| Civil War Torpedoes Examination of the Civil War's Infernal Machines as used by: Confederate States Navy Submarine Battery Service Confederate States Army Torpedo Bureau Confederate States Secret Service United States Navy |
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| US torpedo counter measures operations and devices.
The Rake The first defense considered against the torpedo was a method to disrupt or destroy the torpedo ahead of a moving boat. In both the Mississippi River area and the eastern United States, attempts were made to place rakes ahead of moving boats to grab and detonate or destroy the torpedo. Rakes used fixed, tooth-like poles, nets, and grapnels hanging from ropes. A danger of this system wsa if the grappling device hooked on an underwater obstruction and jammed the rake into the host boat.
Nets, Floats, and Barriers Boats at anchor were particularly vulnerable to floating torpedoes and night attack by torpedo boats. The U.S. Navy quickly developed various types of floating barriers which could be used to surround the hull of the boat. These floating barriers consisted of floats (wooden logs), poles to hold the barrier away from the boat and woven nets to hang below the floats and catch torpedoes moving below the surface of the water. Confederate boat captains also resorted to this necessity. The captain of the CSS Albemarle had such an arrangement in place when his boat was attacked by Lt. William B. Cushing. Cushing simply fired up the steam plant on his launch and ran over the log barrier to accomplish his mission.
Shooting The very first attempts, particularly on the Mississippi River, were to shoot at the torpedoes. The early Mississippi River torpedoes used glass demijohns which were particularly sucsceptible to being broken by gunfire. On December 11, 1862, during the first foray against the torpedoes on the Yazoo River, marines aboard the U.S. boats shot at floats that were being used witht he demijohns. They were unaware that on that day, the torpedoes were being command detonated by Confederate naval personnel. Two torpedoes were command detonated while the marines shot at them. This led to the incorrect belief that the torpedoes could be exploded by gunfire. With torpedoes which were fuzed with Raines sensitive primers, it is possible that a ball hitting directly on the fuze cap could detonate the mine. The most probable success was the ball hitting the mine and allowing water into the main charge. Enough water would neutralize the explosive.
Cutting Cables As soon as U.S. Navy personnel understood that mines had connections to shore for the purpose of electrical detonation or control, they sought out any lines as a way to neutralize the torpedoes. Small boat crews were put out in front of the large ships and looked for lines on shore. When such lines were found, they cut them with a sword or cutlass and pulled the mine ashore. On at least a couple of occasions unknowing navy personnel pulled live mines on to the decks of warships. At first, there was a curiosity about the devices and thier makeup. Experience showed however, that the mines should only be destroyed in place if possible, or broken up by specialist.
Forcing of Prisoners to Disarm In violation of the civilized conduct of war (and forbidden later in the Geneva and Hague Conventions), Union commanders sometimes forced Confederate operators to disarm torpedoes or to show them where the torpedoes were located. Sherman's Georgia campaign was plagued by sub-terra shell. On several occasions, following the fall of Atlanta, he forced Confederate prisoners to dig up the sub-terra shells they had planted. However, he finally came to an understanding of this form of warfare.
Disarming by hand The most tried and true system seems to have been grappling the torpedoes and pulling them by hand to the shore or a boat, where they could be disarmed.
Depth Charges The following comes from the Original Record of the Navy.
Depth Charges Official Record of the Navies, Vol. 15, pp139-140. Report of Rear-Admiral No.
276.] FLAG-STEAMER SIR: I enclose herewith a
communication from Mr. Maillefert, in regard to the removal of obstructions in
the When I addressed Mr.
Maillefert on the subject, some two months ago, I had not had the opportunity of
ascertaining the nature and locality of the obstructions placed in the harbor,
as I have done since. Nor had I had the time to consider how they should be
avoided or removed, as I have since. Still, there remains an impediment which
may or may not be of importance, and it is certainly judicious to take the
fullest measures for rendering it harmless. I allude to the submerged deposits
of powder, whether fixed or floating. Mr. Maillefert believes
that he can nullify these, and I look upon even a probability of the kind as
worthy of consideration. Some expense must be
necessarily incurred for the purpose, and I therefore refer him to the Navy
Department, recommended at least by my favorable
impression. I have the honor to be,
very respectfully, your obedient servant, JNO. A. DAHLGREN, Hon. GIDEON WELLES, [Enclosure.] SIR: I beg to submit for
your consideration the following plan of operation against the various
obstructions known to be in the channel between After a careful
investigation of the position and nature [of the] obstructions, I have no
hesitation to say that they can be effectually destroyed by the combination of
blasting and dragging. Thus, by dropping series of
submarine charges of gunpowder, say 150 altogether, abreast of the lower buoy,
and this at young flood tide, and in such a manner that they shall explode at
various depths, from 10 to 15 feet below the surface. Each of these charges will
be provided with a clockwork arrangement, which shall determine the exact time
of firing; they are to contain 110 to 125 pounds of gunpowder, each; they are
also to be provided with grapnels, so as to suspend themselves to anything that
they may come in contact with. The cost of each charge or torpedo complete, but
without the powder, will not be over $35, and can be got ready for use in about
three weeks. All these charges should be
fired during the early part of one single tide, so as to allow sufficient time
to let go behind them about one dozen large grapnels, which shall drag on the
bottom, these being propelled forward by the force of the current acting upon
large wooden aprons attached to them. These drags will also be provided with a
time torpedo, as above described, placed immediately over the grapnel, where it
will remain, say, two hours without exploding, thereby giving sufficient time
for the drag to arrive at its destination, when it will be destroyed, and should
the grapnel meet with galvanic wires, or other impediment, it will remain fixed
there until the charge explode, destroying both drag and
obstacle. In conclusion, I
respectfully submit that, should this plan meet with approbation, the New York
Submarine Engineering Company, which I represent, will be prepared to carry it
out accordingly, on reasonable terms, which may be hereafter agreed
upon. I have the honor to be,
sir, your most obedient servant, B. MAILLEFERT, Rear-Admiral DAHLGREN,
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