Name Scorpion Fate Abandoned and captured Depth of hold 3 ft 9 in (1.14 m) | Ordered 1864 Beam 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) Length 14 m | |
Armament 1 × 5 in (130 mm) gun18 ft (5.5 m) spar with percussion torpedo | ||
CSS Scorpion was a Squib-class torpedo boat procured late in 1864 by the Confederate States Navy and armed with a spar torpedo fitted to her stem. She performed picket duty in the James River under command of Lieutenant E. Lakin, CSN.
On January 23 to January 25, 1865, torpedo boats Scorpion, Hornet and Wasp, under the overall command of Lieutenant Charles W. Read, CSN, joined Flag Officer J.K. Mitchell's James River Squadron in the abortive attack on General Ulysses S. Grant's main supply base at City Point, Virginia. Attempting to rejoin her consort, the ironclad CSS Richmond ran aground above Trent's Reach; Scorpion ended up fast ashore also and was severely damaged by the magazine explosion which destroyed nearby gunboat CSS Drewry, on January 24. Abandoned, she fell into Federal hands.