Today in History:

Ohio Belle (1862)

CSS Ohio Belle, a 406-ton side-wheel river steamer built at Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1855, was used by the Confederate Army as a watch boat on the Mississippi River. She was captured at Island Number Ten on 7 April 1862. In 1864, Ohio Belle was employed as a U.S. Army transport. Following the Civil War, she operated briefly under the name Alabama Belle before being broken up in 1867.

This page features our only view of CSS Ohio Belle.

Photo #: NH 59024

"View of Steamers Sunk by the Rebels Between Island Number Ten and New Madrid"


Line engraving, based on a sketch by Alexander Simplot, published in "Harper's Weekly", 1862, depicting ships sunk by the Confederates off their fortifications at Island Number 10, circa 7 April 1862.
As identified on the engraving, the ships are (from left to right): Champion, Yazoo, Grampus, John Simonds, Red Rover, Prince, Admiral, Ohio Belle, De Soto, Kanawha Valley, Winchester and Mars. Most of these vessels, some of which were not sunk, were later employed by the Union forces.