Letter from William R. Scott to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; December 1862

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Letter from William R. Scott to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; December 1862

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Brown, J. N.Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865 Pettus, John Jones, 1813-1867 Scott, William R.

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Military Engagements

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United States. Navy

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Bodies of Water--Mississippi. Yazoo River Mississippi--Hinds County. Jackson Mississippi--Yazoo County. Yazoo City South Carolina--Charleston County. Charleston

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Charleston S C. Dec 20th 1862

To Gov^r Pettus
Jackson Miss

Sir

Sometime about the latter part of July last I sent you a sketch of my plan for a "Steam Battering-Ram." Not having heard from you receiving it, I came to the conclu-sion you did not receive it. Therefore I take the liberty to send you another sketch accumpanied by the action of the sub-Commission of the State Commission of this State. Their report embodies the letter I have received from gentlemen oc-cupying high official stations, as well as those of other of eminent Scientific Knowledge.

I wish you to examine my plan carefully and maturely deliberate upon it before entering judgement on its merits or demerits. I am certain you will agree with all who have [?] them [?] acquainted with its principle of oppera-ting against our enemy, that it is the most de-structive weapon yet brought to the notice of the people. It is plain, simple and easily man-aged, and yet as powerful as it is simple. By reading the report of the sub=Committee you will become acquainted with its opperations.

I beg leave to suggest the expediency of equipping a vessel armed with this weapon, to demolish the Lincoln fleet that infests our

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western waters. It Can be done. There are plenty of Steam boats in Yazoo River that can be razeed down and iron plated that will answer the purpose well. Rail road iron will do for the outside armor if no other can be had. There are plenty of engines there sufficiently strong to work the "ram". There are also wheel shafts there of sufficient dimensions of which the "Ram" can be made. By using energy and industry we could in a short time become able to launch as thunderbolt at our foes, from which they would [?] with terror, and leave us masters of the waters, in possesion of our cities our homes, and our commerce. Here is a great field of opperatunity presented to us. Will not Gov. Pettus avail himself of the opportunity now offered? Knowing that Mississippi is never backward in such matters I have taken the liberty to speak to her through her Governor, hoping that she will take the lead and soon put upon her waters a powerful ram able to cope with Lincoln's combined fleet.

The efficiency of this ram no sane man can dispute. It can be driven with a force of from one to Six hundred tonz owing to the size of the engine. There is no ship's sides that can withstand a shock of even 300 tonz on a space of not over 14 inches in diam-eter, and this struck capable of being repre-sented 20 times per minute

I hope & trust the authorities of your state will take this matter under advisement, and conclude to adopt the ram I propose as one of the means of defence. I can be addressed on the subject at Charleston S. C.

I have sent a draft of the same to Commander J. N. Brown of the C. S. N. Yazoo City.

I am respectfully
Your Obt Servt

W^m R. Scott