USS Benton

USS Benton
History
United States
Namesake	American senator Thomas Hart Benton
Builder	James B. Eads, St. Louis, Missouri
Acquired	early November 1861 for $2,600 USD[1]
Commissioned	February 24, 1862
Decommissioned	July 20, 1865
Fate	Sold November 29, 1865
General characteristics
Displacement	633 long tons (643 t)[2]
Length	202 ft (62 m)
Beam	72 ft (22 m)
Draft	9 ft (2.7 m)
Propulsion	Steam-driven stern paddlewheel two inclined engines
Speed	5.5 knots
Complement	176 officers and enlisted
Armament	(see section below)
Armor	2.5-inch (64 mm) forward casemate backed by 2.5-foot (76 cm) of wood .625-inch (15.9 mm) lateral casemate backed by 2-foot (61 cm) of wood 2.5-inch (64 mm) pilothouse

USS Benton was an ironclad river gunboat in the United States Navy during the American Civil War. She was named for American senator Thomas Hart Benton. Benton was a former center-wheel catamaran snagboat and was converted by James B. Eads, St. Louis, Missouri, in 1861 and commissioned February 24, 1862 as part of the Army's Western Gunboat Flotilla.