USS Galena The USS Galena was one of the three (Monitor, Galena, and New Ironsides) ironclads first ordered in the fall of 1861 to be built to counter the CSS Virginia then under conversion in Norfolk. Like the New Ironsides she wasn’t finished in time to participate in the Battle of Hampton Roads where the Monitor came to fame. In May of 1862 a task force led by the Galena and including the Monitor steamed up the James River to “shell Richmond into submission”. The campaign soon ground to a halt when Confederate river obstacles prevented the fleet from getting any closer than eight miles from the capital and it encountered heavy fire from their shore batteries. The plunging fire from the battery on 90ft high Drury’s Bluff spelled disaster for the Galena’s puny 3in armor. She was penetrated 17 times and had 13 crewmembers killed. Her captain later stated in his report; “We proved that she is NOT shot proof.” She ended the war stripped of her armor and participating in the Battle of Mobile Bay as steam sloop. Specifications: Length-181’, Beam-57’ 6”, Draft-15’ 8”, Tonnage- 950t, Speed-8kts, Crew-150, Armor-3” Sides, Armament- Two 100lb Parrot Rifles and six IXin Dahlgren smoothbores. Built-Mystic River, CT. Launched 14 Feb 1862. The Model: 1/76 Scale, 35” Long. The scratch built model replicates the configuration that she was delivered in. The voyage down from Mystic and Hampton Roads showed her to be dangerously top-heavy with the armored upper hull. The masts and sails (A contract specification) were removed and replaced by a forward conning tower when she went into action against Drury’s Bluff.