C.S.S. Florida
1862
(Argos AS-S-7)
- Class: Cruiser raider
- Displacement: 700 tons
- Dimensions: 191' x 27'3" x 13'
- Machinery: 1 screw, 2 horizontal direct-acting engines = 9.5 knots
- Armament: 6-6" rifles, 2-7" rifles, 1-12 pdr howitzer
- Complement: 52
- Builder: W. C. Miller & Sons, Liverpool, England
- Laid Down: Jun 1861
- Launched: Jan 1862
- Commissioned: 17 Aug 1862
- Notes: Sloop rig, 2 funnels, iron hull. Designed after British gunboats. Supposedly built for Italy as Oreto. Known as the "Prince of Privateers," she was the second most successful Confederate raider after CSS Alabama.
- Service: Departed Liverpool 22 Mar 1862. Commissioned and armed at Green Cay in the Bahamas. Made dash through Federal blockade to Mobile, 4 Sep 1862. Sailed 16 Jan 1863. Cruised in the North Atlantic, taking 22 prizes by Aug 1863, including the clippers Red Gauntlet and Southern Cross. Entered Brest for refit until Feb 1864. Took another 11 prizes from Mar to Sep 1864. Attacked by USS Wachusett while anchored at Bahia, Brazil, on 7 Oct 1864. Surrendered and towed out to sea. Sunk in collision with transport Alliance at Newport News, VA, 29 Nov 1864.
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