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	Commanders: Lt. James Cooke
	Lt. Charles Simms
	Original name: Empire
	Tonnage: 120 82/95 tons
	Rig: Tugboat; wood hull screw steamer
	Dimensions: 86’ x 20 5/10’ x 7 6/10’
	Built by: Fredrick A. Phillips
	Location/Year: Philadelphia, PA; 1850 (enrollment #89)
	Home Port: Baltimore (enrollment #116 – 10 July 1860)
	Description: 1 mast; square stern
	Owner(s): Cumberland Iron & Coal Co.
	Armament: 1 long 32 pdr.; 1 brass boat howitzer
Service Record: · Part of Virginia Navy during early 1861 · Served as an army troop transport · Rejected for navy use after inspection in October of 1861 · Pressed into service for the battle of Roanoke Island, 7-8 February 1862 · Defended Elizabeth City, NC, 10 February 1862 · Scuttled to prevent capture at South Mills, NC, 10 February 1862
The CSS Appomattox, originally the Empire, was chartered in 1861 as a Confederate Army troop transport. Lynch mentioned the possibility of using the Empire’s engines in a new gunboat he contracted with Gilbert Elliott to build on 22 October 1861. This gunboat was burned in the stocks to prevent her capture at the battle of Elizabeth City. Elliott later built the ram CSS Albemarle. Marshall Parks, owner of the Empire, renamed her Powhatan and sold her to the army quartermaster. Lynch seized her on January 29, 1862. Lynch had a 32-pdr mounted on her. She was placed in commission the following day with Lt. Charles C. Simms as her commander. The Appomattox survived the battle of Elizabeth City only to be destroyed at South Mills when she was too wide to fit through the locks.
Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper drawing of the Empire Site drawing courtesy of Jason Madre