Her building via John Ericcson at the yard of Continental Iron Works was ordered on 28 July 1862, launched on 2 July two years later was a year later her completion suspended. For the next period nothing was done with the uncompleted ship with as result that her condition deteriorated fast. Secretary of State George Robeson ordered in 1874-1875 that she and four other monitors had to be repaired but it became clear that they in fact had to be entirely rebuild. She was handed over to John Roach of Chester, Pennsylvania as part of his payment for building a new Puritan.
Originally to be fitted out with two turrets was after a discussion with John Ericcson decided to fit out with just one turret. With a displacement of 4,912 tons were her dimensions 10 x 15 x 6,1 metres or 340’x 50 x 20’. The machinery was to be delivered by Allaire Iron Works of New York City and consisted of 2 shafts Ericsson vibrating lever engines supplying about 3,500 ihp allowing a speed of 11 knots. Her crew was to number 175 men. The 2-50,8cm (20”) Dahlgren smoothbore guns were placed in the one remaining turret. The iron armour consisted of a 2”thick deck, while the sides were protected by 2-6” and the turret by 15”.
The sketch was published in the Appleton’s Annual Cyclopedia&Register of 1891 resembling the planned Puritan (BM-1) of 1874 and which was in fact a new ship. Lacking a budget it was in advance pretended if she was the rebuild Puritan of 1862
Appleton’s Annual Cyclopedia&Register of important events for 1862, page 611 gives the next description of her: “The Dictator and Puritan.—These are two large batteries and rams, also of the Ericsson pattern, the former building at New York, the latter at Greenpoint, L. I. The former of them is to be 320, the latter 341 feet in length, and each of 50 ft beam. The vertical sides are to be 6 ft. in depth, armored with plates and wrought-iron slabs to a thickness together of 10½ inches, this being backed with 4 ft. thickness of solid oak. The turrets, of Dictator has one, the Puritan two, are to be as absolutely invulnerable to the 450-lb. shot of navy. This raft consists of several water-15-inch guns, and for this purpose to be of 15 inches thickness, the outer 6 inches of plates, then 5-inch slabs, and within these 4 inches of plates. The propulsive power will also be unusually great; each ship having two engines, cylinders of 100 inches diameter and 4 ft. stroke. The modified Martin's boilers employed are to have 35,000 ft. of heating surfacewith 1,180 ft. of grate surface. The propellers are Ericsson's, 21½ ft. in diameter, and of 32 ft. pitch. The guaranteed speed is 16 knots, or near 19 miles an hour. The armament is to consist of the most powerful wrought-iron guns with that can be made. The plates and armor stringers meeting at the bow will form an iron wedge 21 inches thick at the base, and terminating in a nearly sharp edge; this wedge being sustained by he entire length and depth of the armor of the ship will constitute a ram of the utmost possible strength.”
Note
1. George Maxwell Robeson (16 March 1829-27 September 1879), a lawyer and member of the American Republican Party was secretary of the navy between 26 June 1869 and 4 March 1877
