Thanks, Henry.

I got to thinking about the potential for alignment problems when I read the part about the gun deck resting on the stream drum. The wording is such that it suggests to me that battle damage was the cause of additional stress on the steam drum.

Are you aware of any CSS Arkansas authors mentioning this as a likely cause of the engine problems?

Perhaps the reputation of the engines themselves have been unfairly criticized. Instead, it might be the way they were bedded or the steam piping was connected (shipbuilding vs. engine/boiler manufacture.) With the boiler receiving additional stress, I would not be surprised to find the steam piping placed in a bind as direct result.