Shirley's ironclad yard, Memphis
Naval works, Memphis, Tennessee.
- Side
- Confederate
- Kind
- Naval works
- Where
- Memphis, Tennessee
- Years
- 1861-1862
SHIRLEY'S IRONCLAD YARD
John T. Shirley's riverfront yard below the Fort Pickering bluff built the ironclads Arkansas and Tennessee under an August 24, 1861 contract. Arkansas was armored with railroad T-rails and towed to Yazoo City for completion before Union gunboats took Memphis on June 6, 1862.
Then
Under an August 24, 1861 contract at $76,920 each, John T. Shirley built the ironclads Arkansas and Tennessee on a riverfront site below the Fort Pickering bluff at the south edge of Memphis. Arkansas was laid down in October 1861 and armored with railroad T-rails.
With Union forces closing in, Arkansas was commissioned on April 25, 1862, and towed with a barge of materials to Yazoo City for completion. Union gunboats took Memphis on June 6, 1862.
Now
The yard was a temporary riverfront site; no structure from it is recorded.
Lines owned by Union Pacific, BNSF and CN run through Memphis today.
Nearby
- 0 miMemphis depot and Fort PickeringUnion · Supply base, Memphis, Tennessee
- 6 miMemphis surrenders after the river battleJune 6, 1862, Memphis, Tennessee
- 43 miVan Dorn destroys Grant's depot at Holly SpringsDecember 20, 1862, Holly Springs, Mississippi
- 43 miConfederate Armory, Holly SpringsConfederate · Armory, Holly Springs, Mississippi
- 43 miHolly Springs supply depotUnion · Depot, Holly Springs, Mississippi
- 49 miGrand JunctionUnion · Rail junction, Grand Junction, Tennessee