CSS Stonewall Jackson...

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CSS Stonewall Jackson flew under six nations flags and held several names in her lifetime of serve... You will learn she was made for coastal defense not the high seas...

Here the story of her six flags and name changes...

Under Six Flags: The Curious Career of the CSS Stonewall | 4 Corners of the World

Library of Congress resources on CSS Stonewall, which was meant to served the Confederate Navy during the American Civil War. It docked in El Ferrol, A Coruña, Spain for a short time. before sailing across the Atlantic Ocean.

blogs.loc.gov

In 1869 it was sold to the Japanese Navy and recommissioned as the “Kotetsu.” In 1871, it was renamed the “Azuma” and remained in the Japanese Navy until 1888. It was scrapped in 1908 and, thus, ended the career of the ship that served under six flags: French, Danish, Confederate States, Spanish, United States, and Japanese.

Here another take on the story were she may have had an opportunity to battle a sister Confederate ship sold to the Prussians... Her first name was Sphinx...

Sphinx: The Confederate Ironclad Warship That Joined the Japanese Navy

Strange historical fact: during the American Civil War, there was a warship built by the French for the Confederacy, offered to Denmark, and later used by the Japanese.

nationalinterest.org

To help maintain the secrecy of the French plan, the guns were manufactured separately from the two ships – while the vessels were "named" Cheops and Sphinx, which was part of a deception effort that suggested the ships were intended for the Egyptian Navy.

 

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Did you know Portugal fired shots at two United States warships in it harbor during the civil war...

03/28/1865
The French-built Confederate C.S.S. Stonewall had arrived in the neutral port of Lisbon several days before. When she sailed, the commander of the Portugese harbor forts spotted the shadowing U.S. Navy ships shifting anchorage in the port. Assuming they were weighing anchor to pursue, contrary to international law, he fired warning shots before discovering his mistake. Portugal made official apologies. (By John Osborne)

Here is more on the Stonewall Jackson...

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The English Channel off Cherbourg in June 1864 was not the only place in Europe that heard artillery fire related to the distant American 'Civil War'. Heavy guns were fired in Lisbon Harbour, Portugal against two, US Navy frigates almost a year later during a little known incident which was conveniently forgotten. It was in fact the only time guns in Europe opened fire against American ships during the War-between-the-States. Certainly, it was not a deliberate, Portuguese act of aggression; but did involve a volley of coastal artillery being discharged. So what happened exactly?

Nineteenth century International Law demanded belligerent navies maintain a 24-hour delay for any warship in a neutral port intending to follow the departure of an enemy ship. These enforced delays avoided the possibility of engagements in neutral territorial waters (The CSS Alabama often benefited from that during her time at sea). On March 28th 1865, the Confederate ironclad ram CSS Stonewall left Lisbon harbour to cross the Atlantic. Two Federal steam frigates, the USS Niagara and USS Sacramento had arrived in Lisbon soon after the Stonewall; and Portuguese authorities detected one, the USS Niagara was shifting her berth. She was promptly fired upon by the batteries of Fort Belem (See illustration above) in the firm belief there was an intention to follow the CSS Stonewall to sea, in contravention of the international agreement. The question was; did the Portuguese react so precipitously due to some previous bad experiences with the Federal Government’s attitude to international maritime law, or was this a genuine case of over-reaction? Lisbon authorities were very aware of the diplomatic incident caused by the capture of the CSS Florida in Bahia harbour, in Brazil after the USS Wachusset penetrated that neutral port on the night of October 7th 864, boarded the Florida by surprise, then removing it as an illegal prize to U.S. territory. After Brazilian protests, Lincoln acknowledged international law rules had been broken; but mysteriously the Florida was sunk at Hampton Roads before she could be released. Portugal and Brazil are sister nations and obviously, the Portuguese were less than enamoured to see another violation taking place by the Union in their (Lisbon) home waters!

In the event, the USS Niagara (See engraving left) received no damage but the artillery action forced the Union ships to stay in port until next morning, much to the advantage of the recently departed Confederate vessel. After the War was over, the US Secretary of the Navy assured the Portuguese authorities there had been ‘no intention’ of leaving Lisbon secretly or in contravention of the treaty and Portugal then offered a muted apology for ‘over-reacting’. Neither country had anything to gain from continuing diplomatic rifts so the matter was quickly forgotten and laid to rest.

 

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You should see Stonewall Jackson's naval career in Japan... It lead a naval assault in the Battle of Miyako Bay and the Naval Battle of Hakodate Bay.

Japanese ironclad Kōtetsu - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Seeking to reinforce its fleet with modern warships, the Tokugawa shogunate sent representatives to the United States in 1867, seeking to purchase surplus ships.[5] Acting envoy to the United States Ono Tomogoro discovered Stonewall in the Washington Navy Yard in May and made a formal offer to the United States government for the purchase of the ironclad. The purchase was concluded for the price of $400,000 and she was turned over to the Japanese on 5 August who renamed her Kōtetsu.[19] However, by the time of her arrival in Shinagawa harbor on 22 January 1868, the Boshin War between the shogunate and pro-Imperial forces had begun, and the United States took a neutral stance, stopping the delivery of military material, including the delivery of Kōtetsu, to the Shogunate. The ship had arrived under a Japanese flag with an American crew, but US Resident-Minister Robert B. Van Valkenburg ordered her put back under the American flag. Kōtetsu was finally delivered to the new Meiji government in early March 1869.[5]

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