--- title: "The Confederacy’s last ironclad was Japan’s first" description: "Protected by iron or steel armor plates, Japan’s first ironclad warship was originally built for the Confederate States Navy." date: "2023-08-03" modified: "2023-08-03" authors: - name: "Miguel Ortiz" job_title: "Senior Contributor, Army Veteran" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/miguelortiz/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/feature/the-confederacys-last-ironclad-was-japans-first/" categories: - "Ships" - "Tactical" --- # The Confederacy’s last ironclad was Japan’s first ![ironclad warship]() *(Public Domain)* It’s not uncommon for warships to serve the navies of different countries in their lifetimes. The Argentine cruiser ARA *General Belgrano* (C-4) that was sunk during the [Falklands War]() in 1982 was first commissioned as the USS *Phoenix* (CL-46) in 1938. In a similar vein, Japan’s first ironclad warship was originally built for the Confederate States Navy. ![ironclad warship in spain]() *Stonewall *in Spain (Public Domain)** On October 12, 1861, CSS *Manassas* became the first ironclad to see combat at the Battle of the Head of Passes on the Mississippi River. Protected by iron or steel armor plates, ironclads held a significant tactical advantage over conventional warships made of wood. During the Civil War, the Union built dozens of the type. The Confederacy built ironclads domestically but also purchased them from Europe. While the CSA was able to place ironclad orders overseas, getting the ships to America was a challenge. Most were confiscated, especially by Russia which openly supported the Union. In 1863, the Confederacy struck a deal with French Emperor Napoleon III. French shipbuilder Lucien Arman, a close acquaintance to Napoleon, would construct two ironclads for the CSA in secret so as not to openly violate the French law against providing warships to a nation at war. To that end, the guns for the ships were manufactured separately and the ironclads were named *Cheops* and *Sphinx* to suggest they were commissioned by Egypt. ![stonewall last ironclad]() *Stonewall *was the Confederacy's last ironclad (Public Domain)** However, prior to the delivery of the ironclads, the U.S. discovered France's secret arrangement with the Confederacy. Under political pressure, the French government blocked the sale of the ships. Instead, on March 31, 1864, *Cheops* was sold to Prussia as [*Prinz Adalbert* and *Sphinx*]() was sold to Denmark as *Stærkodder*. The Danish Navy took delivery of the ironclad on June 21, 1864, and conducted a shakedown cruise. *Stærkodder* arrived in Copenhagen on November 10, 1864. At the beginning of 1865, Denmark sold *Stærkodder* to the Confederate States of America, the ship's original customer. On January 6, 1865, a Confederate Navy crew took delivery of the ironclad in Copenhagen. Renamed CSS *Stonewall*, the ship was damaged in a storm before it left Europe. While repairs were made in Spain, news of the Confederate ironclad reached the Union. During February and March, Union ships observed *Stonewall* from afar. When *Stonewall* put to sea on March 24, 1865, the Union ships declined to fight her and she sailed across the Atlantic for the Caribbean. The ironclad arrived in Nassau, Bahamas, on May 6. Five days later, *Stonewall* arrived in Havana, Cuba, where her crew learned of the war's end. ![stonewall ironclad warship]() **A closeup of* Stonewall*'s armor (Public Domain)** *Stonewall* was turned over to the Spanish government in Cuba, who then turned her over to the U.S. The ironclad arrived at the Washington Navy Yard on November 24, 1865. Two years later, seeking to modernize their navy, representatives of the Tokugawa shogunate in Japan purchased *Stonewall* from the U.S. for $400,000. In Japanese service, she was renamed *Kōtetsu,* which translates to "Ironclad." When the ship arrived in Japan in March 1869, the new Meiji government took possession of *Kōtetsu*. Sailed by the Imperial Japanese Navy, *Kōtetsu* served as the flagship of a task force dispatched to engage the remnants of the Tokugawa Navy that remained loyal to the shogunate. On March 25, 1869, *Kōtetsu* repelled a surprise night attack at the Battle of Miyako Bay with her [Gatling gun](). She also supported the Imperial invasion of Hokkaidō and fought in the Naval Battle of Hakodate Bay. ![kotetsu ironclad warship]() *Kōtetsu *leads the charge at Hakodate Bay (Public Domain)** On November 15, 1871, *Kōtetsu* was reclassified as a third-class warship and renamed *Azuma* the next month. With her fighting ability assessed as low compared to newer and better-armed ships, she was relegated to naval guard duty. *Azuma* was struck from the IJN register on January 28, 1888, and sold for scrap on December 12, 1889. In 1895, her armor plating made armature shafts for electric generators in Tokyo's Asakusa Thermal Power Station. ## Author Miguel Ortiz is a Senior Contributor for We Are The Mighty covering primarily military news and history with an emphasis on weapons technology. He is a former active duty Army officer and remains a member of the Army IRR. After commissioning through San Diego State University Army ROTC, Miguel served with the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, NY. He has written for We Are The Mighty since 2020, drawing from his passion for the military community and history. Miguel’s work has also been seen on Business Insider and The Blast. He remains an avid shooter, competing in local USPSA matches. Miguel’s other hobbies are traveling and watch collecting. ### Author social links [LinkedIn]()