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PERU / IRONCLAD TRANSITION / INDIVIDUAL SHIP

Atahualpa

Canonicus-class monitor completed too late for significant Civil War service.

John Harris Valda - Huscar and Atahualpa fighting over the Inca Empire
John Harris Valda - Huscar and Atahualpa fighting over the Inca EmpirePublic domainː https://www.meisterdrucke.uk/fine-art-prints/John-Harris-Valda/195516/Huscar-and-Atahualpa-fighting-over-the-Inca-Empire-.html · Public domainImage source
ClassCanonicus class
NavyPeruvian Navy
CountryPeru

What is known about this ship

Canonicus-class monitor completed too late for significant Civil War service.

Service history

Catawba was sold to Peru and entered Peruvian service as Atahualpa.

Class context: Canonicus class

The Canonicus class was a larger single-turret monitor design developed from Civil War experience with the earlier Passaic type. Nine ships were completed, mounting a pair of 15-inch Dahlgren guns in one armored turret.

This ship is recorded as a member of Canonicus class. Shared design history belongs on the class page; this page concentrates on the individual hull where evidence is available.

Sources and further reading

  1. Catawba I (Monitor) ↗Naval History and Heritage Command · accessed 2026-09-18
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