SSIM Achates was a USE Navy timberclad commanded by C.H. Baumgartner. The Achates was part of the USE naval fleet sent to assist Luebeck, but suffered engine troubles, which caused a fractured steampipe and badly injured three men. The Achates was forced to dock at Ritsenbuttel to have it repair and was unable to travel with its fleet. The crew of Achates hadn't been able to do much to get the boat working again, since the critical repair couldn't be done until Michael Stearns arrived with the needed equipment—which had had to be brought all the way from Magdeburg. Instead, they'd spent most of their time and energy getting the Achates ready to be scuttled and helping the Marines man the jury-rigged fortifications on the docks that gave the disabled warship what little protection it had.