The USS Keokuk, Designed by Charles W. Whitney with guns mounted in two stationary cylindrical towers, each with 3 gunports. Armor of horizontal layers of timber and iron was unsuccessful. The Keokuk served with the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron and took part in the bombardment of Fort Sumter, 7 April 1863. While manuevering to avoid a collision with the USS Nahant, the Keokuk was forced to spend half an hour under a crossfire between Fort Sumter and Moultrie at a range of 600 yards from the latter. Hit numerous times and leaking badly, the ship managed to escape Charleston Harbor, but sunk the next day, just off Morris Island. The Confederates, with great audacity and courage spent the next four nights salvaging the Keokuk's 15,700 pound guns from the wreck from under the noses of the blockading fleet just two miles offshore. The guns were taken to Charleston and were the most powerful guns in the city's defensive batteries. One of them is on display in Charleston today.

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