CSS General Beauregard

General Beauregard and CSS General M. Jeff Thompson after the First Battle of Memphis; General Beauregard is shown partially sunk to the left and M. Jeff Thompson is obscured by the smoke cloud at the right.
History
Confederate States
Name	General Beauregard
Namesake	General P.G.T. Beauregard
Launched	1847
Acquired	January 1862
In service	April 5, 1862
Fate	Sunk during First Battle of Memphis, June 6, 1862
General characteristics
Type	Towboat (civilian use) Cottonclad ram (military use)
Tonnage	454 tons
Length	161 feet 10 inches (49.33 m)
Beam	30 feet (9.1 m)
Draft	10 feet (3.0 m)
Propulsion	Sidewheel steamer
Armament	Disputed

CSS General Beauregard was a cottonclad ram operated by the Confederate States Army as part of the River Defense Fleet during the American Civil War. Built in 1847 as the sidewheel towboat Ocean, the vessel was operated by the Ocean Towboat Company and the Union Towboat Company until the Confederacy acquired her in early 1862. Ocean was converted into a cottonclad by the Confederates and renamed after P. G. T. Beauregard. This process was completed on April 5, 1862, after which General Beauregard was sent up the Mississippi River. On May 10, General Beauregard arrived at the end of the Battle of Plum Point Bend. The Confederates abandoned Fort Pillow on June 4, after which the River Defense Fleet vessels present there withdrew to Memphis, Tennessee. The River Defense Fleet made a fighting stand against the Union Navy at the First Battle of Memphis on June 6. During the battle, General Beauregard attempted to ram the Union ram Monarch but missed and collided with CSS General Sterling Price, taking off one of the struck ship's paddle wheels. General Beauregard fired a shot at the ironclad USS Benton and missed; return fire from Benton caused a boiler explosion which sunk General Beauregard.