1/600 CSS/USS Barataria

Barataria was captured at New Orleans. Prior to her capture, she was completely unknown to the Union. CSN records referred to her as an "Ironclad sidewheel gunboat" but they also include a bill of sale for delivery and installation of iron plate, which would not be sufficient protection over the entire body of a ship of her size. This, plus subsequent Union descriptions, leads most historians to believe that she was a "partially armored" ship along the lines of a true "tinclad" rather than an actual ironclad. We know very little of Barataria's service with the CSN; it is possible that she was a Louisiana State Navy ship taken up into service. Her design leads some members of the community to believe that she may be a converted river ferry. At any rate, upon her arrival in US service, she was first delegated to the army for the batter part of a year. In the Spring of 1863, however, she was transferred to the Navy. In both services, she served as an armed escort and transport for US Army troops fighting in the swamps of lower Louisiana. She was heavily engaged in anti partizan and anti-guerilla operations, and was apparently a very handy ship, but records are fairly vague. Not long after being transferred from the Army to the Navy, with her new USN command crew, Barataria hit a snag in the swamps just north of Louisiana while engaging Confederate troops. Her crew was unable to extricate her and set her afire, rather than allow her to fall into enemy hands. About six months later, a Confederate officer came across her wreck and described her as "burned to the waterline, sadly unserviceable, still armed with one of her brass guns. A unique design, and a testament to the ingenuity of the enemy." Apparently he had no idea that she'd actually begun life as a Confederate warship. In service, she carried three light guns, probably one 32 pound gun to the fore and two small howitzers mounted to either side. There are no records of the colors she might have been painted. This model was based upon period lithographs and accompanying descriptions. Like many of our ships, I believe this is the first time Barataria has been offered in any wargaming scale, though a large paper model of her was available some years back. One of those rare ships that can be used for both sides, and a virtual unknown, to boot. Due to the fine details of this particular model. and the tendency of WSF to get a little grainy at times, I recommend BSF if at all possible.