Information that may be of use to someone.......always willing to provide U.S. Fighting Naval Ship History to anyone. The ALBEMARLE: A confederate IRONCLAD RAM, built on the Roanoke River, North Carolina. Made partly from scrap materials because of supply difficulties during the AMERICAN CIVIL WAR, 1861-1865, she entered service in April 1864. The ALBEMARLE had a shallow draft, which increased her ability to evade enemy warships. The ALBEMARLE was 152 feet in length, 34 feet in the beam and was equipped with two 6.4 inch Brooke guns, which were cast-iron rifled weapons. Her contribution to the naval side of the war was to be notable but shortlived. She was soon involved in a successful Confederate combined operation against the Union naval base at Plymouth, North Carolina, on April 19, 1864. The ALBEMARLE sank the U.S.S. Southfield and forced several other Union warships to leave the area. On May 5 she attacked and dispersed a squadron of eight Union gunboats, suffering slight damage herself. The end came dramatically on October 28, 1864, during the hours of darkness, when a modified launch, commanded by Lieutenant Willian B. Cushing, attacked the ALBEMARLE at Plymouth with a Spar Torpedo and sank her quickly. I wish you well Bud "Bud Shortridge" <cshortridge@comcast.net>