the time.
Although she laid the keel during the "War of the Nations," construction delays meant she was not ready in time to serve in the bloody American conflict - which included a lack of skilled labor and materials, as she survived the entire war. Once in service, she was known as one of the most powerful ironclads in the United States Navy's (USN) inventory. Since her services were no longer required by the U.S.
Navy, the warship was bought back by her builder and sold to France, where she began a new career - under the name "Rochambeau".
France repelled a Prussian attempt to acquire the ship.
Under new ownership, the ship was commissioned on August 7, 1867. Her armament was changed to 4 x 10.8" Mle 1864/66 breech-loading guns and 10 x 9.4" Mle 1864/66 breech-loading guns. Her bow section was also modified and she lost her oak buck. Machine parks have also gotten better.
The overhaul took place in 1868.
Her only claim to fame in French naval service was patrolling the North Sea and blocking enemy Prussia during the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871) - a German victory that led to the fall of the Second French Empire and the rise of the Third French Republic French Second Empire. She was decommissioned and removed from the Naval Register on April 15, 1872.
They were abandoned in 1874.
- Blue Water Operations
- Fleet Support
- Hunter
- direct attack
377.3 ft (115.00 m)
22.22m
6.40m
7,060 tons
15 kn (17 mph)
1,199 nautical miles (1,380 mi; 2,221 km)
As Dundberg:
4 x 15" Dahlgren muzzle gun (with turret)
8 x 11" Dahlgren muzzle gun
As Rochambeau:
4 x 10.8" Mle 1864/66 breech loader
10 x 9.4" Mle 1864/66 Beech Gun
None.