The CSS General Earl Van Dorn, a side-wheel river steamer, was fitted out in early 1862 at
New Orleans, Louisiana as a
River Defense Fleet "cottonclad" ram. It was named for Confederate general
Earl Van Dorn, born and raised in Mississippi.
In late March, the ship steamed up the
Mississippi River to
Memphis, Tennessee, where outfitting was completed. In the naval action off
Fort Pillow on May 10, the Van Dorn attacked a Union mortar boat with gunfire and rammed the ironclad
USS Mound City.
On June 1, the steamer was used to help cover the Confederate evacuation of Fort Pillow. It retreated to Memphis, where, on June 6 it was the only survivor of the River Defense Fleet's final battle. After escaping to
Yazoo City, Mississippi, General Earl Van Dorn was burned by its Confederate crew on June 26, 1862, to avoid capture by Federal warships.