Designed by John L. Porter, the Confederacy's chief ironclad designer, CSS "Texas" belonged to an 1863/64 class of three, with – also referred to as the CSS "Tennessee II" – and slated as class sisters. However of these three, only "Tennessee" was completed and commissioned, proving her mettle in the Battle of Mobile Bay, whereas "Columbia" was launched but incapacitated while being completed, never to see any operational duty in the war, despite being captured, repaired and appraised by the Union Navy.